The Forgotten Issue

Wait a second, do Kuster and Bass actually agree on something? The answer to that, surprisingly, is yes. After seeing them attack each others backgrounds and ideals for the last few weeks it makes for a refreshing change to see them both talking about clean energy. Annie Kuster visited a wood pellet company in Geoffstown, NH where she proclaimed that “These are not the jobs of tomorrow — they are the jobs of today”. Republican Charlie Bass has been active on the board of managers and as an investor in New England Wood Pellet, where according to Bass, they’re “paying people good wages with good benefits”.

New Hampshire’s 2nd District may be one of the only campaigns where clean energy and change in climate is being talked about. One reason this issue is being re-discussed is because of the grassroots organization the New Hampshire Carbon Action Alliance. A committee committed to the creation of green jobs and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, they have invited the candidates to join in a debate on the subject. This is one way that interest groups like the NHCAA can influence election platforms, by forcing their agenda into the political spotlight.

But there’s no way Bass and Kuster would just talk about the promise of clean energy jobs, they had to fit some campaigning in there somewhere. While the two agree on the potential that new green jobs offer for New Hampshire, they have qualms about each other’s way of dealing with that potential. Kuster again returns to Charlie Bass’s past, bringing up his past votes granting tax cuts to oil and power companies, and asks why his focus was not on clean energy. Bass on the other hand tries to portray himself as a seasoned veteran; he worked as an alternative energy consultant since he left congress in 2006, and upholds that Kuster just doesn’t have enough knowledge on the subject. Despite their reservations, it seems that whoever wins this race in November will promote increasing clean energy as a way of job growth in New Hampshire.

The above shows the clean energy jobs already in existence in New Hampshire.