Danish needs flashlight
(Re: “The Democrats don’t get the Tea Party,” Danish Plan, April 8.) As usual, Paul Danish has his head so far up his ass, he needs a flashlight; and, as usual, you print his drivel. A pity, and probably just for the response from other outraged, intelligent humans.
I must say that his stance against the “war on drugs” and against the oxymoronic “smart growth” are spot on; but on virtually every other issue — like his moronic take on the Tea Partiers — widely misses the mark and reflects more his atavistic tendencies than a real intellectual understanding of issues.
It matters not whether the angry, mainly white knuckle-draggers are male or female; angry, white racists can be any sex. And Danish is wrong about such people representing the fringes of that group of morons; they represent the heart and soul of the group. Has Danish ever seen the plethora of videos depicting the outrageous signs and heard the rhetoric captured in those videos?
New York Times columnist Frank Rich was/is totally correct in his assessment that the Tea Party is primarily racist and paranoid, and Danish’s attempt to make Rich’s assessment wrong only reflects Danish’s own paranoia and possible racism.
Also, and non-confronted by Danish, are the right-wing oriented groups and corporations that financially began and support the Tea Party, and the fact that the allegedly “fair and bal anced”
Fox Noise network consistently gives them support and a plethora of air time, which reflects the moronic nature of Fox Noise more than anything else.
In closing, I acknowledge that there are a handful of Tea Party humans (a paltry few) who honestly reflect a frustration with government waste and corruption; it’s just that, as per usual with dishonest so-called conservatives (and as differentiated from honest conservatives, aspects of which many of us embody), there is this insane bias against government and the public sector, while absolving all the aberrant crap emanating from corporations and the private sector.
Don Barshay/Boulder
We very much appreciated Paul’s article titled, “The Democrats don’t get the Tea Party.” Paul’s statement —
“Democrats don’t get the Tea Partiers, and that could be a bigger problem for them than they think. The quickest way to lose an American election is to be dismissive of your opponent when the wind is at her back” — is so “right on.”
Did you attend any of the independents’ candidate search events?
Although we are Weld County GOP delegates, we braved a
snowy, windy March Sunday afternoon to support the “Independents” at one
of their first statewide events, which was held in Thornton, and were
we glad we did! The interesting thing is, the Republican, Libertarian
and even a Unity candidate responded to their “call,” but not a single
Democratic candidate participated. Even though the weather was awful,
there were hundreds of thinking, active people in attendance.
We will never miss another
such event because it is exactly the way Americans should “vet” their
candidates. For one thing, we the people were able to hear from all the
candidates, not just the ones that “get all the press” or are being
pushed by their political party “insiders.” The organizers had their
moderator, Jon Caldara of the Independence Institute, bring on stage
candidates from each congressional district, state or national office
with only the other contenders for that office. They allowed each
candidate three minutes to inform we the people about their background
and what they would do for us if elected. Then each section of
candidates had to answer the same five “hard” questions. There was none
of the political favoritism/manipulation as shown in the mass media-run
national debates where Rep. Ron Paul was limited by their moderators to
answer ridiculous questions or comments while the rest of the candidates
were asked about more important issues.
We were uplifted to see and hear so many
excellent contenders — but most of all, it was wonderful to see so many
Coloradans turn out for this important event on such a cold, snowy day.
By the way — if you meant “Sarah Palin” by “wind is at her back” — I’m
not so certain Palin is truly the choice of the thinking people;
however, the movement toward truth, freedom and justice that was started
by Rep. Ron Paul certainly has those forces of nature behind it!
Janet Lee and Jim
Meisinger/Dacono
Not ‘kind’ bud
It’s funny how things get messed up in transmission:
great weed gets referred to as “kind bud,” when actually it is “kine
bud,” from the Hawaiian, “dakine,” meaning “the top, the best.”
William Dunlavey/via
Internet
Check
costs
(Re: “Xcel feels the
burn,” news, April 15.) I find it interesting that you did not inquire
with Mr. Nichols what the impact on consumers will be if all his wishes
comes true (i.e., the conversion of coal to gas and the future
elimination of coal and gas altogether). Xcel uses coal because it is
plentiful and cheaper (than gas). If they are forced to switch fuels,
prices will go up — Xcel does not exist to give away power or operate at
a loss.
While the increased
cost to consumers may seem like a small price to pay, to some people,
who must decide each month whether to pay the electric bill, the phone
bill, or buy milk for their kids, it is not so easy.
And let’s try to be at
least a little intellectually honest and curious about energy.
Currently, 45 percent of power generated in the U.S. is from coal (20
percent nuclear, 24 percent gas/petroleum). There is not enough gas,
much less wind, solar, or conservation, to ever remotely come close to
replacing coal.
Nuclear
could replace it, but I doubt we have the political will to embrace
modern nuclear technology.
Bob Belknap/Boulder
The time to make the switch from coal to clean
electricity has long past. Coal now comes at a very high cost to society
and the environment. Climate change, mountain top removal, the recent
mining disaster in West Virginia, the 2008 coal ash mega-spill in
Tennessee and widespread public health problems associated with the
mining and burning of coal painfully illuminate the massive and growing
costs of this obsolete, dirty and existentially harmful technology.
Rather than throwing
good money after really bad money, Xcel might consider shuttering the
new Cherokee Station Unit 3 plant in Pueblo before it can soot the air.
Xcel might also consider replacing their dirty old Denver metro plants
with an investment in clean, renewable energy. Any reduction in overall
generating capacity can be offset at relatively low
cost per kilowatt through efficiency measures taken by households,
businesses and government.
Of course, the conversion from dirty coal to clean green energy
will cost real money, take careful design, planning and coordination,
and necessitate ongoing operation and maintenance. Well folks, we’re in a
recession, and all that clean green work means jobs; many more good
jobs per megawatt produced, causing far less damage to workers, the
public and the environment.
Think about it. Think about your kids. When you decide
a clean and green future is for you, repeatedly tell Xcel and your
city, county, state and federal representatives to take decisive action
to end coal dependency. Join a local energy advocacy group to strengthen
your voice. Join or form a local “Transition” group to learn how
individuals can make a big difference in their own communities. Write a
letter to the editor. Do it all now. Time is running out.
Ken Bonetti/Boulder
Meat and dairy bad
This week marks the 40th
anniversary of Earth Day, a day we pledge to conserve Earth’s natural
resources for future generations.
We already know about
recycling, changing light bulbs, adjusting the thermostat, and reducing
our driving habits. This year, we can best observe Earth Day by
switching to a plantbased diet.
A recent study in WorldWatch magazine found that
production of meat and dairy products may account for fully half of
worldwide greenhouse gas emissions. Moreover, such production
contributes more pollutants to our water supplies than all other human
activities combined. It is causing global shortages of drinking water.
It is the driving force in global deforestation and wildlife habitat
destruction.
This
Thursday, let’s celebrate Earth Day and every day by replacing meat and
dairy products in our diet with healthful, eco-friendly foods like fresh
fruits and vegetables, legumes, whole grains and nuts. Those opting for
a more gradual transition will find ample soy and grain-based meat and
dairy analogs in your local supermarket. Additional information is
available at www.greenyourdiet.org.
Stanley
Silver/Boulder
Obama
a Marxist?
Let
me say up front that I have been a member of the Libertarian Party for
over a decade. I believe in more freedom, etc., etc., understand the
arguments on constitutional law and am no fan of wasteful spending, etc.
That said, I just have
to send in a reality check on writers like David Cook and Harry Riley.
Goodness gracious! Have any of these people traveled abroad at all,
ever? Obama is no more a Marxist than was Lyndon Baines Johnson — near
as I can tell, Obama’s an old-fashioned centrist-liberal in the same
mold as Hubert Humphrey. All these calls to “rise up” do is draw
international attention to the fact that, on the whole, we are a nation
of political hysterics and illiterates. And, yes, say what you will, but
I do get a very strong sense that a lot of this egregious frothing at
the mouth is driven by Mr.
Obama’s skin tone. I saw it in the South while growing up — same
arguments against taxes and big government, but what the subtext was is
that you have to keep the darkies in their place, lest they “take over”
and “ruin the country.”
America has no socialist party and no public mandate to create
one. European countries with true socialist and communist parties do not
waste time on such blither as public health care, as these arguments
were won a long time ago. There are no more staunch conservatives in the
world than, for example, the German Conservative Party, but they
wouldn’t daydream of dismantling their public health care system.
Incidentally, one of my friends over there had a debilitating spinal
stroke recently. She was sent to Switzerland for the best possible
treatment and did not have to pay a cent.
Say what you will about socialized medicine and
higher tax rates, etc., but there is something to be said for civilized
countries that look after the health of their citizenry.
Give the skinny guy, as
Garrison Keillor calls him, a chance, and let’s not go so far overboard
in our condemnation of policies that are yet to play out.
We currently have folks on
both sides making outlandish predictions — for every Tea Partier who
sees the red fist of communism, we can find a liberal who thinks this is
just a big payoff to the insurance companies — that are yet to show any
truth. Calm down, all of you.
Peter Johnson/Longmont
Boulder Weekly
welcomes your e-mail correspondence. Letters must not exceed 400 words
and should include your name, address and telephone number for
verification. Addresses will not be published. We do not publish
anonymous letters or those signed with pseudonyms. Letters become the
property of Boulder Weekly and will be published on our website. Send
letters to: letters@boulderweekly.com.
Look for Boulder Weekly on the World Wide Web at:
www.boulderweekly.com.
