What Does The Fox News Channel Have Against Green Jobs?
This week, the Apollo Alliance and our allies had a run-in with Fox News talk-show host Glenn Beck. For those of you who aren’t familiar with him, Beck is a conservative commentator who specializes in ranting against the Obama administration, labor unions and progressive causes in general.
Perhaps taking a cue from conservatives in Congress and their elaborate health-care flip charts, Beck did a segment on the Apollo Alliance this Tuesday, during which he mapped out on a dry-erase board Apollo’s organizational structure, which he referred to as “the vast left-wing conspiracy.”
Frankly, we genuinely appreciated the attention Beck gave us on national television. He even credited us for helping design the economic stimulus package! (Many of the proposals from the Apollo Economic Recovery Act we released in December 2008 were incorporated into the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act enacted in February, including a two-year “down-payment” of more than $100 million for green-collar job creation.)
But our influence on the economic stimulus package was one of the only things that Beck and his guest, Phil Kerpen of Americans For Prosperity, got right. And that’s too bad for Fox News Channel viewers, because we think if Beck had given his viewers an accurate portrait of Apollo and what we stand for, many of them would agree with our message. To set the record straight, here are some of Beck’s false claims, followed by the truth:
- Beck’s guest Phil Kerpen described the Apollo Alliance as an organization “designed to bring together elements of organized labor with the community organizers with the green groups, the environmental groups.” First of all, we’re proud to claim social justice leaders, environmental groups and labor unions as part of the Apollo coalition. But what happened to the fourth Apollo constituent group—business? If Beck had acknowledged that businesses across America support the Apollo Alliance and our “radical” agenda of putting millions of Americans back to work in good jobs, it might have undermined his claim that we’re agents of some vast left-wing conspiracy. PG&E, Google and other businesses are represented on our board of directors, along with dozens more that are on the steering committees of our state and local Apollo chapters. Oops, maybe the business groups were accidentally wiped off of the dry-erase board.
- Beck and Kerpen didn’t say much about what the Apollo Alliance actually stands for, except that we admire the Apollo space mission (true!) and that we want a “centrally planned, organized massive mobilization to reorder society and take control of energy and [our] various other objectives.” Um, not really. But then again, why would Beck accurately depict Apollo’s mission and programs? If he did, he’d likely discover that many of his viewers agree with us. Many conservatives believe we need to reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil (if only for national security reasons) and understand that we can do so by switching from a carbon-based economy to one that runs on clean energy. And do conservatives really want to take the position that we shouldn’t support U.S. businesses, including manufacturers, in their efforts to break into the clean energy economy and create well-paying domestic jobs that can lift the country out of recession? The Apollo Alliance stands for clean energy and good jobs, simple as that. Don’t you think Glenn Beck should set the record straight on an upcoming show about what the Apollo Alliance really stands for?
Beck also severely distorted Apollo’s relationship with the Tides Foundation and attempted to smear former Apollo board member Van Jones and current board member John Podesta. You can watch his rant.
Click here to read a funny Grist article about the segment.
Clearly, this is not just an attack on the Apollo Alliance. This is an attack on climate change and green jobs advocates in general, and an attempt to thwart our efforts to pass strong public policies. Here’s what you can do to counter Beck’s diatribe against green jobs and climate progress:
- Get active with the Apollo Alliance and help us push for a Senate clean energy and climate bill that includes support for clean energy manufacturing. Click here to endorse Sen. Sherrod Brown’s Investments for Manufacturing Progress and Clean Technology Act of 2009.
- Make a donation to Apollo! If we’re important enough to get this much attention—and credit—from a leading conservative national media outlet, then we must be doing something right! Click here to make a donation so we can keep pushing our clean energy, good jobs message far and wide.
P.S. Beck didn’t just make waves this week by slandering the Apollo Alliance; he went so far as to call President Obama a racist, putting the president in the good company of Sonia Sotomayor, whom Beck labeled a racist a few weeks ago …
Cool Things to Check Out on the Web
- A new signature story on the Apollo website, Solar Energy Prospects Look Bright in Gainesville, describes the landmark feed-in tariff program that was just adopted in Gainesville, Florida to promote the use of solar photovoltaic energy in the area.
- The Center for American Progress (one of the groups Glenn Beck accuses of being part of the vast left-wing conspiracy) has launched a new website called The Hub: Resources for a Clean Energy Economy. It compiles the arguments, stories and state-by-state data needed to show that the clean-energy economy will create good jobs, lower consumer costs, spur innovation and entrepreneurship, and position America as a global leader in the new low-carbon energy era. The Hub features Apollo Alliance Signature Stories along with tons of useful reports and research. Check out The Hub.
- You can keep track of the quickening pace of state and federal action on clean energy policy on our Apollo Blog and Daily Digest.
- And how about joining us on Twitter?
Having watched both the Beck segment, and read through your web site and this article, I have to say I still think Beck is more on point than Apollo. To outline why I think this way:
1. What is the financial gain to each side in this? Apollo and its supporters stand to gain quite a bit of power and money through your policies.
2. When has a Government job ever produced anything that helps the economy or people of this nation? Never, the government creating jobs means they have to destroy double the private sector jobs to do so. Don’t take my word for it go research it for yourself.
3. Which party has a proven track record of being honest? Beck has a long career with many, many of his views proven to be true. Again don’t take my word for it go look it up.
4. What does progressive mean? The definition is favoring progress toward better conditions or new policies, ideas, or methods. This country has been the most powerful in the world for one hundred and fifty years relying on innovation and free markets, capitalism. So the idea of throwing all the old ideas away and going to a bigger more inefficient government, more intrusions into my life, more regulations, more union dues paid to a useless group that does nothing for ninety percent of its members… all of these ideas sound like worse conditions, ideas and methods.
I will be actively promoting the boycotting of all business even remotely connected with your organization. Americans do not want to give control of their energy to the Government, the Unions or the flawed science of the global warming crowd.
History teaches that the rate of innovation is directly proportional to how freely society is allowed to innovate.
If you truly want society to be more green, then let society innovate freely. When government gets involved, it’s forcing innovation, and that’s not freedom.
Sure I think becoming more green is a good idea. But I also believe that free enterprise will find a way, if it’s left alone and it’s not forced on us by federal government.
Glenn Beck has his faults, as do progressives. But if you listen carefully to Glenn Beck and learn to filter out the sensationalism, you might see the fact that the root of his rants is simply freedom. He and I believe in a constitutional government that represents the interest of people, not special interest groups.
If you want society to be green, then educate them and let them make their own choice. Do not force them with things like cap and trade.
Apollo should be influencing people, and then the people influence government. That is freedom, that is the spirit of the US Declaration of Independence and US Constitution. Apollo influencing government to make laws on the people is backwards.
Green can happen, and it can happen in freedom too. Progress isn’t a bad thing, but remember that it’s freedom that allows us to progress. I’m afraid that most progressives have forgotten about freedom and it’s power.
Jeremy I couldn’t agree with you more! Thank you for showing that there are others who do NOT need government programs and regulations forcing us to do things in this country that is based on FREEDOM!
By letting people decide on their own it creates a free market that will grow and prosper beyond the immagination. There is also a competitive market created with freedom and less regulations. When will this administration figure that out? But again, Obama has been taught his whole life that social justice is what should run this country, NOT the Constitution.
Everyone wants a healthy life and clean air to breathe. But we don’t need programs like this that are shoving it down our throats because they think we are too stupid to figure it out. I recycle and reuse whatever I possibly can, not because the government is telling me to, but because I understand that it is a waste to throw more junk into a land fill.
The Apollo Alliance should be abolished! Your attempt at grouping the Unions, Green groups, coummunity orgainzers and environmental groups… Oops, almost forgot the Businesses too (can’t leave out Google-one of the biggest contributors to the DNC) will not succeed! The American people do agree with protecting their environment, but NOT WITH YOU telling us how! The power of this country lies in the hands of the PEOPLE (any race, religion or sex), get your hands off of our tax dollars and get a real job!
1. If this organization is worthwhile it would not depend upon the government to make it financially. You stand to gain a great deal of $$$Green$$$ with the Cap & Tax legislation.
2. If you believe that global warming is man-made or man cureable, then go read; “Physics for Future Presidents”, by Dr. Mueller of U.C.Berkley.
3. When you water-board the public by taking away their voice and taking their money for your profit, that is not a good light to stand in.
4. We agree on only ‘1′ thing, Energy Independence…we just have different goals on how to get there.
I checked out both sides and both perspectives. What I have came away with is this, Liberals are backed by industries such as Banking, Agriculture, Green Energy, and Unions. While Conservatives are backed by industries such as Insurance, Military, Oil, Defense, Information Collection, and Credit Card. If Obama is taking his government power, and handing no bid contracts to the people in Liberal Industries, then it sounds just like what Bush and Cheney do. They gave no bid contracts to Halliburton, KBR, and Blackwater, and created a new questionable industry called Homeland Security. The creation of the Patriot Act created a new industry that gave way to these giant information collecting firms, that collect information on American citizens then turn around and sell them to other firms, that use the information to create new companies, and new policy brought forth by consumer spending. So to me it sounds like the same story with a new set of players. Thanks to Bush, and Chaney the President, and Vice President now have more power to create, and destroy Industries. Same story different day, the only difference is that Conservatives like to cry, and moan about the Economy when most of them don’t know anything about free market economics. I recently graduated from a great university, and I was taught the difference between Free Market, and Lassie Faire Economics. I gotta say that the problem with free market economics is that you have extreme business cycles, and it feeds on poor peoples ignorance. It allows businesses to take advantage of people who don’t know any better. Government has to take care of these people, and protect them against corporations. At the same time they can’t have too much power over these corporations, and should keep their hands out of certain areas, but you can’t give corporations free reign to create elaborate schemes that rob people. What this does is gets us into trouble like we just witnessed, the sub-prime market nearly destroyed our country, because the government allowed corporations to go un-controlled, and for them to have unchecked power. Get over it conservatives it’s now our time to rule!! Cry me a river build a bridge, and get over it.
Jeremy & DBlaker - I completely 100% Agree with you! Very well said. So I won’t try to add. Just thank goodness for Glen Beck and FoxNews - helping the citizens of this country investigate what is really happening.
Well said DBlaker and Jeremy Walworth - the two comments above mine. These green job people are just trying to ‘rule the world’ and will if we don’t do something to stop them! I agree with Glenn Beck 100% and feel these people are just obsessed with making big money and acquiring lots of power!
I thank Fox News for bringing many of these issues to our attention; they are the only network who will bring us to the attention of organizations such as this one, and we don’t need Apollo.org to give us green jobs! NO to Cap & Trade (or Cap & Traitor) …we don’t need it!
Respectfully,
D. Thompson
Citizen4CommonSense (and proud of it)
It is all about the structure that is being Implemented. This is a very clever way to institute control over people. Americans do not dislike green ways or labor in general.
I am reading about the Apollo Alliance for the first time. I must say that I agree with the two posts before mine. Giving the government too much power is bad for us. We were a nation founded on principals and freedom-both of which are slipping away. Funny how all of the projects change names to suit the present. Climate Change used to be Global Warming. There are too many examples to list.
I totally agree with saving the planet-I’ve been doing my best before it was cool. Unfortunately, my town doesn’t have recycling and there is no where close to take things. I can use other methods, such as having a filter for my water and not using bottles, using shopping bags for trash bags, etc.
If the government would put their money where their mouth is, these issues would fix themselves. They forget they work for us, not the other way around. I also watch Glenn Beck, and believe he has our best interest at heart. Someone has to tell us what’s going on-it’s obvious this administration is the least transparent EVER!! They couldn’t tell us the truth if their lives depended on it! And them asking us to tell on each other is fishy!
That’s entertainment… and little else.
Anyone with a legtimate point wouldn’t have to resort to CONSTANT brainwashing name calling (you would think that Van Jones’ full name included ‘Communist’). It would be funny to pull together the same conspiracy trees that liberals put together about Bush just to see how similar they are. Conspiracy theories are a waste of time because 1) if government is so incompetent how could they pull off such a massive operation? 2) people with the same level of experience tend to know each other, particularly at the top of the pyramid because there are so few people who relate. Who cares if someone knows someone else? I shudder to think of who Glenn Beck knows–and then thinks “this person is WAY more radical than I want to be.” What’s to prevent Obama and everyone else from doing the same thing?
The people that Van Jones (the communist, just so you don’t forget) helped after prison had about as much money as Glenn Beck’s suit cost. He championed bringing poor minorities out of poverty by giving them environmentally conscious jobs, thereby replacing desperation with society with a sense of doing good for it. Glenn wouldn’t know about that, neither would the other fellow whose suit also costs more than these people had.
It speaks volumes that these folks are against social justice, green jobs, and labor groups. Just think about the implications of all of that for a minute. If they had gotten what they say they are for, we would still have monopolies and black lung. I have more hope for them then that.
Again, that’s entertainment. Too bad people take it so seriously.
I would love it if Fox or some of these other commentors did some objective reporting on the ‘Free Market’ as it pertains to agriculture, Lockheed, or any of the other ‘Defense’ giants. The only reason Fox and these other posters oppose a very sensible domestic agenda promoting clean energy and green jobs is because neither Halliburton nor Aramco make solar panels.
Don’t worry about Glenn Beck. He will be silenced as soon as we get the Fairness Doctrine implemented. We are almost done taking control of every part of government and business so that everyone must agree to do what is best for everyone else. People like Beck just need to be re-educated to understand that Socialist policies are for their own good, and for the good of the rest of the world.
Didn’t know anything about this Beck guy before reading this web page. He makes alot of sense. Never trust a group of people who want to censor the opposition. I just might of found my voice. Thank you.
Your board membership does seem left of center, but green jobs and government incentives for green jobs isn’t any more “socialist” than the government policies we’ve had for decades such as low-cost leases for oil drilling on federal lands, huge subsidy programs for agriculture that boosts the big oil and fertilizer companies, and lax CAFE standards for cars that made it easy for Detriot to keep cranking out and selling SUVs for so many years. So the left could have been screaming “government handout” about the oil industry all these years and be just as correct (if you like hyperbole) as the folks on the right are today.
It’s hard to cut through to the truth these day. For example, with economic impact studies on cap & trade (Markey-Waxman), you’ll see one study that makes one questionable assumption (like we’re going to built a lot Nuke plants) or another that tends to have the opposite effect (that carbon credits from Europe won’t be available to US companies).
Please keep digging into balanced facts on Green jobs. I’m sure there are tradeoffs to any policy, including potential downside to Cap & Trade. When people start tossing labels around from Socialists, I know not to put much stock in what they say.
I must say that I have to agree with THaselhorst, Daniel Henderson, Christopher & Roberto. Fox News and some of these commenters seem to just be ignorant of Green Jobs.
“10 Years, $500 Billion, 5 Million Jobs
The program would generate and invest $500 billion over 10 years. An annual investment of about $50 billion a year”
You want to spend (borrow) $500 BILLION (before interest) to create 5 Million jobs??? This is NUTS!!!!
Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged drives home the point that those who can’t compete on a level playing field, team up with government to bully their way to the top.
Both major parties aid their “pet” industries to achieve these goals.
To be fair to Glenn, he slams both major parties for doing this, however he is hot on the trail of the democratic party for taking these manipulations to monumental levels never seen before. Thus bankrupting this country and taking away precious freedoms!
The republicans and democrats have written election laws that make it next to impossible for other political party’s to get a foot hold. Just ask the libertarian and Green party’s what an uphill battle it is…
Hats off to the Apollo Alliance for all you do, and for allowing a real bulletin board of comments. Clearly, FoxNews viewers saw fit to post here. Interestingly, as someone who does not agree with Beck, my posts do not appear on the FoxNews web site when I attempt to post them in response to Fox programs. I guess the Fox version of democracy does not include dialogue. Again, congratulations and keep up the good work.
Americans registered as Independents is at the highest level in 70 years. We are going to end up with a real 3rd party at the end of this exercise.
Well, well, well, your website proves the fact that Glenn is right, unions and big government endorse your ideals, your business and you trade millions in favors and money to control this country. Your company and no other company will run my household, I will NEVER be a part of your corruption. There is no global warming, what a joke, we haven’t had a more cool summer as this year. The “green idea” is a typical tool for liberalism and stands again capitalism and capitalism is the makeup of this country. American citizens throw away such bull crap on a daily basis. Guess what, I don’t recycle, I drive a full size van and I have a Suburban that gets about 7 miles to the gallon, I burn trash in a barrel and I will keep doing this just because this government says not to do it. I really despise PETA and I eat chicken, beef and pork on a regular basis along with my whole family. Take that and stick it in your green tree bonnet!!!
I have been an environmentalist since 1968–(just a few years prior to the creation of the EPA ) and hold a BS in Environment Geography.
The biggest problem with the Fox piece on Apollo is that they didn’t focus on the fact that the stimulus bill which they claim was written by you–had nothing in it to promote domestic manufacturing of PV (photo-voltaic) technology. The bill only focuses on ‘installation and purchase’ of ‘Green sytems’ not the domestic production of same. Eventhough Microsoft invested heavily in developing the technology for PV manufacturing systems, every factory they have installed their systems has been built (currently in excess of 20 worldwide) outside the USA.(thus no new manufacturing jobs for US–except Microsoft and they probably outsource the systems construction to India).
I researched the startup of a residential PV/solar company and discovered every system is built outside the US–not good–especially something this high-tech which is pricey to purchase even when built overseas therefor it would produce good, high paying jobs in the US.
There are many unsavory things being said about Apollo Alliance. And I wonder what is the truth.
The fact that you defend the “green” is not a sin, to be sure. The question “what other projects do you promote” requires, however, clarification ASAP. Or not?
Liking Glenn Beck or not is a matter of taste, obviously. Personally, I like his very much: he is logical in his explanations and has a very good ‘delivery’ in front of the camera. This does not make him Mr. Right, but being a conservative does not make him Mr. Wrong either.
So let us have as many clarifications as possible since there are a lot of people out there interested in supporting worthy causes.
The Apollo Alliance is a wonderful organization of unions, business groups, local, state, & fed. government,community groups, environmental organizations, basically, a Community, I am proud to be a member.
I don’t think Glenn Beck has been right about any thing except when he almost died, & blamed his insurance company. You Tube
AFTER READING THROUGH VARIOUS ARTICLES ABOUT YOUR ORGANIZATION AND READING THE PROPAGANDA ON YOUR WEBSITE. I HAVE CONCLUDED THAT GLENN BECK WAS ESSENTIALLY CORRECT. YOU SEEK TO LEVERAGE THE GOVERNMENT TO CREATE UNION JOBS IN SUPPORT OF A GREEN AGENDA.
WHY DO BUSINESSES JOIN/SUPPORT YOUR ORGANIZATION? THEY JOIN IN HOPES OF GAINING SOME BENEFIT FROM THE DOLLARS THAT ARE REDIRECTED FROM THE TAXPAYERS TO SUPPORT THIS DISHONEST AGENDA. BUSINESSES JOIN IN A SORT OF PAY-TO-PLAY SCHEME TO CURRY FAVOR WITH THE POLITICAL ESTABLISHMENT THAT TAKES UNION AND TAX DOLLARS TO FURTHER ITS LEFT WING AGENDA. THE USE OF THE PHRASE “GOOD JOBS” IS A TRANSPARENT PROGRESSIVE APHORISM MEANING UNION JOBS.
YOUR ORGANIZATION IS TRANSPARENT AND DISHONEST. I WILL BOYCOTT ANY COMPANY WHICH SUPPORTS YOU AND WILL MAKE MY THOUGHTS KNOWN TO EVERYONE I KNOW.
YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED.
To all you paranoids above worried about “Apollo Alliance and you greens and Unions taking over the country”, I say Are you people nuts? Have any of you researched how much energy we use each year? What percent of it is green? Do you realize how small $100 million dollars is in relation to the energy sector in this country? Do you realize that wind energy is the fastest growing energy sector in our country? Do you know that large swaths of West Virginia are being devastated by Mountaintop Removal Mining? Do you know that a coal mining company bought a West Virginia Supreme Court judgeship a year back, then the judge ruled for the company in a major lawsuit?
People, people, people. Quit worrying about all of your paranoid fantasies, and look at the facts. Manufacturing wind turbines, setting them up, and maintaining them can be a huge moneymaker and job creator for the United States. Manufacturing, installing, and maintaining photovoltaic and solar hot water panels can be a huge moneymaker and job creator for the United States. Jump starting these industries is in the best interests of our country, as it allows us to grow the economy with the least pollution of all the methods of creating energy. Training young men and women to do these jobs doesn’t turn them into socialist robots. It gives them a useful and decent paying job. Whether or not you believe in global warming, THESE INDUSTRIES ARE CLEAN and reaching the point of cost competitiveness with coal, nuclear, and natural gas.
Training young men and women in how to build homes and other buildings that use very little water, electricity, and other forms of energy is another good idea that improves the bottom line for all of us. Are you against saving energy, oh paranoid ones? Saving energy saves money. Why are you so worried about an organization that wants to help save energy? Believe me, I have been following the Apollo Alliance from their inception, and they are NOT taking over the country. It amazes me how little some people rely on facts, and how easily many people are enticed into strange paranoid fantasies.
People are more important than things!
Long time there has been victims of those who see their wealth as more important than people. The Beck regime of followers wants more freedom and continuation of predatory practices against the working class and poor. Let the “market regulate itself” with no watch dog… The self-serving and self-centered ideology of “me first” must change. People are more important than the predator’s things.
Thank you, Apollo Alliance. There are so many uninformed people out there when it comes to energy. They are right about some things….like “follow the money” Glenn Beck and his cronies are getting rich from big corporations who want all the money for themselves - ie Exxonmobil, Shell, BP, Westinghouse, Areva, the coal industry, health care…..that’s why he is on the air, He is supported, as is Fox Faux News, by these huge corporate monopolies. They play to those who enjoy the chaos and blame game. Problem with that is, nothing gets accomplished. If someone else has to change before I can be healthy and happy, then I am stuck. I have to change. I have to support solutions. How many of those folks above actually send money to support Glenn Beck? How about Fox? Let’s demand solar solutions like cloudy Germany and Gainesville Florida where, BTW, the economies are booming, people are creating their own jobs and prosperity by putting solar on their rooftops. Then the local power company avoids building a ew dirty coal plant. We could save ourselves $Billions in subsidies to coal and nuclear which will end up costing taxpayers because Wall Street KNOWS they are too big a risk.
When I take ME out of blame….all I have left is “BLA, BLA, BLA” Sounds like a lot of people out there have nothing better to do than BLA, BLA, BLA and knock others. Get into solutions. Brainstorm what YOU can do….or get out of the way. Thanks.