President Obama, Dream Bigger

Yesterday morning President Obama spoke at Georgetown University and laid out his vision for securing our energy future. Speaking directly to the students in the room, the President told us:

“We need you to dream big. We need you to summon that same spirit of unbridled optimism, that bold willingness to tackle tough challenges and see those challenges through that led previous generations to rise to greatness.”

We agree, now is the time to dream big. Our dream is a 100% safe, equitable, and clean energy economy, and we’re working to build it — but what President Obama is proposing is a dirty energy nightmare:

• Despite the nuclear crisis in Japan, the Administration has suggested more support for this dangerous energy;
• Last week, they announced they’re opening 2.35 million tons of coal mining in the Powder River Basin, enough coal to scorch the planet;
• And just this morning reports are breaking that President Obama may cave to Big Polluters and accept amendments to the budget that would handcuff the EPA and jeopardize clean air.

Dirty energy is placing an unbearable burden on the American public, and Big Polluters are being handed massive handouts at the expense of critical programs like the EPA and Planned Parenthood.

Is it too much to dream of an America where polluters are held accountable for their disasters? Is it too much to dream of an America where people aren’t burdened with the cost of pollution? Is it too much to dream of an America where citizens are in charge of our energy decisions, not big polluters? We don’t think so.

Enough is enough, on April 18th, the last day of Power Shift 2011, we’re taking our demands to the White House to set the record straight: President Obama, Make Big Polluters Pay.

Join us in the streets and tell President Obama: don’t cave to Big Polluters, protect our Clean Air.

We’ll demand that President Obama:

• Publicly commit to block any attempt to undermine the Clean Air Act or EPA
• Make Big Polluters pay their fair share, and end Big Polluter handouts
• Refuse campaign contributions from the corporate interests corrupting our democracy

We’ll rally at Lafayette Park outside the White House, right across the street from the Chamber of Commerce, one of the biggest dirty energy lobbying firms in DC — this is our chance to draw a line around dirty money in politics.

We are dreaming big, but we need President Obama to dream bigger. We won’t stop in DC, we’ll continue to work in the grassroots, build our power and demand President Obama and elected officials follow our lead.

Send a message to President Obama take the first step.

If you’re not already registered for Power Shift, sign up now to demand that President Obama Make Polluters Pay.

Filed under: Events, Politics, Power Shift It’s Getting Hot in Here is the voice of a growing movement. A community media project, it features the student and youth leaders from the movement to stop global warming and to build a more just and sustainable future.

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