Despite recent rebuttals to the contrary, global warming is a real threat to Americans. Even the U.S. military agrees. In the new video "Climate Patriots: A Military Perspective on Energy, Climate Change and American National Security," recently released by the PEW Project, leaders of the U.S. Armed Forces weigh in on their experiences gearing up for and preventing climate change. The overall gist: climate change will increase terrorism, will require more military spending, and will create a need for a greater U.S. military presence abroad. So we need to be taking action now.

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This speech yesterday by Barack Obama was remarkable, not because of any surprises in his push for the energy independence provisions of the  recovery bill, the move to raise fuel economy for cars, and his call for a quick EPA review of California's waiver request, allowing it to regulate CO2 from cars. What's remarkable is how clearly he communicates the three energy crises:  our security, economy, and planet. If anyone has any doubts at all about how urgently Obama views the energy issue, this is a must-read speech. Heck, read it in any case.

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The latest on the federal economic stimulus package includes a "Rebuild America" proposal from Minnesota Congressman Jim Oberstar. His plan calls for a $45 billion infrastructure investment, which would include $18.25 billion for roads and bridges, $6 billion for transit, and $2 billion for intercity rail. While the numbers will likely change, there is little doubt that there will be a large investment in transportation infrastructure. Now the question is: what will the details of the transportation investment look like?

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Last week, City Pages picked up the story and quoted me saying this: "The key issue with these tar sands is that this is the bottom of the barrel, the last sludge of oil remaining in the world. It's the dirtiest and most polluting oil by far, much more polluting than conventional sweet crude. Its mining, extraction, refining, and shipping would all essentially move the refining capacity of the Gulf Coast up to the Midwest Great Lakes region."

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Yesterday, the Center for American Progress (transition leader John Podesta's left-leaning think tank) gathered top advocates for a Green Recovery for a live webcast of how America can get back on track investing in what Obama calls "the new energy economy."

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