Letters 11-24-2014

Nov. 23, 2014

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Dangerous Votes

You voted for Dr. Dan. Thanks!

Rep. Benishek failed to cosponsor H.R. 601. It stops subsidies for big oil companies.

He failed to cosponsor H.R. 1084. There is an exemption for hydraulic fracturing written into the Safe Drinking Water Act. H.R. 1084. It would require the contents of fracking fluids to be publicly disclosed to protect the public health.

He voted for House Amendment 131. It prevents the government from enforcing Interior Department regulations on mining rubble with deadly poisons and heavy metals to be kept away from drinking water supplies.

He voted for H.R. 2112. It would cut funding for FDA and USDA programs. Food aid programs for children and senior citizens and food safety would be gutted. Programs to improve meat, dairy and egg safety inspections would be scrapped.

He voted for H.R. 2018, a bill to exclude corporate polluters from regulation by the Environmental Protection Agency.

He voted for H.R. 347. The First Amendment to the Constitution declares the right to assemble, speak and petition the government for redress of grievance that cannot be abridged. H.R. 347 declares that whoever knowingly engages in protest near a building where the president (vice president, or a major presidential candidate, or a visiting world leader) is doing his business is guilty of a federal crime if the protest "impedes" or "disrupts" the flow of government business or official functions. Raise your voice too loud the president goes about his business and you can get tossed in prison for a year.

Tom LaMont, Kaleva

Solar Is The Answer

There have been many excellent letters about the need for our region, state and nation to take action on climate change. Now there is a viable solution to this ever-growing problem: Solar energy is the future.

By 2016 solar power will be as cheap or cheaper than conventional power sources. Since 2004, solar power produced in the U.S. grew by 139,000%. The potential for Michigan and our region is massive. The big hold-up is coming from old energy diehards, but solar is here to stay. 74% of new electricity generating capacity in 2014 comes from solar. Solar workers now outnumber coal miners two to one.

Grand Rapids Mayor George Heartwell recently set his city’s renewable energy standard at 100% by 2020. This would include a new 38-acre solar energy farm along with purchasing only green power from Consumers Energy. We can do the same in Traverse City and the Grand Traverse region and the benefits to our environment and economy will be beyond our wildest dreams.

Greg Reisig, Elk Rapids Board member of the N. Mich Environmental Action Council

Real Minimum Wage

In 1966, a first class stamp cost 5 cents and minimum wage was $1.25. Today, a first class stamp is 49 cents, so federal minimum wage should be $11.25.

Kenneth Bryson, Kalkaska

Doesn’t Seem Warmer

I enjoy the "environmentalists" twisting themselves into pretzels trying to convince us that it is getting warmer. Sure it is...

R D Johnson, Gilmore Township