Election Day was green day for the most part. Environmentalists helped oust California Congressman Richard Pombo, a
Republican property rights advocate who spent his seven terms trying to eviscerate the Endangered Species Act and other enviro laws. Pombo was
defeated, appropriately enough, by a wind energy consultant. Voters in
Washington, meanwhile, passed Initiative 937,
which requires the state’s utilities by 2020 to produce at least 15
percent of their electricity from renewable energy sources or meet that target by purchasing renewable energy credits. But Californians, ever the
contrarians, voted down a ballot measure backed by Silicon Valley
heavyweights that would have taxed oil companies $4 billion to fund
alternative energy research and programs. Big-time venture capitalists
and green tech evangelists Vinod Khosla and John Doerr along with
Google co-founder Larry Page spent millions to promote Proposition 87. Big Oil spent more, however, and in California elections are essentially
fought on television screens. Heavy rotation of endorsements from
former President Bill Clinton and Hollywood celebrities couldn’t
overcome political ads like this one from
anti-Prop 87 forces. (Sorry, I can’t show it to you on Green Wombat as
the embed function has been disabled.) Still, with Democrats now in
control of the House – and maybe the Senate – expect more action on
global warming and other environmental issues. Businesses already surfing the green wave will be ahead of the game; those who are not need to get in the water.
Green Wombat 
There were always those kids who kind of hid behind the marquee at summer camp because the water was too cold. But they always ended up getting in. 🙂
You are right on the outspent portion of your article for sure. Chevron Corp spent over 90 Million dollars running ads against Prop 87. I thought it was a no-brainer but apparently the opposing ads got to voters.
They even advertised on my liberal radio station in Los Angeles. A listener called in and asked why they would accept advertising from big oil on their airwaves. KTLK host Ed Schultz replied that they need to accept advertising money from all parties.
I believe people heard the term “The 4 billion dollar oil tax” and immediately said – no way am I paying more for gas!
This nation has way to high a population to believe that the economy is more important than the environment. People hear that ad and get scared. They vote with their pocketbooks.
Too many durn SUV’s if you ask me. I recently returned from Dusseldorf, Germany and did not see a single SUV on the road while I was there. It was shocking.