But in the bigger picture, the success of this program has to be taken as a positive step toward a new mindset. And as much as President Obama has touted the success of this program as the beginning of a new era, we must also realize that the average consumer was as enamored with the rebates, ranging from $3,500 to $4,500, as they were the environmental benefits. I don’t say this to be cynical, but it’s important to be realistic about this.

As a nation, the United States will not simply wake up with a new mindset overnight. There are politics at play, jobs at stake, and many skeptics who must be shown just how much damage our last fifty years has done to the planet. However, the success of the “Cash for Clunkers” program is undoubtedly a step in the right direction, even if there is still red tape to unwind.

As the environmental blog Greenpress noted, “this program was perhaps the seminal step towards weaning the public away from gas guzzlers and enabling them to more easily step into helping the environment. The program’s results have shown that, given the opportunity, people will ’step up’.”

[image via dave_7]

With an average increase around 10 degrees by the end of the decade, the “soil will be significantly less productive” according to an article in the Huffington Post. Ironically, these are states whose senators have opposed climate change regulation like the Waxman-Markey bill passed this year on the grounds that the legislation could damage their home states’ economies.

With Republicans saying no to most of the initiatives being introduced, my hopes are that the Democratic majority will still be able to get enough done during Obama’s first term to ensure some steadfast measures to effect a transition into a more climate friendly economy.

[image via smiles are free]

For those who believe the government shouldn’t take on too much power or sway in a person’s life, it’s easy to see how the looming trillion dollar price tag on updating our health care system could seem frightening. And for those who believe the government owes it to its constituency to look after its citizens in a responsible, fair, and decent way, it’s not hard to see why such passion exists for change.

And now we’re beginning to hear news of an alternative option, the public health plan, adding a new wrinkle to the already contentious debate. Though it will drive down premiums due to increased competition, a co-op plan is much harder to define – the details will probably be left up to state governments in terms of how to implement treatment and organize costs – and as a result it has gotten much less coverage, further complicating matters in the eyes of the public.

The New York Times has an excellent piece covering the specifics, but it remains unclear whether this will be a viable option once Congress finishes its recess. But I think it’s important to note that even if it is still on the table at that point, co-op care will only work if it is funded both publicly and privately, and I am of the mind that without a certain amount of charitable donation, it will be impossible.

In either case, if we have any hope of moving the conversation forward, both the public and the politicians need to have a clear idea of what exactly is at stake.

[image via stevenverlander]

Having taken many lessons from last year’s presidential campaign, the administration will be using the internet to debunk many of the tactics being undertaken to bring down the healthcare initiative, including circulated chain mails with falsehoods over the details of the plan, whisper campaigns on social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook, and addressing web ads sponsored by right wing groups looking to throw a wrench into the process. The Republican minority has attempted to provide disinformation to the public, the Obama administration said.

According to Politico, the accusations on the table are clear: “conservatives have charged that Obama’s healthcare proposal would promote euthanasia, encourage federal funding of abortions, end private insurance and force every American into a public insurance plan. The White House and Democratic congressional leaders dispute each charge.”

Press secretary Robert Gibbs has been the most prominent face of the PR offensive so far, speaking out against Rick Scott, founder of Conservatives for Patients’ Rights, who reportedly took credit for town halls in which crowds became rowdy, booing and shouting down answers to valid questions. David Axelrod and Linda Douglass, two of Obama’s closest advisers, have also found themselves on the front line.

With every week that passes, reaching common ground on this issue only becomes more difficult. Though it would be preferable to see progress being made on healthcare reform, bringing the public squarely into the debate with with all of the facts is essential, not only to push the matter forward, but to maintain the level of transparency that we were promised. If spearheading an offensive against this campaign of disinformation will achieve this, then it the proper course of action to take.