‘Alternative energy emergency’
Review-Journal reader Rich Serlin of Henderson wrote me this morning about his frustration in getting the attention of our two U.S. senators on what he considered the most pressing issue of our time -- development of alternate energy. He asked for the R-J's help. So, as a start, I thought readers of this blog might be interested in Rich's perspective and find it worthy of comment ...
"Gentlemen:
"The following letter was sent to Senator Ensign two weeks ago. The letter was in response to a previous letter that I sent to Nevada's elected officials several months ago. Senator Reid responded quickly, but it was a "canned" response likely by an intern and pointed to legislation that did not exactly lead me to believe that our elected officials understand the gravity of the situation or do not wish---for whatever reason...maybe political---to address it. Senator Ensign's response was two months after my letter, and like Senator Reid, exhibited little urgency that would imply understanding of how critical it is to find an alternative energy source by treating the situation as an emergency.
"If you gentlemen believe there is validity to my concerns and agree that we should consider development of an alternative energy source a national imperative, I would appreciate the editorial power of the Review-Journal commenting on this."
Sincerely,
Rich Serlin
Henderson, NV
----------------------------------------------------------
Dear Senator Ensign,
With all due respect, this Congress (and past Congresses) and this President (and past Presidents) do not seem to understand what I attempted to portray in my letter to you concerning the urgency of developing alternative energy sources. It needs to be considered a national priority. No, THE national priority. We are dependent upon current and potential enemies---sometimes euphemistically called "Resource Nationalists"---for the source of our power. Our economy is susceptible to the political and military goals of other nations who provide us the oil that our country runs on. Our security is threatened by our dependency upon that oil. And year after year, little is accomplished towards weaning us off this dependency. It is a great instability to our democracy.
We birthed---for better or worse---the atomic bomb in a matter of years, and I have to believe that if our leaders had the will to do so, we could do the same in developing a plentiful, safe and secure source of alternative energy. To protect the greatest democracy the world has ever known. We don't need words about legislation that "encourages" or "stimulates". We need a Manhattan Project. Now! Or, your grandchildren will be subservient to other countries...or worse.
Spend the trillion plus on an alternative energy source that we have spent on Iraq, and many, many economic and security issues would be solved. And, we wouldn't need to get involved in the Iraq's of this world. Much of the wealth that powers the terrorist machines is derived from oil.
Please put a fire under this issue.
Sincerely,
Rich Serlin
Henderson, NV
