Ms. Macquarie (Fresh Ideas column, July 30), earth has the same amount of water today as the day God created it. Now there are many ways to increase our energy supplies including shale, coal, oil, nuclear, wind, solar and bio fuels. Yes it takes lots of water but don't you think the American people are smart enough to develop the technology to get the water and recycle it? The United States has enough coal to power this country for 300 years, yet Senator Reid says not to use it. Today we have the power to use coal in a clean way but people like you just say no.
Yes, Congressman Heller mentioned coal to liquid technology and yes we may have challenges to meet to get this product to a cleaner state but what do we do, park our cars and hop on a donkey to get from Reno to Carson City? If you think coal is bad, go to the Governor of Montana's Web site and see how coal can be turned into clean burning diesel fuel.
Congressman Heller said "Simply put, we cannot conserve, tax, or regulate our way out of the problem." What he said is the truth. What would you do, send every American to a re-education camp? America is the land of the free and anytime you stop the free flow of innovation with regulation you cripple the human spirit that can and will solve the problems of this world.
Yes, again the market is driving down S.U.V. sales without any government regulations. No laws, no government agencies, just the market. In Europe today half the vehicles are diesel powered and yet in the United States today barley 1 percent of automobiles sold are diesel powered due to governmental regulations.
If you put it to a vote you'd find that raising gas taxes would fall flat on its face. And do you really believe higher taxes will be paid by the oil companies? The consumer, not the producer, will always pay the tax.
Yes Europe and the Euro are doing well, better than the United States dollar. If the United States wants to do better we must control spending and not increase taxes.
Remember the United States had to go around the world in the 1940's, stop all the goose stepping Nazi's and Tojo and his merry men. We rebuilt Europe and Japan after WW II at our expense and have paid for their defense for the past 63 years. Enough is enough. Pull our troops out of Europe, Japan, Korea, Iraq and Afghanistan, and stop paying their defense bills.
You stated: "A society can work, can function and can grow even at higher fuel prices. It's a way of life " you get used to it." Well I'm an American and I will never stand for or allow someone to steal my hard earned money. If you think that governmental theft of your money is acceptable, maybe you should pack up and move to Europe.
I applaud Congressman Heller's vote in 2007 against raising auto fuel efficiency standards. What I can't stand is the current band of elected officials who lack the backbone to let private business go out and solve the energy crisis.
Yes things will get worse due to the economics of supply and demand " that is if we let things get worse, let's step up to the plate and get to work. Reduce regulations and let's see good strong growth in our economy. I know that China and India are two of the dirtiest countries in the world. Our political leaders say we must have full and free trade with these countries. How can it be said it's full and free trade, we have thousands of environmental laws that we have to follow and India and China have none.
What right do you have to ask Americans not to do anything that they want to do? The market will decide what will live and what will die in the United States. If people want to ride the bus, there will be busses to ride, the same with trains, subways, airplanes, helicopters, electric golf carts and any other form of transportation. How dare you dictate what I can or can't do. The key word in dictator is dictate.
Congressman Heller is exactly the kind of leader we need, a man from Carson City who stands up for what he believes and a man who stands up to people like Ms. Anne Macquarie who if she had her way would lock up every man, women and child in this country and dictate every aspect of their life. Ms. Macquaire you should be ashamed of yourself.