In the presidential debate, John McCain promoted his nuclear obsession as a job-creation boon, claiming, “We can create 700,000 jobs by building 45 nuclear plants by 2030.” But McCain’s “nuke here, nuke now” would in fact send money to foreign nations and to giant corporations. The price tag for his nuclear boondoggle is estimated at “$315 billion, with taxpayers bearing much of the financial risk.” That ties our energy future to a toxic and deadly fuel that is mined in nations like Kazakhstan, Russia, Niger, and Uzbekistan.
The Center for American Progress has outlined a rational green recovery plan that invests $100 billion in renewable energy and energy efficiency, and would create 2 million new jobs in two years by spending on the American people. Three Ten times the jobs at one-third the cost, ten times as fast. That’s what real job creation would — and should look like.
UPDATE: The New York Times contacted Patrick Moore, head of Clean and Safe Energy Coalition, a nuclear industry front group, who said McCain’s promises were wildly off:
[E]ach reactor project would generate between 3,000 and 4,000 jobs during the construction phase and up to 800 permanent jobs once in operation. Asked to provide a ballpark figure on employment if all 45 reactors were to be built, he responded “225,000 good union jobs that you can support a family on.”
UPDATE II: Gristmill’s David Roberts has the breakdown of John McCain’s 700,000-job claim.
The Washington Post asked a bunch of foreign policy types for their 
