President Obama Address 10/2/10

President Barack Obama is promoting his administration's investments in clean energy technologies like wind and solar, arguing they produce jobs and are essential for the country's environment and economic security.

In his weekly radio and Internet address Saturday, a month out from crucial midterm elections, the president also accused Republicans of wanting to scrap incentives for such projects.
"That's what's at stake in this debate," the president said. "We can go back to the failed energy policies that profited the oil companies but weakened our country. We can go back to the days when promising industries got set up overseas. Or we can go after new jobs in growing industries. And we can spur innovation and help make our economy more competitive."

Part of the House GOP's recently released "Pledge to America" calls for freezing spending from last year's stimulus bill. The stimulus included $90 billion for clean energy projects ranging from electric vehicles to solar loan guarantees, although a big chunk of the money has already been obligated or spent.

Obama cited a solar power plant breaking ground in the Mojave Desert this month thanks to government incentives.

"With projects like this one and others across this country, we are staking our claim to continued leadership in the new global economy," Obama said. "And we're putting Americans to work producing clean, homegrown American energy that will help lower our reliance on foreign oil and protect our planet for future generations."