Thanks to Trump administration, America’s stance on clean energy and climate change is looking totally regressive and counter to the findings of most world scientists. In just days, the administration will attend the United Nations climate change discussions in Germany, a country where clean energy is succeeding so much they are paying consumers to take a surplus of wind energy. There, they are expected to awkwardly defend their stances of pro-fossil fuel, mythical “clean coal,” and climate change denial. This comes just as Trump’s Energy Secretary, Rick Perry, made some stunning and embarrassing remarks to support the fossil fuel industry, suggesting using the less-than-clean energy could prevent sexual assault.
Leave it to a Trump appointee, right? During an Axios media energy policy discussion with NBC’s Chuck Todd, Perry reportedly discussed his trip to Africa.
From The Hill:
He said a young girl told him that energy is important to her because she often reads by the light of a fire with toxic fumes.
“But also from the standpoint of sexual assault,” Perry said. “When the lights are on, when you have light that shines, the righteousness, if you will on those types of acts.”
The Hill’s energy & environment reporter, Timothy Cama, Tweeted the full remarks.
Full Perry quote on fossil fuels/sexual assault pic.twitter.com/KH6pyApIYU
— Timothy Cama (@Timothy_Cama) November 2, 2017
On Axios’s website, they made no reference to these bizarre remarks but reported that Perry claimed the “science is still out” on whether climate change is caused by human activity.
“I still think the science is out on” whether humans cause 100% of it,” said Perry.
At @axios @NBCNews event, @SecretaryPerry: "yes" when @chucktodd @JimVandeHei asked if climate change real #Axios360 pic.twitter.com/FyonPelr3u
— Mike Allen (@mikeallen) November 2, 2017
Perry apparently dismissed wind energy by suggesting that the wind may not blow tomorrow.
“If you can guarantee me that the wind’s going to blow tomorrow…then I’ll buy into that. But you can’t…Our job is to make sure the electricity’s on,” said Perry.
Perry also downplayed the news that Puerto Rico is still struggling to regain it’s hurricane devastated infrastructure, while Texas and Florida are fairing much better relatively.
“We were slow getting [electricity] back if we use Florida and Texas as your model,” but Puerto Rico is different.
Perry himself seems proud of his remarks, posting pictures of his appearance on Twitter, though he made no mention of his reportedly outlandish comments.
Lively discussion w/ @chucktodd & @JimVandeHei at @axios media event this morning. Thanks for the opportunity to talk @ENERGY #axios360 #usa pic.twitter.com/zxqLILp4yu
— Rick Perry (@SecretaryPerry) November 2, 2017
Featured image: Rick Perry by Gage Skidmore (CC BY 2.0)
