[Rhodes22-list] A Reply To A Politician Seeking Office

[Robert Skinner]

This is a message that I sent to a person seeking to be a US
congresswoman for/from the state of Maine.  As you can see,
I do not regard a party platform as sacrosanct.

OK, Brad, Ed, Herb, etc.  Have a field day!

------------------------------------------------------------

"Tell Chellie what you think Congress's top priority should be."

Chellie, 

I don't think we should allow ourselves to focus on any issue 
to the exclusion of others, so I will reply by ranking  your
suggested issues.

1.  Iraq - stop the hemorrhage of blood and treasure, let the
    religious zealots slug it out.  Concentrate on control of 
    nukes, access to oil in the short term, and point actions 
    against Al-Qaeda to keep their heads down.

2.  Health care - Rationalize the chaotic patchwork of health 
    care in the US.  While there must be limits of what can be 
    provided as the basic floor under all US citizens, it is 
    essential that there be some minimum of health care for 
    all.

3.  Economy - Set some controls on off-shoring of jobs.  Limit 
    immigration - fences, passports, etc.  Stop providing 
    welfare and other US citizen's basic support to illegal 
    immigrants.  Eliminate tax loopholes for the rich and make 
    tax laws understandable for all.  Reconsider the 
    implementation and consequences of NAFTA.

4.  Other (please write in the box below)

    Develop alternative energy sources - wind, hydro, solar, 
    biodiesel, switchgrass ethanol, LNG - in that order.  Tax
    petroleum products and and use the proceeds exclusively 
    to subsidize development of alternatives.  We cheaped our 
    way into this mess, and we will have to work ourselves 
    out - painfully.

5.  Global climate change

    I do not regard "Global climate change" as something that 
    the US government can (or should) deal with unilaterally.
    It may be irreversible, so the rate of change and dealing 
    with consequences are the issues - sea level rise,
    desertification, etc.

    On an international level, we need to plan the relocation 
    of people living in delta and other lowland areas prone to 
    flooding.  Bangladesh and New Orleans come to mind, as do
    all the major seaports around the world.

    We must also (for the sake of our health and economy) work 
    on limiting our dependence on non-renewable resources in 
    the US.  Biodiesel, wind power, tidal pool generators, etc.
    all need attention.

    But I also think that the developing countries will need to
    use petroleum resources while they implement alternatives -
    ones that (hopefully) result from our lead in such 
    endeavors.  

    Perhaps we need an Energy Corps - like the Peace Corps of
    the last century.

-- 
Robert Skinner, 9 Gateway Commons, Gorham, Maine 04038-1331