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Pump up Washington

-- Mark -- 06/30/2007

Earlier this week in London, Arnold Schwarzenegger met with Tony Blair on his last full day in office. Blair acknowledged Governor Schwarzenegger for his efforts against climate change, as well as his influence on President Bush.  In return, Schwarzenegger praised the Prime Minister for his efforts by pointing out that you can protect the planet and the economy.

This time last year, Blair traveled to California so that the U.K. and California could form a transatlantic partnership to address global warming in order - looking at ways to limit greenhouse gas emissions and use cleaner-burning fuels. Last year, Blair recognized Schwarzenegger for signing legislation that imposed the U.S.'s first statewide cap on greenhouse gases. Blair said California's effort to fight global warming has helped stir Bush in the right direction during the G8 summit in Germany.

"The fact that the state of California was making such a determined effort and setting out a new direction on climate change . . . I think this played enormous part," Blair said. "Surely this exposed the President of the country to what its people were saying."

Schwarzenegger stated that by experimenting with a greenhouse gas cap, a state like California can show the U.S. federal government that it can succeed without damaging the economy. The recent success of California's battle against climate change will hopefully influence all of the presidential candidates in the upcoming debates, including the Democratic Debate held in Charleston, S.C., later this month.