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Why is That $50 Billion Radioactive Antique Toilet Still in the Stimulus Bill?
Feb 10, 2009
The infamous $50 billion nuke power loan guarantee package meant to use
your money to build new nuke reactors has gone missing from saturation
media coverage of Obama's Stimulus Package. But it's still in the
Senate version of the bill, it could be voted on this week, and it
could kill us all.
Like that $30,000 antique toilet that disappeared into the
banking bailout, the corporate media carries not a word about this
gargantuan handout to the dying reactor industry. All the hype about a
"nuclear renaissance" will come to naught without this massive taxpayer
handout. But if it goes through, the landscape could be pock marked
with lethal new nukes.
We have days---maybe hours---to stop it. While aid programs to
the states, for education and the truly needy are slashed, this
gargantuan boondoggle is poised to sail through with virtually no
public knowledge.
The loan guarantee package was slipped into the Senate version of the
Stimulus Bill by Senator Robert Bennet (R-UT) who proceeded to vote
against the overall package. It is not currently in the House version.
As the two bills are reconciled, armies of radioactive
lobbyists will be marching through the Halls of Congress. They know
Wall Street will never pay for new nukes, so that leaves...you and me!
The estimated price of building new reactors has nearly
tripled since the beginning of 2007. It is virtually certain to at
least double again before any new nuke could come on line, which could
not happen in less than a decade.
Reactors built from the 1960s to now came on line an average of 200%
and more over budget. A French-based reactor construction project in
Finland has soared more than $2 billion over budget and is more than
two years behind schedule. The Government Accountability Project warns
that at least half those who build new reactors are likely to plunge
into bankruptcy. To this day the industry cannot get private insurance
to cover the full potential liability of a reactor catastrophe.
But Bennett's maneuver, supported by Senator Tom Carper (D-DE) would
divert billions away from renewables and efficiency, and into these
failed terror targets.
Calls and letters are desperately needed to the Congressional
leadership---NOW!--- to flush this horrific boondoggle out of the
stimulus package. With White House pressure mounting to get it passed
this week, every minute counts.
Numerous major national environmental organizations offer
websites from which to sign on and send letters, including www.nirs.org
, www.beyondnuclear.org and www.nukefree.org. The Congressional phone
line is 202-224-3121 or (toll free) 800-962-3524.
Do not hesitate: the melt-down you prevent could otherwise kill you;
the money re-directed to green alternatives could save our planet...and
our economy.
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Dear Common Dreams reader, The U.S. is on a fast track to authoritarianism like nothing I've ever seen. Meanwhile, corporate news outlets are utterly capitulating to Trump, twisting their coverage to avoid drawing his ire while lining up to stuff cash in his pockets. That's why I believe that Common Dreams is doing the best and most consequential reporting that we've ever done. Our small but mighty team is a progressive reporting powerhouse, covering the news every day that the corporate media never will. Our mission has always been simple: To inform. To inspire. And to ignite change for the common good. Now here's the key piece that I want all our readers to understand: None of this would be possible without your financial support. That's not just some fundraising cliche. It's the absolute and literal truth. We don't accept corporate advertising and never will. We don't have a paywall because we don't think people should be blocked from critical news based on their ability to pay. Everything we do is funded by the donations of readers like you. Will you donate now to help power the nonprofit, independent reporting of Common Dreams? Thank you for being a vital member of our community. Together, we can keep independent journalism alive when it’s needed most. - Craig Brown, Co-founder |
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Harvey Wasserman
Harvey Wasserman is an activist and author. His first book "Harvey Wasserman's History of the United States" was published in 1972. Harvey edits www.nukefree.org.
The infamous $50 billion nuke power loan guarantee package meant to use
your money to build new nuke reactors has gone missing from saturation
media coverage of Obama's Stimulus Package. But it's still in the
Senate version of the bill, it could be voted on this week, and it
could kill us all.
Like that $30,000 antique toilet that disappeared into the
banking bailout, the corporate media carries not a word about this
gargantuan handout to the dying reactor industry. All the hype about a
"nuclear renaissance" will come to naught without this massive taxpayer
handout. But if it goes through, the landscape could be pock marked
with lethal new nukes.
We have days---maybe hours---to stop it. While aid programs to
the states, for education and the truly needy are slashed, this
gargantuan boondoggle is poised to sail through with virtually no
public knowledge.
The loan guarantee package was slipped into the Senate version of the
Stimulus Bill by Senator Robert Bennet (R-UT) who proceeded to vote
against the overall package. It is not currently in the House version.
As the two bills are reconciled, armies of radioactive
lobbyists will be marching through the Halls of Congress. They know
Wall Street will never pay for new nukes, so that leaves...you and me!
The estimated price of building new reactors has nearly
tripled since the beginning of 2007. It is virtually certain to at
least double again before any new nuke could come on line, which could
not happen in less than a decade.
Reactors built from the 1960s to now came on line an average of 200%
and more over budget. A French-based reactor construction project in
Finland has soared more than $2 billion over budget and is more than
two years behind schedule. The Government Accountability Project warns
that at least half those who build new reactors are likely to plunge
into bankruptcy. To this day the industry cannot get private insurance
to cover the full potential liability of a reactor catastrophe.
But Bennett's maneuver, supported by Senator Tom Carper (D-DE) would
divert billions away from renewables and efficiency, and into these
failed terror targets.
Calls and letters are desperately needed to the Congressional
leadership---NOW!--- to flush this horrific boondoggle out of the
stimulus package. With White House pressure mounting to get it passed
this week, every minute counts.
Numerous major national environmental organizations offer
websites from which to sign on and send letters, including www.nirs.org
, www.beyondnuclear.org and www.nukefree.org. The Congressional phone
line is 202-224-3121 or (toll free) 800-962-3524.
Do not hesitate: the melt-down you prevent could otherwise kill you;
the money re-directed to green alternatives could save our planet...and
our economy.
Harvey Wasserman
Harvey Wasserman is an activist and author. His first book "Harvey Wasserman's History of the United States" was published in 1972. Harvey edits www.nukefree.org.
The infamous $50 billion nuke power loan guarantee package meant to use
your money to build new nuke reactors has gone missing from saturation
media coverage of Obama's Stimulus Package. But it's still in the
Senate version of the bill, it could be voted on this week, and it
could kill us all.
Like that $30,000 antique toilet that disappeared into the
banking bailout, the corporate media carries not a word about this
gargantuan handout to the dying reactor industry. All the hype about a
"nuclear renaissance" will come to naught without this massive taxpayer
handout. But if it goes through, the landscape could be pock marked
with lethal new nukes.
We have days---maybe hours---to stop it. While aid programs to
the states, for education and the truly needy are slashed, this
gargantuan boondoggle is poised to sail through with virtually no
public knowledge.
The loan guarantee package was slipped into the Senate version of the
Stimulus Bill by Senator Robert Bennet (R-UT) who proceeded to vote
against the overall package. It is not currently in the House version.
As the two bills are reconciled, armies of radioactive
lobbyists will be marching through the Halls of Congress. They know
Wall Street will never pay for new nukes, so that leaves...you and me!
The estimated price of building new reactors has nearly
tripled since the beginning of 2007. It is virtually certain to at
least double again before any new nuke could come on line, which could
not happen in less than a decade.
Reactors built from the 1960s to now came on line an average of 200%
and more over budget. A French-based reactor construction project in
Finland has soared more than $2 billion over budget and is more than
two years behind schedule. The Government Accountability Project warns
that at least half those who build new reactors are likely to plunge
into bankruptcy. To this day the industry cannot get private insurance
to cover the full potential liability of a reactor catastrophe.
But Bennett's maneuver, supported by Senator Tom Carper (D-DE) would
divert billions away from renewables and efficiency, and into these
failed terror targets.
Calls and letters are desperately needed to the Congressional
leadership---NOW!--- to flush this horrific boondoggle out of the
stimulus package. With White House pressure mounting to get it passed
this week, every minute counts.
Numerous major national environmental organizations offer
websites from which to sign on and send letters, including www.nirs.org
, www.beyondnuclear.org and www.nukefree.org. The Congressional phone
line is 202-224-3121 or (toll free) 800-962-3524.
Do not hesitate: the melt-down you prevent could otherwise kill you;
the money re-directed to green alternatives could save our planet...and
our economy.
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.