E-Mail
Print
tool name
closeGains and losses
You have to give it to Ralph Bush (Letters, June 12) for being a very loyal surrogate to his brother George, but Bush and great in the same sentence has got to be the most momentous oxymoron of all times. I don’t believe you have to be a great orator, but having a president that understands the English language would be nice.
And as for his accomplishments, let me count the ways. Since his inauguration:
1. We’ve lost the Twin Towers;
2. We’ve gained a $2 trillion war;
3. We’ve lost habeas corpus;
4. We’ve gained torture;
5. We’ve lost credibility;
6. We’ve gained enemies;
7. We’ve lost health care;
8. We’ve gained higher medical costs;
9. We’ve lost jobs;
10. We’ve gained debt;
11. We’ve lost $1.40/gallon gas before Bush; and
12. We’ve gained $5/gallon gas today.
All in all, I’m sure George Bush would look at this and brag that our losses are offset by our gains. So what’s the problem?
Rex Farris
Pismo Beach
What he left out
Rep. Kevin McCarthy’s Viewpoint (“It’s time to act on oil,” June 17) said little that I could not agree with. We do need additional properly sited oil refineries, we do need to increase energy efficiency, etc.
It’s what is not said that is significant. Nowhere does he discuss the fact that the decline of the dollar against most world currencies has increased the price of oil. This has been largely brought about by our gross trade and budget deficits, fueled by tax cuts for the well-off and the cost of war being passed on to our children instead of our paying those costs now.
The concept of peak oil is not mentioned, yet declines in oil production are occurring across the planet. Any increase in American production is of value, but it is a Band-aid and does not address the fundamental problem that there is less and less oil out there.
Finally, I see no mention of greenhouse gases. Whatever you may think about global warming, cleaner skies, especially over Bakersfield, is a good goal.
The gas crunch in the 1970s was a wake-up call that the U. S. chose to ignore while Sweden, Brazil and other nations took heed. Now we are playing catch-up.
Jack Greene
Paso Robles
No blame, just myth
Did we really think Republicans would sit idly by on the sidelines and accept any form of blame for our economic and energy crisis? No way. Come on folks, this is politics.
What is the strategy of blame deflection? All you have to do is turn to The Tribune’s June 17 edition, and you can read two examples of the talking points by Victor Davis Hanson and Rep. Kevin McCarthy, respectively. Don’t buy the spin folks. Their latest ploy, after a disastrous Republican administration has run our country into the proverbial ground, is to blame liberals and environmentalists for the current gas prices (ANWR as their case in point). Hogwash! You don’t have to be an energy guru to recognize politics as usual.
The May/June 2008 edition of Mother Jones includes a fabulous piece by Paul
Roberts on the myths of energy independence. Energy independence is a catch phrase that politicians have utilized for years, and Republicans are now touting it as their official tagline to “solve” our current crisis at the pumps. Don’t buy the spin, folks, it only distracts us from the real issue of building a sustainable energy system for future generations.
Brian Greenwood
San Luis Obispo
What a great hobby
The June 14 model train show at the Paso Robles City Library was a huge success, and the masses turned out to see what model railroading is all about. It was great to see the wonder and excitement this hobby brings to both young and the young at heart. The kids were absolutely thrilled!
On behalf of the San Luis Obispo Model Railroad Association, I would like to extend our utmost gratitude to everyone that attended, helped out and participated in making this a truly memorable event.
If you were bitten by the model railroading bug and want more information, please visit
www.SLOMRA.org. Jim Keating
San Luis Obispo Model Railroad Association
Life in the slow lane
D on’t wait for the government to impose slower speed limits to reduce gasoline consumption. We all have the power to make a difference now! Whether you car pool or have to drive solo, pull over to the slow lane, set the cruise control to 60 mph or less, sit back, relax and reduce the amount of fuel consumed — it is that simple.
I have been doing this for several months now and have increased my miles per gallon by 10 percent— thus allowing me to travel close to 50 miles further per tank. If everyone in our country adopted this simple technique, we could drive down our demand for oil and potentially cause a rapid price fall.
So join me in the slow lane, fill that gas tank less often, put more money in your pocket and be an active participant in reducing the amount of oil you consume each day. United we can make a difference.
Brad Schultz
Shell Beach
@Nyx.CommentBody@