The campaign issue which really hits home for me is the one I canvassed for this summer, the Renewable Energy Production Tax Credit. So of course, the Presidential candidate’s opinions on this particular topic are the ones that matter most.

First, what is the Renewable Energy Production Tax Credit? Well in 2006 green energy facilities were given a tax credit to encourage hopping on the green bandwagon. The incentive was 1.9-cent per kilowatt-hour benefit for the first ten years of a renewable energy facility's operation. While this sounds like a renewable energy activist’s dream, the tax break was only temporary and was set to expire in December, 2008. Activists all over the country have worked hard to push congress to invest in clean, homegrown energy and extend the Renewable Energy Production Tax Credit. Essentially, failure to push the extension would result in the loss of nearly 116,000 green collar jobs, in addition to putting a huge pothole in the green path the tax credit helped create.

Unfortunately, this summer the tax credit never made it passed the Senate. So how did our Presidential potentials vote on the REPTC? Well in 2006 Obama voted for while McCain voted against the tax incentive and over $290 for renewable energy research. This year McCain abstained from his votes due to his busy campaign schedule. What’s even more frustrating is the 2008 effort failed to pass by only one vote. Clearly, despite his campaign commercials plastered with pretty pictures of wind turbines, renewable energy is not the number one priority for McCain, despite the $19 in U.S. investment that could be lost in just one year if renewable energy tax credits are not renewed by Congress.

McCain's environmental view focuses on improving the economy. In this sense, I would consider him a Market Liberal. John McCain remains committed to extracting as many resources as he can. Whether it be oil or technological advances, he plans to create more to consume less. He does, however, provide a concrete outline of his plans and has created specific goals. Obama, on the other hand, has created a looser plan which focuses on creating more renewable green energy and green collar jobs. I would also consider him a Market Liberal, however he focuses more on the economic impact going green would have on the people and less on the economic state of America.

Using energy efficiently is the most important concept in this upcoming election. With gas prices through the roof it is critical for our future leader to consider massive new investments in the energy industry. What our country needs is a President who is environmentally conscious and willing to reroute America toward energy efficiency. Despite what free-market environmentalists think, government regulations toward renewable energy is exactly what we need. We need our President to set an example and vote yes on environmental issues, which is clearly not something John McCain is interested in.