eNewsChannels COLUMN: On May 11, CNN showed Japan’s nuclear electric officials on their knees apologizing and asking forgiveness from the Japanese people for misleading them about the safety of their nuclear reactors and destroying so many lives. While “We are sorry” helps, it can never return loved ones or a community’s original healthy quality of life after any nuclear-related projects.
How can we ensure choosing the Prophesy of Peace and Prosperity for 1,000 years over Nuclear Energy suicide? By boldly enlightening and urging our representatives to learn the LESSONS of Japan and the Gulf we have encapsulated, as those who don’t are doomed to repeating them. And then strongly insisting our leaders STOP serving the nuclear and oil corporations, and start serving the American People through emergency prioritizing in the 2012 Budget of massive clean, safe renewable wind, solar and biothermal energy projects that do no harm to Mother Earth and humanity.
Here are some untapped sources of funds to restore our National Security: Forbes Magazine just revealed that three out of four of the “Most Profitable Corporations in the World” and America are oil companies. British Petroleum (BP) was 4th this catastrophic year!
“IT WOULD BE UN-AMERICAN”
CNN revealed at the April 12 Senate hearings about cutting off oil subsidies, (“which would not raise prices at the pump”), the unbelievably arrogant response by a CEO, “It would be un-American.” (Meaning, we oil companies have been manipulating the public for a half century and getting away with murder, and don’t want you, Congress, to cut off the wonderful gravy train we are addicted to from subsidies and tax loopholes we obviously don’t need.)
A Senator asked the remaining oil CEOs if they too felt that stopping subsidies was un-American. They all sat in silence. Then Senator Schumer asked, “Is your subsidy more important than financial aid to students to go to college,” a CEO replied, “It’s a very difficult question for me. It’s two totally different questions.” Senator Jay Rockefeller summed it up, “Oil companies are deeply and profoundly committed to sharing nothing.”
Here is the expose on another untapped source: “Ten Giant U.S. Companies Avoid Paying Income Taxes,” including several oil companies.
These CEO’s mainly said, “It would be unfair to raise our taxes,” meaning we are happy paying no taxes and prefer to keep the status quo of American Families continuing to shoulder U.S. taxes, despite already working too hard just to put food on the table.
MOST OF U.S. TAX MONIES GO TO NUCLEAR ARMS DEALERS
Most Americans, like me, also had no idea that we have been giving $50 billion of our annual U.S. Budget, including 2012, unless we act, to nuclear arms dealers. “We are spending more on defense than all our potential enemies combined, and we’d be safer redirecting a portion of it” to lift communities, say retired top U.S. military leaders.
Thanks to China redirecting defense monies toward Green energy – spending 1/6th as much as the U.S. on its military, and investing twice as much on clean energy technology, they just proudly unveiled their massive wind and solar projects.
“LET’S GET TO THE PEACE NOW”
CNN also reported that at the celebrations following Bin Laden’s death, the signs were predominantly, “Let’s get to the Peace NOW.” Since nuclear and oil energy are both related to war, here is the ideal chance to channel any testosterone/outrage from these revelations to create the America of our dreams. For the first time this is possible now that the depth of all this manipulation and greed is finally being exposed.
Since our leaders have been getting part of this gravy train “for reelection campaigns,” enough of us must passionately plead to their conscience/higher angels or reelection dreams to shift these elements of our 2012 U.S. and state budgets:
2012 BUDGET FOR THE “NEW AMERICAN DREAM”
Shift the $50 billion for nuclear weapons, plus $50 billion in canceled nuclear loan guarantees, plus the hefty canceled subsidies and tax breaks to oil companies and the other most profitable corporations (those harming Americans, water and air paying highest), to streamline starting to provide Americans with the safe authentically clean wind, solar, geothermal, biomass and tidal turbine energy we need, say experts. Plus there is enough left over to address dire community needs, student loans, and stimulate millions of green jobs, including producing the 300 miles per gallon electric or water-powered cars. And to restore the Gulf, Pacific and Arctic oceans, make amends to countries wrongly bombed to reduce terrorism, provide free natural healthcare for Americans, and pay down our National debt.
Coincidentally, the Natural Resources Defense Council and Sierra Club are pushing for $100 billion for clean renewable energy, which could create 2 million green jobs in just two years. Their “Green Recovery” program combines tax credits, loan guarantees and public investments.
In the words of the late wise Bob Marley, “It’s time to get up and stand up for our rights.” See how you can “click” to finalize the budgets being finalized NOW at the end. Together we have the power to vibrantly restore our Mother Earth. Here is what also convinced Japan and Germany to shift to renewables.
WIND ENERGY SAVING JAPANESE
As we saw in Japan, disruption of the electric grid brought their country to a standstill. It destroyed their reactors, radiation leakage is killing their marine life and spreading to other countries, and fallout killing or sickening millions of their citizens, and in its wake. Given that none of their wind turbines were harmed by their catastrophes, wind energy has been a Godsend to the Japanese People.
Therefore, funding Wind Energy in our super windy Dakotas and other states is a sane strategic way to protect and power America. Secretary of Energy Stephen Chu revealed at their US Tribal Energy Summit on May 5, that their National Renewable Energy Lab updated findings that the “Wind Energy in Indian Country could provide 32 percent of U.S. annual electric generation.” Perfect, since the Great Plains’ Intertribal COUP plan recently won a World Clean Energy Oscar in Switzerland since it shows respect to Mother Earth by not digging into, unbalancing, exploding or polluting Her, or killing Her children. Businesses like Massachusetts’ Berkshire East ski area are realizing impossible dreams – no electricity bills – with their “wind mills.”
According to the President of the Institute of Energy, Dr. Arjun Makhijani, “The US could have low-carbon energy without nuclear power, and that wind and solar energy would be cheaper and safer than nuclear since there is no risk of catastrophic downside and phenomenal cleanup costs.” The Lab backed that up in also revealing that “the solar energy potential in Indian Country is twice the total amount of electricity the U.S. generates per year.” That is why Secretary Chu reached out to also partner with Indian Reservations to also help solve their 50% unemployment compared to 9% nationally. A win-win!
REQUIRE RENEWABLE ENERGY AS EMERGENCY BACKUP
Having a mere 48 hours of electrical battery backup at Japan’s reactors, located on a fault line, was suicidal, as well as a trillion dollar OOPS that we are all paying for! Until the rest of our reactors can be phased out, each plant should immediately provide a renewable off-the-grid electric source next to it, as emergency backup. If Japan’s wind turbines were located near their reactors, they could have been saved and meltdowns avoided.
Senator Tom Udall and New Mexico Jr. College are heroically protecting their “Land of Enchantment” and humanity through quickly building four solar projects plus a wind one next to their nuclear plants. Solar and wind can then gradually take over safely serving the electrical needs of the region.
Secretary Chu shared with tribal leaders that “we’re also pursuing potentially revolutionary approaches to large-scale batteries. These batteries could eventually store enough power to supply a village. This could someday mean that villages that are not connected to the grid could have reliable electricity through their own solar and wind power.”
These batteries could also be emergency backup in every city and near reactors where renewable projects would not work.
AS A MATTER OF WORLD SECURITY
As a matter of Local, State, National and World Security, as it takes a Village, the Elders strongly recommend first funding: 1. Renewable projects next to reactors on or near fault lines. 2. then reactors located in the Pacific’s Ring of Fire. 3. near any coast lines, especially the Gulf and Alaska painfully struggling from oil spills. 4. within 200 miles of major populations. 5. near superfund sites, plus uranium mills or mines already contaminated.
The Elders also say the U.S. needs to establish the shut down date for all reactors, mills and mines, as Japan and Germany did, since scientists agree plants are even more at risk from the elevated seismic activity worldwide and upheavals triggered by the 2012-related solar flares.
PREVENTING MORE TSUNAMIS!
Oil is Mother Earth’s brilliant lubricant between Her shifting Continental tectonic plates, and offshore drilling caves in or unbalances the ocean floors that triggered the quakes and Japan and Thailand’s trillion dollar tsunamis. Therefore budgeting massive renewable energy projects now can guarantee enough energy to realistically reverse Obama’s May decisions to allow offshore drilling again in the Gulf, Atlantic, and pristine regions of Alaska!
Scientists and Elders agreed that our oceans were “dying” even before the catastrophic hits in the Gulf and Japan. “The Pacific Ocean is Radioactive Garbage Dump” story uncovers that “the Pacific is now so radioactive that we cannot safely eat any fish.”
The Tokyo Electric Power Company admitted on May 15 that the “radioactive materials leaking into the ocean near the Fukushima plant rose to 32,000 times the legal limit of cesium-134.” Therefore the Pacific and Gulf may not withstand another catastrophe.
As a last ditch effort to salvage our oceans it would be wise to shut down all off shore drilling and all reactors next to oceans immediately to veer off our suicidal path. That is why even Pope Benedict declared in 2008, “It is a sin to poison the water.” The Elders say “when the animals are gone, we are gone.” If drilling is not stopped in Alaska, also say goodbye to our surprising animal friends in the Arctic wonderland.
ENOUGH SAFE ENERGY TO POWER AMERICA
Today, if an upheaval takes out our electric grid, like Japan’s, our gas stations would shut down, along with clean water and food supplies. Therefore a huge source of earth-friendly off the grid electric power is critical to also keep the pumps working while also prepping for the electric car boom. Thanks to high school students safeguarding their future since we adults haven’t yet, they invented “the most efficient electric car ever made – 300 miles/gallon.”
Jack Chrysler, the grandson, told the kids at our Ute Cultural Camp in Telluride that “Only greed – Detroit and oil companies – has slowed down producing electric cars with that kind of mileage.”
AMERICA’S RENEWABLE ENERGY PROJECTS
There are more signs of hope for America with many renewable projects being developed on private lands. Plus Secretary of Interior Ken Salazar has given priority status to 19 renewable energy projects in the 12 western states on our BLM lands. It includes 9 solar, 5 wind, and 5 geothermal as part of the Administration’s efforts to diversify the Nation’s energy portfolio done in an environmentally responsible manner in collaboration with the Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Park Service. Therefore no nuclear reactors are allowed on our public lands. Announcement of 2011 Priority Renewable Energy Projects This is a good start, but we now need sizable projects in every state.
AFFORDABLE SOLAR
Following the success of the Navajo/Dine model communities in Arizona, four solar energy areas were identified by the Interior in Colorado’s sunshine state. This is a timely alternative to the nuclear plant rejected by the people in Pueblo, Colorado in April, and the proposed Canadian uranium mill in Paradox.
Telluride’s Rabbi Michael Saftler said, “This foreign company openly plans to sell its highly profitable yellow cake, the component for nuclear bombs, to Asia, including Korea. We are putting our National Security at risk!”
As a ski instructor, REALTOR and guardian of the wetlands and tribes there, Rabbi Saftler also warned, “Because of payoffs, this foreign corporation is not even required to comply with our Clean Air, Water, Health and Tribal Cultural Laws. They also don’t pay Coloradans a royalty, leaving tax payers with the multi-million dollar clean up bills. The radiation from this mill located next to a nuclear waste dump that has already been leaking into the water and air for decades, risks plummeting land and home prices, huge healthcare costs, and losing thousands of jobs in our Ski Mecca since the uranium leaders say ‘this could resurrect our industry and reopen the many abandoned uranium mines.’ Learn from how uranium mining devastated families of the nearby Navajo Nation. And please say NO to the Paradox mill being decided now.”
Following the greatest disasters in history in the Gulf and Japan from oil and nuclear energy, why isn’t our government passionately working on funding massive renewable energy projects like other countries to protect the American people? While it would be nice to keep thinking our leaders have our welfare at heart, it is time for some tough love.
CONSCIOUS CHOICES
Given that most Americans do not buy clothes and shoes that are made by children in sweatshops now, why on earth don’t we include that consciousness in our choice of energy? We have helped those oil and nuclear companies with blood all over them be the most profitable in the world, when there have been cheaper, Earth-friendly alternatives. Therefore we also have blood on us, and for the sake of our children, isn’t it time to wash it off through right action?
Chernobyl’s uncovered death toll is now 1.4 million, which is also expected from those in the fallout path of Japan’s similar meltdown. Thanks to learning from Chernobyl’s lessons and the friendship between the Swedish Prime Minister and Onondaga Iroquois Chief Oren Lyons, Sweden restored its integrity with Nature to protect its highest standard of living by shutting down its plant in 2005 in favor of renewables.
MORE AMERICANS SAY “NO” TO NUCLEAR REACTORS
A March 2011 Civil Society Institute poll found that 73% of Americans oppose federal loan guarantees for new nuclear reactors. An April 2011 ABC News/Washington Post poll found 64% oppose new reactor construction entirely!
15 MINUTES TO “NUCLEAR FREE” WORLD
If you have already taken these steps to Renew our World, bless you. If not yet, here is how you can in 15 minutes help make America be nuclear free and prevent Gulf reruns.
URGENT: Urge your senators to OPPOSE S. 953 and any other legislation that recklessly fast-tracks oil drilling and expands harmful drilling into new areas. – introduced by Senator Mitch McConnell (who has taken $879,000 in political contributions from oil industry). Please also tell President Obama to reinstate the MORATORIUM on all OFF SHORE DRILLING in the Gulf and Alaska at: 202-456-1111. To keep contaminating our oceans is suicide!
You may use this link to show your support in opposing this bill:
.
To END THE $50 BILLION + TAXPAYER LOANS FOR NEW NUCLEAR REACTORS now, Please send a letter to your members of Congress.
The “Nuclear Weapons Abolition and Economic and Energy Conversion Act of 2011,” REDIRECTS $50 BILLION annual funds FOR NUCLEAR WEAPONS PROGRAMS towards human, infrastructure and clear energy needs. Click here for your representatives to co-sponsor House Bill HR1334
Send a message to your Senators and tell them to wake up: not one more taxpayer dime for nuclear power – small, large or in-between! Senate bill, S. 512. At the same time, tell your Senators – see phone numbers – to support the bill to END CORPORATE OIL SUBSIDIES AND TAX LOOPHOLES for the most profitable corporations, which is also being decided NOW.
Hail Coloradans for saving our Ski Mecca from radiation by saying NO to the Pueblo Nuclear reactor! Now please tell your Senators NO to the Canadian URANIUM MILL in Paradox.
See other critical 2012 budget bills being decided now at the end of: https://enewschannels.com/2011/03/26/enc12910_130846.php .
The link includes a cartoon message from the (wiser) animal kingdom by Denver Post’s Mike Keefe, who just won a Pulitzer Prize!
NATIONAL NUCLEAR-FREE CALL IN DAY – Wednesday, MAY 18.
Please call your Congressmen and demand an end to the nuclear loan program, especially those on the Appropriations Committees at 202-224-3121. Help make every phone ring on May 18, to end nuclear loans and build a nuclear-free, carbon-free energy, phenomenal future.
Can you imagine what redirecting our leaders’ genius and budgets from world destruction to World Peace could be like? Beyond our greatest dreams. People in many countries and Colorado are rising up shutting down nuclear plants, uranium mills and mines and creating real Democracies instead of unaccountable Corpocracies. So can We the American People!
Article Copr. © 2011 by Suzy Chaffee – all rights reserved. First published on eNewsChannels.com. Opinions expressed are those of the author and not this publication, and have not been edited for content.
