Published: May 02, 2008 12:05 am         

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.: Carbon dependence destroying economy

TERRE HAUTE — America needs someone as its next president who’s going to go toe-to-toe with the oil and coal industries, and for Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Sen. Hillary Clinton is that person.

“ … it’s dependence on carbon that’s really destroying America’s economy, destroying our security,” Kennedy, 54, said Thursday in a phone interview with the Tribune-Star. “It’s destroying all of the things, it’s hurting all of the things that we value in our country.”

He is the son of the late 1968 presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy and nephew of former president John F. Kennedy. He is an environmental lawyer and co-host of “Ring of Fire” on the Air America radio network.

Billions of dollars a day are spent to import oil to our country while trillions of dollars a year are given to oil and coal industries in subsidies, Kennedy said, which is keeping more efficient and economic alternatives from being used.

One nation that has decarbonized is Iceland, he said, which went from being one of the poorest countries in Europe to the fourth richest nation in the world.

“They are a net energy exporter,” Kennedy said about Iceland today, “and corporations are lined up to get into Iceland to take advantage of it’s clean, cheap energy.”

Decarbonizing would create millions of jobs, reduce the country’s trade deficit and drop the budget deficit by $100 billion a year among other things, he said.

“Hillary has challenged, she’s been one of the most vocal to challenge the oil companies for control of our democracy, control of our jobs and control of our economy,” Kennedy said.

Kennedy noted that most of his family members have been to Terre Haute at one time or another. His father campaigned in Terre Haute in 1968.

Though he acknowledged the Democratic Party has two candidates that would make wonderful presidents, he believes Clinton can win against the Republicans in November as many polls have shown, he said.

“I think Hillary is more seasoned of the two …,” he said.

Like the Democratic Party, the Kennedy family has been split in whom they support for the nomination. Still, family gatherings have not been a problem, Kennedy said.

“I think the family is together in heart, the same way the Democrats are,” he said. “Division is really a function of the fact that we have two really great candidates.”

Should Sen. Barack Obama win the nomination, Kennedy said he would support him and encourage other Clinton supporters to do the same.

Some national polls have indicated Clinton supporters would choose Republican John McCain if Obama wins the nomination and vice versa.

Kennedy said he hoped that wasn’t the case, but had a way to convince them to join.

“I say ‘George Bush and John McCain’,” he said. “Those are four words, that’s all they need to hear.”

Crystal Garcia can be reached at (812) 231-4271 or crystal.garcia@tribstar.com.