Okay, I have to be honest. I went in depth to research John McCain's environmental policy and was quickly thwarted by his website, which played a commercial over and over again until I wanted to throw my computer against a wall. I was swayed only by the fact that I need to keep the computer intact in order to get a tax credit.

But back to the point. John McCain, contrary to popular belief, DOES have a policy on the environment. Unlike most Republicans, John McCain has been staunch in his acceptance of the theory of global climate change, and embraces the notion -- and you can tell this bothers me for a reason I'll talk about in a second -- that government and not private enterprise should take responsibility in encouraging environmental stewardship. And yes, the reason I don't like that has nothing to do with my feelings on global climate change, but rather with my views on whether we should ever rely on government to set the standard for anything. But thats another post for another day. Right now, we're talking John McCain.

For McCain, environmental policy is inextricably linked to energy policy. According to McCain, it is absolutely necessary to lift the ban on offshore drilling and drilling in protected areas of the continental United States. Sure, while this would not produce a marked effect immediately, drilling for oil in places we've refused to drill for decades (thus impairing our ability to produce crude oil for ourselves and increasing our reliance on foreign oil that generally comes from less-than-sympathetic regions) would decrease the price of oil over time, and in twenty years or so -- if we're still lumbering around in fossil fuel vehicles instead of, say, flying cars -- would produce a workable, domestic source of that fuel.

But, of course, according to McCain, those flying cars shouldn't be reliant on fossil fuels at all. John McCain, in his energy platform, calls for American automakers to embrace a Clean Car standard, offering up to a $5K tax credit for each customer who purchases a green vehicle. A $300 million dollar prize would go to an automaker who could produce the the first full commercial development of a hybrid fuel-cell vehicle -- or any vehicle which "leapfrogs" into the automotive future. He's also willing to embrace and enforce increased CAFE (fuel emission standards), support the production of flex-fuel vehicles.

One thing I do like about John McCain's energy and environmental policy is that it supports workable alternative fuels. Lets face it, we can pump all sorts of cash into solar energy, wind power and the variety of high-cost, low-output alternatives to fossil fuel that we want -- the market will never support them until they are cheaper and more efficient to use than current options. Wind power and solar power initiatives, while adorable and easily marketable options that sell well to environmentally conscious grade-schoolers, will likely never produce enough energy to justify their high cost. In other words, if we chose to support these initiatives with our tax dollars, we'd be barking up the wrong tree. John McCain, instead, has said that he will support those alternative energy sources that hold real promise -- those energy sources that are already rising to the top in the commercial markets and those energy sources that have a real future in American life.

These aren't random sources. They include alternative vehicle fuels made from alcohol bases, clean coal technology (efficient technology which could be possible in the next several years with the correct encouragement), and most of all, nuclear power. While he'd still pressure the market to embrace wind and solar technologies, he recognizes that if these technologies turn out to be unworkable, as many think, he would discontinue support in favor of solutions that the market supports. In addition, McCain would pledge a permanent tax credit for companies seeking out alternative fuels -- a tax credit which would be equal to the wages of the entire research and development department for each company.

Sure, green jobs are very important, but McCain recognizes that merely funding something and subsidizing an industry does not guarantee that industry's long-term survival. Mere "creation" of jobs out of thin air, funded completely by the government and therefore into eternity, would do little except provide employment to a new generation of government hacks, content to while away the hours in a dank laboratory and collect their pension checks at the end of their tenure. To truly move into the future, private enterprise -- not government enterprise -- must be encouraged. Support of private enterprise and encouraging privately-owned corporations to engage in research and development of alternative fuels is McCain's plan.

So what about cleaning up the mess that's in the air right now? John McCain would put into place a "cap-and-trade" emissions program, that would allow corporations to buy and sell the right to emit greenhouse gases, while capping the emissions overall. Sounds complicated? Its really not, and it worked to curb acid rain back in the 1990s under Bill Clinton. The market, not the government, decides where and when to use their emissions "credits," giving them an indication of where they need to improve, and helps corporations know where to invest money to improve their emissions. Why would they do this? Well, the permits that corporations don't use can be "traded" back to the government for cash or credit. The less emissions, the more credit. Businesses love profit, and if you can maximize profit by minimizing emissions, everyone wins.

Additionally, every few years, the cap on emissions falls, so less and less emissions are allowed until, by 2050, emissions are reduced by 66% from levels present in 2005. Small businesses, of course, would be exempt, letting entrepreneurs get on their feet before they become subject to high government standards.

One of my favorite parts of the environmental policy: finally some recognition that ethanol may not be the best way to go. John McCain is pledging to let up on funding the incredible subsidies that have flowed into production of ethanol over the last few years, and he has also pledged to drop the trade restrictions that drive the cost of corn into the high heights domestically. By reworking this system -- allowing for support for the development of ethanol while eliminating wasteful government spending -- John McCain may do more for the development of corn-based fuels than he thinks.

Am I totally happy with the plan? I guess. Its better than I could have hoped for, but the inner anarchist is just itching to hate it. I suppose, for someone who likes as little interference from the government as possible, this is the only viable option in the presidential race -- and the only one that doesn't make America subject to international emissions standards that no nation can actually meet without farming out its industry to third world countries who aren't Kyoto signers.

Canada, I'm talking to you.

Don't take my word for it. Find out what other lovely ladies are saying about John McCain's environmental policy:

Ginna and Ian take on the comparison between McCain and Obama over at VJWilliamson's Weblog. Patty Henetz of the Salt Lake Tribune's blog takes a look at two candidates who are "together in words, apart in deeds." And finally, Lisa Swan of Piece of Mind pits Barack and John head to head on their environmental policy, green technology and fuel emissions standards.