thomas malloy wrote:
I wonder about Ralph Nader. He's consistantly attacks corporate
America, but he has extensive investments in it.
I doubt that Nader has "extensive" investments anywhere, because he
reportedly makes little money and he does not have an fortune.
However, if he did have investments, I see nothing wrong with that.
Nader is, in any case, a quintessential "establishment" figure, in a
good sense. He is Harvard Law School graduate with immense influence
on policymakers, and he has used that influence to push through
extremely valuable reforms such as automobile safety regulations.
These have saved millions of lives worldwide (because other countries
often copy U.S. regulations), and tens of millions of severe
life-changing injuries. Nader is like FDR: he has preserved and
strengthened capitalism, rather than hurt it.
I contacted his political organization about the surpression of
LENR and was ignored.
I admire Nader, and I wish he was on our side, but I am not surprised
to hear that he dismisses cold fusion. All of the super-influential,
humanitarian do-gooder types in our society, such as Bill Gates and
Al Gore ignore, cold fusion.
Regarding the Sierra Club and other environmental organizations, it
is certainly true that in the past they opposed uranium fission
reactors, but in recent years many of them have done an about-face.
Many are now ambivalent or somewhat supportive, which is how I would
describe myself. Everyone here knows how dangerous nukes can be. They
are, as Winston Churchill said of democracy, the worst choice except
for all the others.
In the short term -- much sooner than we can build nukes or wind
turbines -- much more conservation can and should be implemented. In
recent weeks several states have moved to phase out the use of
incandescent light bulbs, in favor of compact fluorescent lights.
They want to accomplish this with legislation banning the older light
bulbs. That seems a little heavy-handed, but the goal is worthwhile.
Along the same lines, in today's news the Mayor Bloomberg of New York
City announced a plan to replace all New York taxicabs with hybrid
cars within five years. This is a reasonable timetable because most
will be worn out by then anyway. The taxi industry appears
supportive, and I expect the measure will sail through the approval
process. The world has changed considerably, and quickly, when
something like this is instantly accepted by the establishment. A few
years ago, even though hybrid cars were already widely available,
replacing all taxis with hybrid cars would have been considered
controversial or utopian. A few years from now everyone will wonder
what took so long, since hybrid taxis will save so much money.
Today's "Crown Victoria" taxis get only 10 to 15 mpg, which is insane.
- Jed
- [Vo]:Nader, Sierra Club, hybrid taxis in New York Cities Jed Rothwell
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