Nuclear Power Madness

[Braggi]

A fascinating conversation. Sadly, the Japanese incident is only turning up the right-wing echo machine to the highest degree on pro-nuclear propaganda. Expect a WHOLE lot of taxpayer supported pro nuke advertising, article writing and speaking tours during the coming year. "Middle America" is a lot more likely to listen to that than logic. California is uniquely situated to start the new Green Energy Revolution. Yes, a gas tax is necessary even if it's CA only. Use the money to pay for services and to purchase solar power systems that will be OWNED by We the People. The government(s) need a source of income other than taxes. Let us buy electricity from our government(s). I agree we should level the playing field on cost. Solar must hold its own. So let's go ahead and give the solar industry $190 billion in support as we have the nuclear industry. It's time for the nuke industry to get off the public tit. They need to do all their own financing and insuring. No more loan guarantees, no more public insuring. Oh, and they need to come up with a "final solution" to the waste issue. The "cooling ponds" are full. The new MOX fuel needs to sit in cooling ponds for thousands of years. The insanity is thousands of times worse when you consider MOX fuel. Look it up. Go solar. Go publicly owned solar power plants. Let's start by having all public buildings go solar so we can stop giving taxpayer money to the nuke plants. The banks are willing to finance solar power 100%. No need for taxpayer loan guarantees. Let's grow from there.

[Claire]

Senator Feinstein is Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water. $36 Billion for the Nuclear Industry is on the table this year! Thanks yet again, Obama!
I no longer have the direct link that sent this particular petition to her office, but I'm sure someone can provide it. Below is her response. This is important NOW! Write, call!


Dear Ms. Ossenbeck:

Thank you for writing to express your opposition to loan guarantees to support the development of nuclear power plants. I appreciate the time you took to write and welcome the opportunity to respond.

I believe the earthquake and tsunami which struck Japan on March 11, 2011, and caused systemic failure at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station has demonstrated the risks of nuclear power. I recently visited both of California's nuclear power plants in order to learn more about their emergency preparedness. I believe we have an obligation to learn lessons from the disaster in Japan in order to ensure that our plants are as safe as possible.

As you may know, the President's fiscal year 2012 budget proposal requests $36 billion in loan guarantee authority for the domestic nuclear industry and research and development of advanced nuclear technologies. I appreciate knowing your opposition to this funding. You may be pleased to know that I recently voted for a fiscal year 2011 Continuing Resolution that provided no additional authority for loans to nuclear facilities. As Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, I will be sure to keep your thoughts in mind as the Committee considers fiscal year 2011 and 2012 funding levels.

Again, thank you for writing. If you have further questions or comments, please contact my office in Washington, D.C. at (202) 224-3841. Best regards. Sincerely yours,

Dianne Feinstein
United States Senator

["Mad" Miles]

I received the same form letter from Feinstein Claire. Don't you just love how politicians essentially say, "Got your message, here's a regurgitation of the issue as it currently stands, here's a repetition of your request/demand/complaint/comment, I'm not going to really respond to that, but here's my position (which is either for or against what you've asked for), have a nice day. The diplomatic wording would do Metternech proud. I bet some aide worked for hours on the exact syntax and messaging.

I believe the petition was this one:

https://www.citizen.org/Page.aspx?pid=4833

I know it only mentions President Obama, but I think it also goes to your Senators and Representative. I could be wrong, there have been several petitions post Fukushima Daiichi 1-6 FUBAR/SNAFU. Even if it only goes to the big guy, it can't hurt.

To state the obvious, it won't help that much either. Pols respect hand written letters and office visits. Online petitions and even individual emails, get short shrift. What really gets their notice are massive non-violent direct actions that are sustained, organized and well focused. The day for those is long past, but we still have to make them happen as soon as possible.

Braggi's comments about the impending onslaught of well financed Happy Talk about nuclear power is very accurate. We're going to see all kinds of "glowing" reviews and arguments for safe nuclear. "Glowing" being the modal term.

[CSummer]

There may still be a bit of sanity and responsible behavior in the world (even if it's hard to find in the US gov't):


GERMANY SET TO ABANDON NUCLEAR POWER FOR GOOD

[someguy]

I'm so glad that so many of you here want to get off of nuclear energy!!! Too bad it takes an event such as this one to bring about this discussion. Although I have yet to hear anyone mention geothermal energy. The way I see it, geothermal is very cheap, very abundant, and much more effective than solar or wind.

https://geothermal.inel.gov/publicat...mal_energy.pdf

[Gene]

I believe the problem with geothermal is the near continuous small earth quakes that have taken place wherever it has been used.