Standing on thin ice

It is my opinion that information in local papers should deal with local issues and not national. However, there are some things that do occur on the national level that tremendously affects us locally. Perhaps a subject as selected today is best to be not used.

Recently the U.S. House passed the "Clean Air and Energy" bill or for many it is the carbon and cap bill. Regardless of the words that might describe the bill, it was jammed through the house. I really am amazed that the representatives are such speed readers. Surely, they read the bill before the vote. This was taking place while a great amount of news coverage was focused on the untimely death of Michael Jackson.

Our own 4th District Representative Ike Skelton is one of those speed readers and voted in favor of the bill. He told me, "My vote to move H.R. 2454 to the Senate does not give my blessing to any final bill on air pollution regulation that might be presented to Congress later this year or next year. I will reserve judgment on a final bill until it has been produced. My vote was however, a vote to ensure I can continue working with other Midwestern and rural colleagues to strengthen the measure for farmers, for rural electric cooperatives, and for utility consumers that he voted in favor of the bill and intends that there will be changes in the bill before final passage."

It is now onto the Senate for their action on this bill. The idea of this bill is that it would reduce the man made global warming that is taking place. It would encourage us to reduce the usage of fossil fuel and encourage alternative energy which would give economic advantages in the future.

Certainly, if it is passed, it will reduce the usage of our present energy sources in our country while China and India and other countries expand their use of fossil fuels. They could more then make up for our cut backs.

With the increased cost of our energy sources, we no longer will be able to afford the energy -- that certainly will reduce the usage. Can you imagine what it will do to the cost of groceries? It will cost a great deal more for the production of the food and the transportation will be much higher. The refrigeration in the warehouses and grocery stores will also cost more.

At the present time there are more people on food stamps than ever before. This would cause more people to go on food stamps if they are available. Somebody has to be able to pay the taxes in order for the food stamps to be available.

Can you imagine what the increased cost will do to local governments and school districts? Many are having a difficult time now, but it will get worse. Already, the state of California is facing bankruptcy and other states may not be far behind. As California goes, so goes our nation -- as a nation we may be on our way to bankruptcy.

One prominent business man in Nevada told me that the carbon and cap bill will put him out of business. If he is put out of business, that one business alone would have a major impact on other businesses and on the city of Nevada. That is one example of the effect that the bill passed in the House would have on this community.

Many people have said that the bill is nothing more then a tax increase, which will have consequences for every one. It will especially affect senior citizens and poor people.

We are told by our leadership that the Clean Air and Energy bill will be good for our economy. You might say that I am being pessimistic about what is going on in our country and you might be right. I do hope for a better future for all of our young people growing up.

According to many, deniers of man made global warming are on thin ice. Therefore, I am on thin ice and a lot of people do not agree with me. Personally, I am one of those deniers as I am not convinced yet that man has a great amount of impact of global warming. If you Google global warming there are more than 36.5 million sites.

Do some research on global warming and you can easily get confused. There are those that advocate that the earth will be much warmer by 2100 including our government or government supported or related Websites. There are 4.3 million that say man-made global warming is a hoax. Many of them have scientific information -- supposedly. There is one thing that is certain; there is not complete agreement among all of the scientist and thinking people. Many of those advocating the energy bill are doing it for political reasons, not because it makes good sense.

Only 20 or 30 years ago there were those that were advocating that the ice age is returning. Some of these same people are creating much of the mass hysteria regarding global warming. Conditions on the sun have more to do with climate changes then CO2, according some scientists.

There has been global warming since the little ice age of the 17th century. Before that there was a medieval warm period with temperatures similar to the present. As a matter of fact there have been cooling periods and warming periods for the pass 2,000 years. Many scientists are saying that we are now in a cooling period, not a warming period.

One prediction I found is that within 150 years the entire earth will be frozen like it had been at one time.

There certainly needs to be much more debate before it is jammed through the Senate as it was in the House. As it stands, the bill could be an economic disaster.

My opinions go deep on this subject and I recognize that many readers have an entirely different view on the subject. After all those who are strongly for controlling so called man made global warming say that I am on thin ice.

Contact our two senators and let them know how you stand on this bill, regardless of whether you are for it or against it.