Facebook
Fark
Digg
Reddit
StumbleLETTER TO THE EDITOR:
McCain oblivious to Nevada’s needs
Monday, Aug. 11, 2008 | 2:02 a.m.
Just a reminder to Nevada voters: What would bring the two topics of Yucca Mountain and sports gambling together? Easy — John McCain.
He favors the establishment of a nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain that could bring more than 100,000 tons of nuclear waste over our highways that would be placed in the ground less than 100 miles from Las Vegas.
If that isn’t enough of a damaging blow to Las Vegas, he also has favored the outlawing of betting on college sports, which would also hurt Las Vegas quite a bit.
So, remember, Las Vegans: John McCain does not care about Las Vegas and Nevada.
Discussion: comments so far…
Comments are moderated by Las Vegas Sun editors. Our goal is not to limit the discussion, but rather to elevate it. Comments should be relevant and contain no abusive language. Comments that are off-topic, vulgar, profane or include personal attacks will be removed. Full comments policy. Additionally, we now display comments from trusted commenters by default. Those wishing to become a trusted commenter need to verify their identity or sign in with Facebook Connect to tie their Facebook account to their Las Vegas Sun account. For more on this change, read our story about how it works and why we did it.
Only trusted comments are displayed on this page. Untrusted comments have expired from this story.
No trusted comments have been posted.
Post a comment
Everything Under the Sun
Blogs
The Kats Report
Las Vegas Philharmonic says search for new music director to begin 'immediately' (1 Comment)
With Shenandoah project stalled, Wayne Newton hits back legally (7 Comments)
Where does a Playmate play when she turns 21? Vegas! (3 Comments)
Ice Ice Billy
The road to six-toed cats and Mayor Bubba
The Kats Report
David Itkin tells L.V. Philharmonic officials he's on his way out (14 Comments)
Diamond Dave sells it well as Van Halen pours out the power at MGM Grand (2 Comments)
Entering debut at Tryst, Nick Hissom is a model for a rapid rise to prominence (3 Comments)
- Locally owned and independent since 1950; Winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service, best news website in the nation & DuPont Award for broadcast journalism
Wake up Nevadans! John McCain could care less about Nevada. He wants to use this state as a nuclear dump...He would be GWBush all over again! He is in the pocket of the nuclear energy industry...he is not a friend of Nevada...never has been, never will be!
The Democrats control both the house and the senate. If they choose to, then they could fund zero dollars for Yucca.
The Democrats choose to fund Yucca.
Reid is the second most powerful Democrat in DC.
I guess Reid is using his power on other matters, like MoveOn.org issues..
Hahaha, that is funny. When people criticize John McCain, no one stands up for him!
It's always the same whining! "But Harry Reid this! Or Obama that! Whhhaaaaaaa!"
And John McCain doesn't even have the support of disabled veterans? LOL!
John McCain has worked tirelessly to promote Yucca Mountain and to ensure that tons of nuclear waste are buried in Nevada. His support for Yucca Mountain has never waivered.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lX-ed4_Km...
Nevada voters need to tell John McCain: Not in our backyard, either!
"Nevada voters need to tell John McCain: Not in our backyard, either!"
It is more like: "Nevada voters need to ask Nevada's Senator Reid: Do you Care???????
Anybody who would vote based on non-issues like Yucca and college sports betting when gas is at $4.00 a gallon, forclosures are rampant, the dollar is low, and we are in a war on terrorist, is messed up on his priorities. You either are a bookie or live within a mile of the mountain.
Read Obama's energy policy. He for a repository as long as it is safe. Have you heard that before?
LOL!
Ksand99's argument: "It's always the same whining! "But Harry Reid this! Or Obama that! Whhhaaaaaaa!"
Nance's rebuttal: "Nevada voters need to ask Nevada's Senator Reid: Do you Care???????"
A brilliant point, ksand99, and so quickly illustrated by Nance.
Barack Obama's stance on Yucca Mountain is one of the many reasons why I plan on voting for him.
While John McCain has pushed forward with support for Yucca Mountain regardless of the scientific facts, Barack Obama has said it has to be safe. That seems reasonable and logical.
And yes, gas prices, foreclosures, the weak dollar and the war on terror are all important issues and I think Barack Obama is stronger on all of them.
In Obama's own words: "After spending billions of dollars on the Yucca Mountain Project, there are still significant questions about whether nuclear waste can be safely stored there. I believe a better short-term solution is to store nuclear waste on-site at the reactors where it is produced, or at a designated facility in the state where it is produced, until we find a safe, long-term disposal solution that is based on sound science."
"In the meantime, I believe all spending on Yucca Mountain should be redirected to other uses, such as improving the safety and security of spent fuel at plant sites around the country and exploring other long-term disposal options."
"All Nevadans should know that as president, I will bring to this issue not just independent judgment and careful deliberation, but a personal appreciation that comes from my own experience of living in the back yard of hazardous nuclear materials. The safety and security of Nevadans and all Americans requires nothing less."
It appears that you are clinging to superhero Barack Obama to save you from Yucca Mountain. But as Brain Greenspun said double-side “Obama is more of a realist, choosing to rely on science to make a decision.”
The YMP License Application was submitted June of 2008. Opponents, if they permit an adjudication their positions on technical facts of the program, have should have nothing to fear from a quality review process. The LA process continues to establish the suitability of the Yucca Mountain site, and is based on the science of the five supporting national labs and the USGS.
Is Obama really smarter than the five national labs, the USGS, and the NRC to make a decision to stop the project.
Stopping Yucca is not a political decision but a legal and technical decision as played out by the NRC, the five supporting national labs, and the USGS.
Obama has a dilemma with the false promise he is making to Nevada and Senator Reid with regards to Yucca (to garner five electoral votes. NV Rep. Shelly Berkley let the cat out of the bag when she in a seven minute "assurance" phone call was pleased to note that Obama in Berkley's words (LV R-J 6-21-2008) said "He didn't know how he would stop it." No consideration of science was made.
Obama has enough friends and "state" lobbyist in the nuclear industry to know that if the Feds quit on Yucca without changing the NWPA, that the NEI (through the courts) will get their money ($20 billion plus) back and the NEI can complete the job themselves.
In Obama's own words:
"Legitimate scientific questions have been raised about the safety of storing spent nuclear fuel at this location. With regard to Yucca Mountain, the National Academy of Sciences maintains that peak risks might occur hundreds of thousands of years from now. In 2004, a federal court questioned whether standards developed by the Environmental Protection Agency for the Yucca Mountain repository were sufficient to guarantee the safety of Nevadans."
"Questions also have been raised about the viability of transporting spent nuclear fuel to Nevada from different locations around the country. Although it would seem to serve the interests of Illinois – and other states with nuclear reactors – to send our waste to another state, transporting nuclear waste materials poses uncertain risk. In fact, since a large amount of this spent fuel would likely travel by rail, this is a serious concern for the people of Chicago, which is the transportation hub of the Midwest."
"Because of these safety issues and the unwavering opposition from the people of Nevada and their elected officials, there is strong reason to believe that many more billions of dollars could be expended on Yucca Mountain without any significant progress in moving towards a permanent solution to the problem of where to store spent nuclear fuel."
"For these reasons, I believe that it is no longer a sustainable federal policy for Yucca Mountain to be considered as a permanent repository. Instead of re-examining the 20-year licensing process and the billions of dollars that have already been spent, the time has come for the federal government to refocus its resources on finding more viable alternatives for the storage of spent nuclear fuel. Among the possible alternatives that should be considered are finding another state willing to serve as a permanent national repository or creating regional storage repositories. The federal government should also redirect resources toward improving the safety and security of spent fuel at plant sites around the country until a safe, long-term solution can be implemented."
"Regardless of what alternative is pursued, two premises should guide federal decision-making. First, any storage option should be supported by sound science. We need to ensure that nuclear waste can be safely stored without polluting aquifers or soil and exposing nearby residents to toxic radiation. "
That seems like an imminently rational and well-reasoned approach, 2012.
Has John McCain EVER voted against Yucca in any meaningul way?
Yucca is a bogus, bogus, bogus issue.
Every year...the Democrats march into Nevada and say: "WE HATE YUCCA!!!!! IT IS SOOOOOOOOOOOO EVIL."
Yet, they control both the US House and the US Senate.
THE DEMOCRATS HAVE DONE NOTHING TO SHUTDOWN YUCCA.
They would not have to do anything. All they need to do is not PASS any funding for Yucca and it would die.
They just huff and puff each year.
It is a bogus issue.
Obama is a lawyer turned social worker - not a scientist. As Obama has changed "tactics" on oil drilling, internet wiretapping, etc. he is not adamant about Yucca, as long as it is safe.
Obama needs to declare if he will violate the Nuclear Waste Policy Act or if he will allow the YMP License Application process (funding and technical support) to continue to establish the suitability of the Yucca Mountain site, or stop DOE (and the five supporting national labs, the USGS and the NRC) from performing it responsibilities. Stopping Yucca is not a political decision but a legal technical decision as played out by the NRC, the five supporting national labs, and the USGS.
Obama needs to say if he will implement the Nuclear Waste Policy Act until it is changed by Congress. President Bill Clinton (Bill Richardson) implemented the Law as written. The tunnel was dug in 1997, under Clinton.
The point was made in the R-J on 1-17-2008, that Bill Clinton and Bill Richardson held 21 formal draft EIS hearings (9 in Nevada) in 1999 and 2000, to establish that danger from transportation of nuclear waste is less then such hazardous materials as chorine and propane. This has been a long closed issue, but still raised by Nevada even though they will not do anything about chlorine tankers running by the Vegas Strip. Bill Richardson was engaged in preparing a positive the Site Recommendation right before he left office.
Transportation of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) is not a problem. If Nevada representatives would demand similar protection for Chlorine tankers as will be in place for SNF such as dedicate trains, exclusion zones, evacuation plans, GPS locators, armed guards (to protect from terrorist with TOW missiles), track and signal inspects, alerts to local officials of the location of hazardous materials, trained emergency responders then we could be less concerned about the potential Bhopal like deaths from a toxic laden tankers of 90,000 people.
Nance loves the idea of thousands of tons of nuclear waste coming to the valley.
Reid has orchestrated multiple recent budget cuts, leading to Bechtel laying off 63 contractors at the site.
http://www.lvrj.com/news/12110841.html
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn...
http://www.lasvegasnow.com/Global/story....
http://reid.senate.gov/newsroom/PR_Yucca...
And a senate panel, chaired by a Democrat, of course, cut $100 million out of Yucca's budget last month.
http://www.klas-tv.com/Global/story.asp?...
And it comes as no surprise that every time they attempt to stop funding altogether, the Republicans whine and refuse to let any appropriations move forward in the committees.
A bogus issue? Give me a break.
McCain has worked to make Yucca a priority, and Nevada voters won't be taken for a ride.
Meanwhile, the Republicans have forced Yucca down our throats. Only Nance would be defending that.
I guess the Democratic committee that is part of the Democratic controlled House that is ran by Ms. Pelosi loves Yucca.
"A House panel beginning the process of writing an energy spending bill for next year voted Tuesday to fully fund the Energy Department's request for the Yucca Mountain Project."
http://www.lvrj.com/news/20282714.html
Maybe theBS can explain to me why the Democratic controlled House and the Democratic controlled Senate would allow one dime to be spent on Yucca.
If the House and Senate did not any votes to fund Yucca and let the project just die then the Republicans or Bush could not do anything about that. They can not veto or filibuster a funding bill that never exist.
Can you answer why Democrats vote to spend one dime on Yucca?
Can you answer why the Democratic committee voted for full funding?
Sure does sound bogus to me.
Reading is fundamental.
"The test for the Department of Energy program usually comes later in the year when the energy spending bill reaches the Senate. That is where repository opponent Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., tries to force cuts."
That's from your own source. LOL!
Your argument is absolutely bogus. Which party has done more to ensure nuclear waste ends up in Nevada? Republicans.
You can't hide from this or point the finger anywhere else. Your party is responsible.
You can hide in the corner and keep telling yourself that it isn't an issue, but it is, and that's why you're still posting on this page.
And the Republicans are absolutely responsible for selecting Yucca and fully funding it when they were in control of the House and Senate.
Again, the "take no responsibility" Republicans trying to obfuscate their complicity. It won't work, Nance.
Sounds like BS
OK...The Democratic House passes full funding. That is correct the DEMOCRATS PASS FULL FUNDING FOR YUCCA.
The Democratic Senate cuts a little.
They hold a big party.....whooooooooeeeeeeeee we cut Yucca funding..........woooooooooooeeeeeee....smoke and mirrors....smoke and mirrors.
Yep...you agree that Democrats pass Yucca funding.
Democrats fund Yucca....according to the theBS.
Here is some legislative history for you.
"Then in 1987, Congress approved a bill, known as the "Screw Nevada Bill," in which the DOE was to concentrate solely on Yucca Mountain as the national site."
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/topics/y...
I wonder who control the House and Senate in 1987 that screwed over Nevada.
Could be the Democrats?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/100th_Unite...
Stop drinking the cool-aid.
The Democrats control NOW both the House and the Senate.
They could decide to fund ZERO DOLLARS for Yucca.
The Republicans can not stop them from doing that.
Your first comment isn't even worth responding to. You didn't even read your own article. Your claiming funding has passed when it hasn't. LOL!
The depth of your knowledge regarding funding in the Congress and subcommittees is about as deep as the first page of Google search results. LOL!
Some more legislative history?
Which President vetoed a bill, passed by a Republican majority, to "temporarily" store nuclear waste at Yucca? Clinton
Which President approved House Joint Resolution 87, which began construction on Yucca? George W Bush
Which party voted 61-34 to retain the Screw Nevada provision in the energy bill in 1987? Overwhelmingly the Republicans
Which President signed that into law? Reagan
Maybe you aren't aware, but SN wasn't it's own piece of legislation, it was amended onto a budget measure, and had the budget not passed, the government would have shut down. LOL!
And my, my my, for such a "bogus" issue you sure are pouring on the neo-con talking points.
And yes, as seen by the obstructionist Republicans in the House and Senate, they can paralyze both with filibusters.
But that's ok, keep living in your dream world where the majority party can do whatever they want. That's not how it works, but that doesn't stop you from believing! LOL!
THE DEMOCRATS CAN CHOOSE NOT TO FUND YUCCA.
Is that too hard of a concept for your brain to understand?
Oh, I see...the Democrats are so weak that Republicans are forcing them to Vote "YES" on Yucca.
I believe that.
I agree with you.
The Democrats are WEAK!!!!!!!!!
I get it now......duhhhhhhhh
The 7 Republicans on the US House energy and water subcommittee force the 9 Democrats to have a vote on full funding and the 9 Democrats did not vote against the full funding.
The Republicans are sooooo smart that they trick Pelosi to bring up the bill.
The Republicans are sooooo smart that they trick the Senate Democrats to bring up the bill for a vote.
In 1987, the Republicans tricked the Democrats who controlled the House and the Senate in 1987 to allow the "Screw Nevada Bill" to come up for a vote.
I am OK with your argument.
Democrats are weak and can be easily tricked.
Republicans are strong.
I agree, thebs. The republicans have been in control for so long, and they have done nothing to stop Yucca. Vote after vote, they kept funding it more and more. They ignored the science, ignored our soverignty, ignored the threats of transportation.
I t hink jfnance32 is just trying to hide from the truth: the republicans are responsible for Yucca. Without their votes and support, it wouldn't have been built.
It is obvious that the Democrats funding cuts have helped. It was supposed to open in the '90s! I'm glad Harry Reid has our back!
Bush and McCain have been struggling to find a way to store waste there. I don't think John McCain has EVER voted against it. And when he comes to Nevada, he constantly talks about how he supports it.
And now that the republicans are trying to bring it back, it's crucial we have someone in the White House who will do whatever he can to stop it, including a presidential veto!
http://www.lasvegassun.com/blogs/early-l...
"Six REPUBLICAN senators today announced their support for a new Yucca Mountain bill that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid dismissed as a “desperate attempt” to bring the repository back to life."
"Oklahoma Sen. James Inhofe’s bill allows licensing of Yucca Mountain essentially as an interim dump site, a designation that would sidestep requirements for the permanent repository to protect Nevadans for 1 million years from potentially cancer-causing radiation exposure."
"The bill would allow storage of waste at Yucca for up to 300 years before radiation standards for the next 1 million years need to be established. The standards determine the level of toxins that residents and others near the site can be exposed to without having a high risk of contracting cancer."
The republicans want to send waste here without even knowing the safety standards! For shame!
Ah yes, there's the brilliance of the neo-con mind.
Nance, this is really, really simple. So simple, I think even YOU can figure this out.
Committees draft and pass bills that are recommended as budgets. If those committees cannot agree on a budget, nothing is submitted to the floor for consideration. If nothing is submitted to the floor for consideration, Congress stops. Did you see how I did that? Have I lost you already?
In order to make it out of committee, the two sides COMPROMISE. That's why we have two parties, and majority rule with minority rights. These are FUNDAMENTAL constitutional principles. The majority CANNOT run rampant over the minority, particularly when the margins are so slim.
But hey, that's all technical stuff that I know you can't comprehend. So I'll make it really simple: go back and look at the votes. You'll see every single Republican voting in favor. The 30+ votes against? Democrats.
Even your tortured logic can understand that one.
And who was one of those Republicans so adamant that Yucca be created and fully funded? John McCain.
McCain's been pro-Yucca since the inception, and no amount of your obfuscation can hide that simple fact.
McCain's voted time and time again to allow funding.
McCain's voted time and time again to force Yucca into our backyard.
When you boil it all down: McCain wasn't looking out for our interests.
Exactly, ksand. Reid works to bury Yucca, Inhofe and his Republican whipping boys try to resurrect it.
And if they were successful, which President would be more likely to veto: McCain or Obama?
Given the binary choice, it's clear NV should pick Obama.
News Flash.....News Flash.....News Flash.......
The sneaky Republicans have figured out a way to force House Democrats to have a bill that has Yucca funding despite the fact that the Democrats have a 237 to 197 advantage in the US House.
Normally, Pelosi and the Democratic Leadership have full control over what bills come to the floor and what is in the bills.
The superior Republicans have tricked them into allowing a bill with Yucca funding.
In other news, 9 Democratic members of the sub-committe on US House energy and water subcommittee were surprised that their committee passed full funding for Yucca. Somehow, the 7 Republican members took control over the committee for a short 1 second and got the motion to be on the agenda and also passed it.
Those damn sneakly Republicans.....
More Republicans trying to open Yucca NOW!
Republican Senator Inhofe, Ranking Member of the EPW Committee:
“It’s high time that we accomplish this task. We’ve passed laws and resolutions to do it. We’ve collected over $27 billion dollars from electricity consumers to pay for it. And courts have affirmed that we have a legal obligation to do it. As the generation that has benefited from the use of nuclear energy and the resulting spent fuel, I believe it is incumbent upon us to manage spent fuel in a manner that is fair to current generations and generations to come. I am introducing a bill today that will do just that.”
Republican Senator DeMint:
“In 2002, Congress voted to open Yucca Mountain. It’s time we move forward and remove the regulatory hurdles standing in the way. Opponents of Yucca have wasted taxpayer dollars, reduced our energy security, and threatened the health of our economy.”
Republican Senator Bond:
“Americans want clean energy solutions, and nuclear power with zero air pollution and zero carbon emissions is our best option,” said Senator Kit Bond. “I hope the ‘Not In My Back Yard’ attitude will not block this nuclear bill and deprive our families, workers and the environment from this clean energy solution they deserve.”
Republican Senator Crapo:
“Yucca Mountain has already been designated as the site for a permanent repository; this legislation provides the avenue to make that repository a reality,” Senator Crapo said. “The construction of a permanent and environmentally-safe repository will not only benefit those states with interim storage facilities, like my home state of Idaho, but also allows for increased independence from fossil fuels and foreign sources of energy by clearing the way for the development of new nuclear plants. ”
It looks like the republicans are desperate to get Yucca opened! John McCain has said he wants more nuclear powerplants, which means more nuclear waste. And he wants to store it in Nevada.
Nevada voters know the republicans will do anything to get Yucca opened immediately. They're already trying to get bills passed that will ignore or postpone safety concerns.
Barack Obama has said he will withdraw the application for Yucca Mountain, effectively stopping the republicans in their tracks!
Nevada voters have a clear choice: Barack Obama
Jfnance32, did you fail civics in high school?
Do you really not understand how the House and Senate work?
These are very easy concepts to understand. It is a shame more of our students don't understand the way legislation is crafted!
I guess you have not heard of things like amendments. They can change the intent of a bill or legislation. Also, it is very common practice for legislation to escape committees and then be torn apart and rebuilt on the floor. I am surprised you don't know this!
If the republicans don't have any power, why are they even there? Why not have a single party in control? That would be silly!
And I guess you do not know that not all republicans vote with republicans and not all Democrats vote with the Democrats.
There are some great books out there about the legislative process. You should check them out.
You are right, ksand99.
You have excellent knowledge on how the House of Representatives works.
You should go to Pelosi and tell her that she does not have control on what goes on in the House of Representatives. Tell her that the Republicans can add and change items to bills at will.
You are so silly.
The party that has control of the House of Representatives has near absolute control. That party decides what bills get moved and when they get moved. That party also decides what admenments the minority can offer. It happened when the Republicans were in-charge. It happens now with the Democrats.
On very rare occassions, the majority will make a mistake and the minority will have an impact.
If you think otherwise, then you are completely void of any understanding on how the House of Representatives work.
But I am OK with you repeating your silly statements.
I am sure that many are having a good laugh at your expense.
"Second, throughout all periods of congressional history from the end of Reconstruction to the present, the majority party has maintained a secure grip on the floor agenda."
http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?a...
"Setting the Agenda explains why and how parties matter. By controlling the agenda party leaders can stop policies their members do not like and can ensure party discipline by preventing votes on issues on which their members have conflicting opinions."
http://www.amazon.com/Setting-Agenda-Res...
“Throughout American history, partisan majorities have set the agenda and structured legislative decisions on the floor in the United States House of Representatives, and the partisan minority has often been greatly disadvantaged by the rules governing debate.”
http://www.allacademic.com/meta/p_mla_ap...
“The majority party exerts extensive control over this agenda”
http://hij.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstr...
“The evidence demonstrates that the majority party seizes agenda control at nearly every stage of the legislative process in order to prevent bills that the party dislikes from reaching the floor.”
http://www.cambridge.org/us/catalogue/ca...