Comments on: The McCain Plan: Homer Simpson without the Donut http://www.gregpalast.com/the-mccain-plan-homer-simpson-without-the-donut/ Greg Palast, reporting for BBC, Harpers and more Fri, 20 Aug 2010 12:16:20 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Roger Snyder http://www.gregpalast.com/the-mccain-plan-homer-simpson-without-the-donut/comment-page-1/#comment-19538 Roger Snyder Fri, 19 Sep 2008 14:37:38 +0000 http://www.gregpalast.com/?p=2059#comment-19538 Just remember, Obama is also a supporter of nuclear energy. It doesn't come as a surprise then that Exelon, an energy company that uses nuclear reactors, is one of Obama’s biggest contributors. (Since 2003, executives and employees of Exelon, which is based in Illinois, have contributed at least $227,000 to Mr. Obama’s campaigns for the US Senate and for president.) You have to look past the duopoly to find anti-nuclear candidates. Just remember, Obama is also a supporter of nuclear energy.

It doesn't come as a surprise then that Exelon, an energy company that uses nuclear reactors, is one of Obama’s biggest contributors. (Since 2003, executives and employees of Exelon, which is based in Illinois, have contributed at least $227,000 to Mr. Obama’s campaigns for the US Senate and for president.)

You have to look past the duopoly to find anti-nuclear candidates.

]]> By: Chris B http://www.gregpalast.com/the-mccain-plan-homer-simpson-without-the-donut/comment-page-1/#comment-14782 Chris B Mon, 25 Aug 2008 19:49:42 +0000 http://www.gregpalast.com/?p=2059#comment-14782 The really wonderfully ironic thing about McCain's speech was that he gave it at Enrico Fermi nuclear power plant near Monroe, Michigan. This is the same exact power plant had a meltdown in 1966. The entire city of Detroit was nearly evacuated. Who knows the devastation that would have occured to the immediately adjacent Great Lakes. And John McCain stood on that same ground touting the safety of nuclear energy. Where are we going, and why am I in this handbasket? The really wonderfully ironic thing about McCain's speech was that he gave it at Enrico Fermi nuclear power plant near Monroe, Michigan. This is the same exact power plant had a meltdown in 1966. The entire city of Detroit was nearly evacuated. Who knows the devastation that would have occured to the immediately adjacent Great Lakes.

And John McCain stood on that same ground touting the safety of nuclear energy.

Where are we going, and why am I in this handbasket?

]]> By: craig http://www.gregpalast.com/the-mccain-plan-homer-simpson-without-the-donut/comment-page-1/#comment-14466 craig Sun, 24 Aug 2008 04:00:20 +0000 http://www.gregpalast.com/?p=2059#comment-14466 Actually, nuclear power isn't as bad as you say on the safety front. The nuclear plants in America aren't very good, but they were all built decades ago, and all building got real slow after Chernobyl. Americans fear them, so nobody's been to excited to try and build one. But in Europe there are a lot of countries with active and safe fission based power plants. They've been completely redesigned in the last 20 years. Think of most US nuclear plants as Version 1.0... The most current, state of the art nuclear plant would qualify to be called Version 8.0. Lots of technical leaps have been made. I wouldn't be any more scared of a new nuclear plant being built in my backyard than I would of a coal burning plant. I'd actually probably be more scared of the coal. Not that this addresses the cost, of course... Actually, nuclear power isn't as bad as you say on the safety front. The nuclear plants in America aren't very good, but they were all built decades ago, and all building got real slow after Chernobyl. Americans fear them, so nobody's been to excited to try and build one. But in Europe there are a lot of countries with active and safe fission based power plants.

They've been completely redesigned in the last 20 years. Think of most US nuclear plants as Version 1.0... The most current, state of the art nuclear plant would qualify to be called Version 8.0. Lots of technical leaps have been made. I wouldn't be any more scared of a new nuclear plant being built in my backyard than I would of a coal burning plant. I'd actually probably be more scared of the coal.

Not that this addresses the cost, of course...

]]> By: WCH http://www.gregpalast.com/the-mccain-plan-homer-simpson-without-the-donut/comment-page-1/#comment-13822 WCH Wed, 20 Aug 2008 23:39:22 +0000 http://www.gregpalast.com/?p=2059#comment-13822 Hello Mr. Palast. You are one of my favorite muckrakers, maybe even my favorite. And we need lots more muckrakers. However, I am perplexed at your categoric lambasting of nuclear power. In principle, it has much to offer in affordability, realistic availability, and lack of pollution and greenhouse gas planet warming. I won't go into the details of why I think there is merit, as you seem to have your mind made up. Especially when I review the French experience with nuclear power generation, coupled with their enviable air quality and superb public transport system made possible by nuclear power, and minuscule nuclear waste problems, are you not damning this potential power source out of hand? KBR, Halliburton and other manifestations of fascist America should be corrected in and of themselves, rather than using their evils as a reason to block development of nuclear power. What viable alternative do we have? I confess to some fatigue at those who damn our current mess (and I do agree that it is a horrific mess) while failing to put forth a rational alternative. Nuclear, to my view over the past 30 years, appears to be a very viable part of the alternative. Regards, Hello Mr. Palast.

You are one of my favorite muckrakers, maybe even my favorite. And we need lots more muckrakers.

However, I am perplexed at your categoric lambasting of nuclear power. In principle, it has much to offer in affordability, realistic availability, and lack of pollution and greenhouse gas planet warming. I won't go into the details of why I think there is merit, as you seem to have your mind made up.

Especially when I review the French experience with nuclear power generation, coupled with their enviable air quality and superb public transport system made possible by nuclear power, and minuscule nuclear waste problems, are you not damning this potential power source out of hand?

KBR, Halliburton and other manifestations of fascist America should be corrected in and of themselves, rather than using their evils as a reason to block development of nuclear power.

What viable alternative do we have? I confess to some fatigue at those who damn our current mess (and I do agree that it is a horrific mess) while failing to put forth a rational alternative. Nuclear, to my view over the past 30 years, appears to be a very viable part of the alternative.

Regards,

]]> By: Manny Ramirez http://www.gregpalast.com/the-mccain-plan-homer-simpson-without-the-donut/comment-page-1/#comment-13512 Manny Ramirez Tue, 19 Aug 2008 08:06:27 +0000 http://www.gregpalast.com/?p=2059#comment-13512 It seems that the visit from John McCain to the "Basilica de Guadalupe" in Mexico City don't help McCain to be released from evil thoughts! Hope he was joking when he declare "to declare we need to build 45 new nuclear plants"... It seems that the visit from John McCain to the "Basilica de Guadalupe" in Mexico City don't help McCain to be released from evil thoughts!

Hope he was joking when he declare "to declare we need to build 45 new nuclear plants"...

]]> By: jimi http://www.gregpalast.com/the-mccain-plan-homer-simpson-without-the-donut/comment-page-1/#comment-11561 jimi Mon, 11 Aug 2008 06:11:09 +0000 http://www.gregpalast.com/?p=2059#comment-11561 Please tell me barack is not going to pick a rep. conservative running mate?! My head is going to explode in November. Please tell me barack is not going to pick a rep. conservative running mate?! My head is going to explode in November.

]]> By: Dennis F. Nester http://www.gregpalast.com/the-mccain-plan-homer-simpson-without-the-donut/comment-page-1/#comment-11429 Dennis F. Nester Sun, 10 Aug 2008 19:39:16 +0000 http://www.gregpalast.com/?p=2059#comment-11429 On the 63rd anniversary of the atom bombs dropped on Japan. --------------- "More worrisome is Dr. Abram Petkau’s observation that it takes only 700 millirads of protracted radiation (from external or internal sources) to lyse (break) the cell membrane. By protracted, I mean over a period of time, instead of all at once. In the absence of antioxidant enzyme protection, such as superoxide dismutase and catalase, a mere 10-20 millirads were required to destroy the cell membrane. P.S., we’re all deficient in antioxidant enzymes because there’s much more radiation-induced free radical damage than nature intended, thanks to the nuclear industry. " -------------------------------------- United States: 215 atmospheric tests + 815 underground tests = 1,030 USSR: 219 atmospheric tests + 496 underground tests = 715 UK: 21 atmospheric tests + 24 underground tests = 45 France: 50 atmospheric tests + 160 underground tests = 210 China: 23 atmospheric tests + 22 underground tests = 45 The grand total of global atmospheric tests = 528 Source: Page 52, "Atomic Audit , the Costs and Consequences of U.S. Nuclear Weapons Since 1940," Stephen Schwartz , Editor, Brookings Institution Press, Washington D.C., 1998. Plus - India, Pakistan, North Korea carried out atom bomb tests. ---------------------------------- Global nuclear cover-up part 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PiPUEJd1JPg&feature=related Part 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRq5iY6C1dM&feature=related ----------------------------------------------- May need to register first (free) www.consciousmedianetwork.com Leuren Moret - http://www.consciousmedianetwork.com/members/lmoret.htm http://www.consciousmedianetwork.com/members/lmoret2.htm On the 63rd anniversary of the atom bombs dropped on Japan.
---------------
"More worrisome is Dr. Abram Petkau’s observation that
it takes only 700 millirads of protracted radiation (from
external or internal sources) to lyse (break) the cell membrane.
By protracted, I mean over a period of time, instead of all
at once. In the absence of antioxidant enzyme protection,
such as superoxide dismutase and catalase, a mere 10-20
millirads were required to destroy the cell membrane.

P.S., we’re all deficient in antioxidant enzymes because
there’s much more radiation-induced free radical damage
than nature intended, thanks to the nuclear industry. "
--------------------------------------
United States: 215 atmospheric tests
+ 815 underground tests = 1,030

USSR: 219 atmospheric tests
+ 496 underground tests = 715

UK: 21 atmospheric tests
+ 24 underground tests = 45

France: 50 atmospheric tests
+ 160 underground tests = 210

China: 23 atmospheric tests
+ 22 underground tests = 45

The grand total of global atmospheric tests = 528

Source: Page 52, "Atomic Audit
, the Costs and Consequences of U.S. Nuclear
Weapons Since 1940," Stephen Schwartz ,
Editor, Brookings Institution Press,
Washington D.C., 1998.

Plus - India, Pakistan, North Korea
carried out atom bomb tests.
----------------------------------
Global nuclear cover-up part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PiPUEJd1JPg&feature=related

Part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRq5iY6C1dM&feature=related
-----------------------------------------------
May need to register first (free)
http://www.consciousmedianetwork.com

Leuren Moret -
http://www.consciousmedianetwork.com/members/lmoret.htm

http://www.consciousmedianetwork.com/members/lmoret2.htm

]]> By: The Energy Net » Top Nuclear Stories (Aug 3rd-7th) http://www.gregpalast.com/the-mccain-plan-homer-simpson-without-the-donut/comment-page-1/#comment-11003 The Energy Net » Top Nuclear Stories (Aug 3rd-7th) Fri, 08 Aug 2008 20:40:14 +0000 http://www.gregpalast.com/?p=2059#comment-11003 [...] Greg Palast » The McCain Plan: Homer Simpson without the Donut I’m guessing it was excessive exposure to either radiation or George Bush, but Senator John McCain’s comments from inside a nuclear power plant in Michigan are so cracked-brained that I fear some loose gamma rays are doing to McCain’s gray matter what they did to Homer Simpson’s. [...] [...] Greg Palast » The McCain Plan: Homer Simpson without the Donut I’m guessing it was excessive exposure to either radiation or George Bush, but Senator John McCain’s comments from inside a nuclear power plant in Michigan are so cracked-brained that I fear some loose gamma rays are doing to McCain’s gray matter what they did to Homer Simpson’s. [...]

]]> By: Blueneck http://www.gregpalast.com/the-mccain-plan-homer-simpson-without-the-donut/comment-page-1/#comment-10974 Blueneck Fri, 08 Aug 2008 16:00:35 +0000 http://www.gregpalast.com/?p=2059#comment-10974 There are a whole lot cheaper and safer ways to boil water... D'Oh! There are a whole lot cheaper and safer ways to boil water... D'Oh!

]]> By: Rnactivist http://www.gregpalast.com/the-mccain-plan-homer-simpson-without-the-donut/comment-page-1/#comment-10946 Rnactivist Fri, 08 Aug 2008 12:28:02 +0000 http://www.gregpalast.com/?p=2059#comment-10946 We know how much mccain is getting from the oil companies...how much is he getting from nuclear?? www.mccainslobbyists.com We know how much mccain is getting from the oil companies...how much is he getting from nuclear??
http://www.mccainslobbyists.com

]]>