Rally to Restore Sanity and or March to Promote Fear Brings Out the Masses

The Rally to Restore Sanity and/ or March to Promote Fear promised to be a rally for people who were too busy to go to rallies, but according to a CBS who commissioned Air Photos.Live to count, an estimated 215,000 people were motivated to attend.

The estimates have a margin of error of plus or minus ten percent.The last time any rally compared to this in size was the Glen Beck “Restoring Honor Protest” held over the summer, which brought in 87,000 people.

And while both rallies had their own set of strange costumes, the “Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear definitely brought out a different demographic.

The last time America's youth, the MTV generation, rallied on the National Mall in these numbers, were protests for the Iraq War in January, 2003, when tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands protested on the National Mall, as part of a worldwide protest against the war.

“My Dad's part of the tea-party. He teased me for coming today”. Debbie from Tampa Florida told ABC News. She came because a friend at work invited her. “I could not pass the opportunity to come.”

John Stewart and Steven Colbert had been talking about the rally for the last month, but even in the morning of the rally people were not sure what to expect. By noon, people were pouring into the National Mall, for something nobody was quite certain what exactly it was about.

They came from far and wide, by some accounts from every recess of the country, some brought in by buses, some flew. Many carrying comedic signs, the crowd was so large people were sitting in trees, on street signs, and atop of at least one ambulance.

“They probably didn't care how many came just as long as it was one more than Glenn Beck rally”. Sadie Clark who came from New York.The crowd was so large, many decided to take refuge in local bars and watch it the rally on television.

The one demographic missing, NPR who had asked it's employees not covering the rally to not attend.For the first 30 minutes it was difficult to audio was very low, people were wondering are you going to be able to hear anything?

“You have to expect your not going to hear that much at a rally this size” Barbara Young explained. Barbara was the minority at the rally, a veteran protestor, who had experienced both the rallies of the 60's and today's events.

The actual speeches from Stewart and Colbert didn't occur until two and a half hours in of the three-hour rally, in the meantime, the audience was entertained creating an enormous wave, an awards ceremony for reasonableness and spreading fear, and plenty of music to go around.

Yusuf Islam, formally known as Cat Stevens performed “Peace Train”, followed by Ozzy Osborn’s “Crazy Train”, and then too top it off, there was a performance of “Love Train” by the OJ’s.The timing of just three days before 2010 midterm elections was highly political.

But the question on whether or not the rally will actually drum up support for democratic candidates, or if this rally will simply be remembered for the huge turnout, and comedy that ended up preaching to the choir remains.

Battle Heats Up Over PACE Financing

Lawmakers are fighting back after the federal housing agency thwarting an attractive funding mechanism for home energy retrofits and the jobs that come with them.

Rep. Mike Thompson, D-Calif., and 29 other members of Congress have introduced legislation that would prevent Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac from stifling state programs that allow localities to sell bonds to finance energy-efficient ­upgrades made by ­homeowners.

The legislation follows a suit California attorney general and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jerry Brown filed against Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the Federal Housing Finance Agency, arguing they are violating state law by blocking the programs.

The programs, dubbed property assessed clean energy, or PACE, programs, have come under fire from the mortgage titans and their regulator, the FHFA, which argue they make the underlying mortgages on participating homes too risky for the two government-sponsored enterprises.

22 states that have passed laws in support of property assessed clean energy financing (PACE). It's a little personal in Boulder because the county was the first in the nation to fully implement PACE in their program called the Climate Smart Loan Program. Boulder has seen $13 million, just for the residential program, flow through the economy with this financial instrument that helps a community burn less money by burning less fossil fuels.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) which regulates Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac which own or guarantee most of our nation's home mortgages, has determined that PACE programs "present significant safety and soundness concerns."

This was unexpected; when Fannie and Freddie issued ambiguous warnings about PACE weeks ago,
Country Commissioner Will Toor said the mortgage moguls would resolve this in support of PACE "because their position makes so little sense."

The housing giants' objection has been stubbornly focused on the senior status of the lien, meaning in the event of a home default the local land tax authority gets paid prior to the mortgage lender. In reality, in a default, only the delinquent amount of tax would be senior, being say, $1,000, rather than the whole retrofit assessment of say, $15,000. The remaining debt stays with the property.

"The FHFA memo is the classic solution looking for a problem " says Alice Madden of Colorado Governor Ritter's office, "One of the reasons PACE bonds get such high ratings is that the debt stay with the property; these are not personal loans and lenders are simply not at risk."

At the behest of the Department of Energy and its intent to leverage more PACE upgrades with stimulus funding, PACE programs have developed best practices such as: aiming for energy savings to exceed the amount of assessment, a retrofit cap which can be no more than 10 percent of property value, only delinquent amounts of the assessment get paid in foreclosure, and positive equity requirement amongst borrowers. These standards sure beat subprime mortgages that Fannie and Freddie gladly gobbled up on houses that spill energy in every direction. But the FHFA alleges, without analysis that PACE financing presents only downsides. Though the agency was lobbied with generous explanation (available through PACENOW.org) showing that new standards nearly assure cash benefits for borrower and lender, the FHFA has determined as if only downside risks are noteworthy.

Most likely, PACE projects would bolster lenders' profit margins by easing borrowers' monthly expenses and risk of default. And it's not just the lender, borrower, retrofitter and solar manufacturer shall benefit fromPACE. Over in wobbly Wall Street, sellers of municipal bonds also want in to this highly attractive bond market made safe by the senior lien status. Barclay's Capital has asserted that "there would be little to no meaningful bond buyer interest" in PACE liens without the senior status.

Lenders have routinely tolerated senior liens for property-assessed additions such as sidewalks, sewers and schools. But reducing a community's exposure to coal and natural gas prices? FHFA has deemed this to "not have the traditional community benefits associated with taxing initiatives."

They better be careful. These lenders got at least $160 billion in bailout for their excellence in "safety and soundness" during the subprime disaster that laid our nation low. And now as unelected bureaucrats they try to tell us, their taxpayer benefactors, what is what in community benefits?

Toor minces no words: "It's an outrageous assault on state and local authorities."

Battle Heats

Lawmakers are fighting back after the federal housing agency thwarting an attractive funding mechanism for home energy retrofits and the jobs that come with them.

Rep. Mike Thompson, D-Calif., and 29 other members of Congress have introduced legislation that would prevent Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac from stifling state programs that allow localities to sell bonds to finance energy-efficient ­upgrades made by ­homeowners.

The legislation follows a suit California attorney general and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jerry Brown filed against Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the Federal Housing Finance Agency, arguing they are violating state law by blocking the programs.

The programs, dubbed property assessed clean energy, or PACE, programs, have come under fire from the mortgage titans and their regulator, the FHFA, which argue they make the underlying mortgages on participating homes too risky for the two government-sponsored enterprises.

22 states that have passed laws in support of property assessed clean energy financing (PACE). It's a little personal in Boulder because the county was the first in the nation to fully implement PACE in their program called the Climate Smart Loan Program. Boulder has seen $13 million, just for the residential program, flow through the economy with this financial instrument that helps a community burn less money by burning less fossil fuels.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) which regulates Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac which own or guarantee most of our nation's home mortgages, has determined that PACE programs "present significant safety and soundness concerns."

This was unexpected; when Fannie and Freddie issued ambiguous warnings about PACE weeks ago,
Country Commissioner Will Toor said the mortgage moguls would resolve this in support of PACE "because their position makes so little sense."

The housing giants' objection has been stubbornly focused on the senior status of the lien, meaning in the event of a home default the local land tax authority gets paid prior to the mortgage lender. In reality, in a default, only the delinquent amount of tax would be senior, being say, $1,000, rather than the whole retrofit assessment of say, $15,000. The remaining debt stays with the property.

"The FHFA memo is the classic solution looking for a problem " says Alice Madden of Colorado Governor Ritter's office, "One of the reasons PACE bonds get such high ratings is that the debt stay with the property; these are not personal loans and lenders are simply not at risk."

At the behest of the Department of Energy and its intent to leverage more PACE upgrades with stimulus funding, PACE programs have developed best practices such as: aiming for energy savings to exceed the amount of assessment, a retrofit cap which can be no more than 10 percent of property value, only delinquent amounts of the assessment get paid in foreclosure, and positive equity requirement amongst borrowers. These standards sure beat subprime mortgages that Fannie and Freddie gladly gobbled up on houses that spill energy in every direction. But the FHFA alleges, without analysis that PACE financing presents only downsides. Though the agency was lobbied with generous explanation (available through PACENOW.org) showing that new standards nearly assure cash benefits for borrower and lender, the FHFA has determined as if only downside risks are noteworthy.

Most likely, PACE projects would bolster lenders' profit margins by easing borrowers' monthly expenses and risk of default. And it's not just the lender, borrower, retrofitter and solar manufacturer shall benefit fromPACE. Over in wobbly Wall Street, sellers of municipal bonds also want in to this highly attractive bond market made safe by the senior lien status. Barclay's Capital has asserted that "there would be little to no meaningful bond buyer interest" in PACE liens without the senior status.

Lenders have routinely tolerated senior liens for property-assessed additions such as sidewalks, sewers and schools. But reducing a community's exposure to coal and natural gas prices? FHFA has deemed this to "not have the traditional community benefits associated with taxing initiatives."

They better be careful. These lenders got at least $160 billion in bailout for their excellence in "safety and soundness" during the subprime disaster that laid our nation low. And now as unelected bureaucrats they try to tell us, their taxpayer benefactors, what is what in community benefits?
Toor minces no words: "It's an outrageous assault on state and local authorities."
_____________________________________________________________________

EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson discussed earth week and new rules to track emissions submitted Wednesday.

This morning on the 40^th anniversary of Earth Day, and forty years after the founding of the EPA, Lisa Jackson, administrator of the EPA went to the Riverside Valley Community Garden in Harlem New York where she joined forces with Green for All, a organization working to build a green economy, and 100 local community members to plant and celebrate.

“Yesterday the Vice president did a whole energy efficiency announcement to kick off a week of earth day celebrations” Jackson said. She continued. “But I’m really excited for Monday, because it looks like at long last we’re going to get a glimpse of the US senate bill. And that’s real progress on greenhouse gas emissions”.

On Wednesday, The EPA submitted a proposed rule to the White House Office of Management and Budget that will establish what information is "emissions data" targeted at nearly 10,000 large emitters.

The new reporting rule that was finalized last fall will required large facilities to begin collecting emissions data on Jan. 1, 2010. The first emissions reports will be due in March 2011.

But tracking is just the first step in the battle to reduce emissions.

“My wish list for Earth Day is that the US congress move, the Senate move to enact comprehensive energy and climate legislation” Jackson said standing in the community garden. “It’s the last piece to the puzzle. It’s the move from spending a lot of public money on clean energy to really having the whole economy focused on transitioning to a clean energy future for our children and our grandchildren”.

The House passed the Waxman-Markey Energy bill back in June of 2009, but it has since been stalled in the Senate.

Senator John Kerry (D-Mass) has been working with Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Joseph Lieberman (I-Conn.) for months to create a climate bill that can attract 60 votes.

Kerry is billing this as the last chance to get the comprehensive clean energy legislation in the US.

“This can be the year -- our last and best shot -- to find the 60 votes needed to reduce carbon pollution, and build a new energy economy that makes good on President Obama’s Copenhagen pledge to cut U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by 17 percent by 2020.” Senator Kerry said today at his Earth Day celebrations.

Earth Day demonstrations will continue on Sunday, April 25th, when Earth Day Network and partner organizations are convening a climate rally on The National Mall to try and convince the Senate to pass a strong climate bill in 2010.

Forty years ago nearly 20 million demonstrated in the first ever earth day across the US.

“Obviously the Obama administration ties clean energy very much to Earth Day, because after all you can’t have clean energy if you’re not talking about energy that has fewer impacts on air pollution and water pollution and on land pollution” Jackson said.

But who or how emissions will be regulated remains to be seen.

“The endangerment finding went out earlier this year, a couple weeks ago we put out are final cars ruling, cars are now cleaner and more fuel efficient and for the first time ever we regulate greenhouse gas emission s from cars” Jackson said. She continued “The EPA’s going to have a role no matter whether it’s through legislation or regulation because we are the keepers of the emissions inventory. Beginning this year every one’s reporting their greenhouse gas emissions to EPA”. Jackson said before running of to be a guest on David Letterman.

.

Energy Bill's Coming

Last summer a clean energy summit was put on by the Center For American Progress in Las Vegas. A who's who of the clean energy movement was there, from Harry Reid, to Al Gore, Van Jones who at the time was the Green Jobs Czar, and even T. Boone Pickens.

"We'll take up clean energy legalisation after health care". Reid said at the conference.

So here we are into 2010, a health care overhaul has been signed into law, and Obama has extended an olive branch to opponents of comprehensive energy legislation with a promise to open up areas of the Atlantic for off shore oil exploration.

I am being bombarded with emails form Al Gore's group, The Alliance for Climate Protection, announcing, "We've Got Next", but what exactly does We've got next mean?

The Supreme Court has ruled that the EPA has the ability to regulate greenhouse gas emissions as part of the clean air act, but some are speculating that the Senates version of climate legislation will take away that authority.

What exactly this clean energy legislation will shape up to be remains to be seen, and whether or not clean energy legalisation will make good on Obama's campaign promises for a millions of green jobs, is far from known.

Green Nail Polish Remover

Last weekend I ventured out to Kaight, a green botique in New York that has very chic green clothing and accessories, all organic of course. And came across Priti soy nail polish remover and Priti polish.#547. I had no idea how toxic and awful nail polish and remover was for the environment, inside a typical bottle you'll usually find toluene, dibutyl phthalate (DHB) and formaldehyde- all known carcinogenic ingredients. It's those little things that add up. Love the nail polish remover, which feels better on the nails than a typical remover, which according to the company is "is 100 percent biodegradable, non-toxic, and non-carcinogenic, but it is also housed in an apothecary style bottle that is completely recyclable".

State of the Planet 2010

The Copenhagen Climate Summit has ended but climate negotiations still wage on. Today at Columbia University in New York, Dr. Jeffrey Sachs, The Earth Institute and The Economist Magazine organized economists, scientists, political and business leaders in cities around world. Beijing, New Delhi Monaco, Nairobi, Mexico City, and London, all played a part through the technology of live video webcast in the State of the Planet Conference.

Four breakout sessions drove the days events dealing with what it would take to complete a climate deal, how to achieve Millennium Development Goals, what a green recovery would look like, and how an international system can be built to deal with transnational issues.

Keynote speakers included Secretary General of the UN Ban Ki-Moon who asked for a green recovery and Felipe Calderón of Mexico, who outlined 7 steps to completing a climate agreement for COP-16 in Mexico in November of this year.

All of the video from the day's breakout sessions can be watched online at State of the Planet.org.

One of the most lively moments of the day came from a London feed when Sir David King, Director of the Smith School on Enterprise and the Environment, from Oxford Unicersity predicted the date of peak oil. "The world's oil reserves are exaggerated". Sir King said. Adding "The International Energy Agency had earlier predicted 2020 as the date when demand for oil would outpace supply, it's more like 2014"

Many of the Summit's participants came together on the common ground of the need for a green recovery, seeing the financial environmental and energy crisis as intertwined.

Some participants pointed to hope in renewable energy as part of a solution to the climate crisis. "The great hope of the sun, that means photovoltaics," said Walace Broecker a Professor at Columbia University who is best known for coining the term global warming.

Other's talked about updating the electrical grid, and adding other renewable energy sources such as geothermal, wind, and nuclear power, as well as the idea of taxing financial transactions to pay for a green recovery, as well as the possible necessity of geoengineering if the world can't figure out a way to keep greenhouse gas emissions in check.