Letters, 8/29: Pickens’ plan falls short

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T. Boone Pickens is correct to push for a plan to free America from foreign oil, but he fails. First, his plan only goes partway to reduce foreign oil costs from $700 billion to $400 billon. Second, his plan is good for only 20 or 30 years; he doesn’t want to consider hydrogen even though hydrogen fueling stations are being built in the western United States. Third, he wants to abandon the infrastructure that has been built to supply natural gas to electric companies and replace it with wind power — a power source that is not always available and requires an expensive infrastructure to get the power from the windmills to the East and West Coasts.

An alternative would be to continue to use the current natural gas fields for electricity and take the vast quantity of newly discovered natural gas and use it to fuel trucks, etc. The new gas fields like the one in Northwest Louisiana (fourth-largest in the world) should be able to provide fuel for trucks plus many other uses that currently rely on oil. Another example would be to heat homes in the northeast United States with gas from the new field in Appalachia.

Next, build the windmills to generate the electricity. However, instead of building an expensive infrastructure, use the electricity to make hydrogen and transport the hydrogen. This hydrogen would be used to fuel cars.

This plan should reduce our dependence on foreign oil much more than just $300 billion, even though it may take another 10 years. We also need to look to other sources like conservation, solar, biofuels, nuclear, or drilling in currently restricted areas.

Richard Slama, Lincoln

Attack on gays unfair

I am writing in response to Dorothy Westphal’s (LJS, Aug. 25) accusatory approach to homosexuality and homosexual marriage. As far as the religious soap-box attack on homosexuality goes, you really need to sit down and compare the separate sects of Christianity.

Although Catholics shun homosexual behavior, they live by the testament of “hate the sin, not the sinner.” However, several other religious organizations accept homosexuality. The Bible has long been controversial and has been tweaked over the years. To compare the texts, you will find they differ greatly.

The biggest issue I have with the letter is the misconception of the source and cause of HIV and AIDS. This has been perceived as a homosexual disease. In fact, the first known case of AIDS was discovered in Africa. In the 1980s it was first discovered in the United States in both gay men and frequent drug users. Sex of any nature is not the only form of transfer.

Courtney Sheridan, Lincoln

Concerns about Democrats

There are deep concerns for our country if the Democratic candidate for president is elected.

First, the killing of our unborn could become law. Barack Obama promised Planned Parenthood in a speech July 17, 2007, that “the first thing I’d do as president is, is sign the Freedom of Choice Act.” As a co-sponsor of this bill, he has promised Planned Parenthood and other pro-choice groups that he can be counted on to “end the abortion wars.” To him that means allowing abortion-on-demand without any restrictions nationwide.

Then there’s the challenge to our cherished right-to-work laws. Big Labor is pumping millions into this presidential campaign. The AFL-CIO has launched a $53 million effort to keep John McCain from being president. The Teamsters officials endorsed Obama after he said he supported examining the strict federal oversight imposed on their union because of its notorious corruption. Another goal of Big Labor is to repeal Section 14(b) of the Taft Hartley Act, which guarantees our right to work without having to join a labor union. And since the Democratic Party and Big Labor have a hand-in-glove relationship, our right-to-work laws could be in real jeopardy.

A couple years ago, the state of Indiana lost a large Colgate plant because the company wanted to move to a right-to-work state. A note of interest: Personal income is higher in right-to-work states than in those without. States controlled by Big Labor are losing populations to right-to-work states. Companies want to be in right-to-work states.

Phyllis Roehl, Lincoln