It’s not just nuke plants the Bushster wants to saddle us with. His energy plan (you know, the one created with input from a whole host of “experts” whose names the White House refuses to reveal) calls for 1,300 new power plants by the year 2020. Which means those of you who don’t have a whole lot of coal stocks in your portfolio better get out and load up. It also means, according to the Sierra Club, that if Bush’s vision is achieved, the average American will live within 37 miles of a power plant. If history serves as any indicator, the poorer you are, the closer you will be. To see a map of just how our energy future will look, visit www.sierraclub.org.
Dan Farough, the Sierra Club’s program director in Michigan, points out that at least 610 of those additional plants could be avoided if we simply implemented some sane energy-efficiency measures. And if a priority were placed on renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power, another 180 new plants could be eliminated. By the way, its not those commie, tree-huggin’ environmentalists making these claims. “Studies by the Department of Energy clearly show that there are quicker, cleaner, cheaper and safer alternatives to the plan the president is pursuing,” declared Farough, “but that means standing up to big oil and mining companies.”
We gotta disagree on that last point by Farough, though. We believe Bush does stand up to those special interests. Every time they walk into the Oval Office he stands right up, then bows down and sticks out his hand to ask for more of that green grease known as campaign contributions.
News Hits is edited by Metro Times news editor Curt Guyette. Call 313-202-8004 or e-mail [email protected]
