News round up for the week ending 5-23-09

Here is a round up of this weeks news. Tacked on to a credit card bill, we can now enjoy concealed weapons in our national parks. Enzi, Barrasso and Lummis sound off on cap and trade. Chrysler is closing down five franchises in Wyoming. Dick Cheney can't stay out of the news, headlining the list of 13 people who made torture possible. We are so proud of him. Enzi is in disagreement with panel members on how to deter youth from smoking. Gov. Dave took some heat for nominating his wife Nancy to serve as a U.S. District Court judge in Wyoming.

Of special note, Sen. Barrasso made a special Memorial Day weekend address promoting coal and gas jobs in Wyoming. In his remarks, he states "and solar only account for about 1 percent of U.S. electricity, far below what is needed to meet the nation's energy needs." He goes on to say "There's enough oil shale in the Rocky Mountain West alone to power America for the next hundred years".

This is a complete lack of forward thinking. O.K., we can power America for the next 100 years. Then what?! Guess how long the wind is going to blow in Wyoming? Forever. Guess how long the sun is going to shine down on our state? Another billion years. Of course wind only counts for 1% of U.S. electricity...it's just starting to be used! Wyoming can and should be a vital player in alternative energy production. The change is in the wind...literally. Just ask EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson, who toured coal production and wind farms with Gov. Dave this week.

Letter to Editor in the Star re: Barrasso supporting torture

This was a well written letter sent to the editor of the Casper Star Tribune. I thought it was worth repeating here:

Editor:

A familiar pit formed in my stomach on Friday morning as our family caught the morning news. I listened as Sen. John Barrasso described his support for "appropriate interrogation techniques" -- torture. I was filled with a mixture of disgust, frustration, anger, and despair. My representative to the Senate, a trained physician, was describing an evidence-free argument supporting the torture of mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters.

Barrasso's position was fundamentally disturbing on several levels. Growing up in a family with a long history of medical service, I witnessed the compassion and
understanding of pain felt by most caregivers. As a trained physician, Barrasso
understands the psychological and physical consequences of pain, and the
longterm results of the fear associated with longterm, predictable pain.
Fifty-nine years ago this understanding motivated the Geneva Conventions, the
codified global disgust for such actions.

As a Christian, I seek to live by the principle that respect for human dignity must trump my personal desires. Fear of the unknown or a desire for absolute security must not lead to behavior that sacrifices the clear message taught by Christ on Good Friday -- all humans have dignity and that dignity must be honored by the way I treat their body and their spirit.

Lastly, it disturbs me to the core that Barrasso is willing to dishonor our brave service persons and strip them of the moral high ground that is so important in a time of war. If captured and subjected to torture, I want my son to benefit from the energy and moral strength that comes from the certain knowledge that his country, his fellow warriors, his government, would never behave this way to a prisoner. He will need that strength to withstand the terrible experience. During his education at West Point, my son Philip's training will include strong ethics education completely antithetical to the position being promoted by his own senator. Is Barrasso telling me that he prefers to continue eroding the high moral ground that Philip, the young
soldiers he will lead, and all American service people need as a foundation as they enter into the horrific, challenging theater of war?

GREG HAYWARD,
Laramie

Well said, Mr. Hayward. The fact that Bush and his entourage were willing to stoop to these levels leaves me feeling quite disgusted as well.