2016 Postmortem
Related: About this forumDumping Toxic Waste on the Powerless: Bernie’s Unsettling Journey from Sierra Blanca to Flint
In the "spirit" of General Discussion: PrimariesSource: Blue Nation Review by Peter Daou
In theory, at least.
In practice, the central theme of the 2016 election and the central attack frame pushed by Bernie against Hillary is that Hillarys mistakes are somehow emblematic of deep corruption and dishonesty, while everyone elses mistakes are merely forgivable lapses.
Take Sierra Blanca, for example. Bernies actions there so starkly undercut his campaign message that its a wonder it hasnt been more widely reported than Hillarys emails.
In the case of Sierra Blanca, they dont.
Read it all at: http://bluenationreview.com/toxic-waste-dump-bernie-from-sierra-blanca-to-flint/
ghostsinthemachine
(3,569 posts)Nobody for President!
http://www.nobodyforpresident.org
yallerdawg
(16,104 posts)They are all the same, right?
angstlessk
(11,862 posts)Mr. SANDERS. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding me the time.
Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of H.R. 629. Mr. Chairman, the Low-Level Radioactive Waste Policy Act and its 1985 amendments make commercial low-level radioactive waste disposal a State and not a Federal responsibility.
As we have heard, all that Texas and Maine and Vermont are asking for today is to be treated as 9 other compacts were treated affecting 41 States. This is not new business. We have done it 9 times, 41 States, and Texas, Maine, and Vermont ask us to do it today.
Mr. Chairman, let me touch for a moment upon the environmental aspects of this issue. Let me address it from the perspective of someone who is an opponent of nuclear power, who opposes the construction of power plants and, if he had his way, would shut down the existing nuclear power plants as quickly and as safely as we could.
One of the reasons that many of us oppose nuclear power plants is that when this technology was developed, there was not a lot of thought given as to how we dispose of the nuclear waste. Neither the industry nor the Government, in my view, did the right thing by allowing the construction of the plants and not figuring out how we get rid of the waste.
But the issue we are debating here today is not that issue. The reality, as others have already pointed out, is that the waste is here. We cannot wish it away. It exists in power plants in Maine and Vermont, it exists in hospitals, it is here.
The gentleman from Texas [Mr. Reyes] a few moments ago said, `Who wants radioactive waste in their district?' I guess he is right. But do Members know what, by going forward with the nuclear power industry, that is what we have. So the real environmental issue here is not to wish it away, but to make the judgment, the important environmental judgment, as to what is the safest way of disposing of the nuclear waste that has been created. That is the environmental challenge that we face.
The strong environmental position should not be and cannot be to do nothing, and to put our heads in the sand and pretend that the problem does not exist. It would be nice if Texas had no low-level radioactive waste, or Vermont or Maine or any other State. That would be great. That is not the reality. The environmental challenge now is, given the reality that low-level radioactive waste exists, what is the safest way of disposing of that waste.
Leaving the radioactive waste at the site where it was produced, despite the fact that that site may be extremely unsafe in terms of long-term isolation of the waste and was never intended to be a long-term depository of low-level waste, is horrendous environmental policy. What sense is it to say that you have to keep the waste where it is now, even though that might be very environmentally damaging? That does not make any sense at all.
No reputable scientist or environmentalist believes that the geology of Vermont or Maine would be a good place for this waste. In the humid climate of Vermont and Maine, it is more likely that groundwater will come in contact with that waste and carry off radioactive elements to the accessible environment.
There is widespread scientific evidence to suggest, on the other hand, that locations in Texas, some of which receive less than 12 inches of rainfall a year, a region where the groundwater table is more than 700 feet below the surface, is a far better location for this waste.
This is not a political assertion, it is a geological and environmental reality. Furthermore, even if this compact is not approved, it is likely that Texas, which has a great deal of low-level radioactive waste, and we should make the point that 80 percent of the waste is coming from Texas, 10 percent from Vermont, 10 percent from Maine, the reality is that Texas will go forward with or without this compact in building a facility to dispose of their low-level radioactive waste.
If they do not have the compact, which gives them the legal right to deny low-level radioactive waste from coming from anyplace else in the country, it seems to me they will be in worse environmental shape than they are right now. Right now, with the compact, they can deal with the constitutional issue of limiting the kinds of waste they get.
From an environmental point of view, I urge strong support for this legislation.
yallerdawg
(16,104 posts)A factoid one should note here was that at this time, the governor for whom the TLLRWDA was working was none other than George W. Bush. Oh, and Jane Sanders, Bernie's wife, sits on the Board of this wonderful Texas authority.
http://www.thepeoplesview.net/about/
http://www.tllrwdcc.org/about-the-comission/
angstlessk
(11,862 posts)In August 1991 the authority chose a 16,000 acre site near the town of Sierra Blanca in Hudspeth County, eighty miles east of El Paso.
(skip)
The legislature approved the compact in May 1993 and established a six-member Texas Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Compact Commission to administer the agreement;
Jane O'Meara Sanders
Commissioner
Texas Low-Level Radioactive Waste Commission - Vermont Compact
2012 Present (4 years)
yallerdawg
(16,104 posts)First, we start with speculation and innuendo.
Then, the counterpoint is rationally and justifiably defended over and over.
And then we can go back and forth endlessly and pointlessly!
Welcome to the "World of Hillary Clinton."
But you know what's different?
I don't for one second believe Bernie Sanders is an evil, corrupt human being. I just don't agree with everything he has done or every vote he has taken.
angstlessk
(11,862 posts)I Bernie, but if push comes to shove I will pull the lever for Hillary
Hortensis
(58,785 posts)As for poor little Sierra Blanca, what happened there would become a giant national scandal only if by some miracle Bernie is our nominee. Or if the GOP tries to hang it on the Democratic Party because that's how he's running.
Wastegate? Nope, that could be confusing. The people of Texas also contracted with the people of NY to dump their toxic sewer sludge there. If anyone started caring.
Btw, A shout-out for the people of Sierra Blanca for trying to fight the callous behemoths from afar and the betrayers in their own state capital.
Also btw, anyone want to guess how many Hispanic voters haven't known about this for a long time? Univision has more viewers than all other networks. If people like me knew about it, they certainly did.
angstlessk
(11,862 posts)and I sat up straight and NEVER forgot how moved I was, and proceeded to read everything I could find and watch him whenever I could.
I was so pissed when his plane crashed and watched his memorial, which the republicans tried to turn into a political football
Hortensis
(58,785 posts)extremely disgusted with the Republican leadership. I knew that they'd already driven most of the decent, moral Republican office-holders out, of course, but that they could get away with behavior this blatantly indecent among their voters, that people we knew would claim it was a good and moral counter to shameless liberal behavior, was yet another wake-up call to me.
angstlessk
(11,862 posts)Peter Daou is a former adviser to Hillary Clinton and John Kerry and a veteran of two presidential campaigns. He is the CEO of True Blue Media, which owns and operates Blue Nation Review.
Amazing how far back Bernie's opponents have to reach to dis Bernie, when all of Hillary's indiscretions are current, from the vote for the Iraq war to her speeches to (and possibly for) Goldman Sachs.
yallerdawg
(16,104 posts)She doesn't.
angstlessk
(11,862 posts)This is all over the internets...just google it...
Here I'll save time for you
https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=bernie+sanders+texas++low+level+radioactive+waste
yallerdawg
(16,104 posts)Who, by the way, started off blogging at "Democratic Underground."
angstlessk
(11,862 posts)Peter Daou is a former adviser to Hillary Clinton and John Kerry and a veteran of two presidential campaigns. He is the CEO of True Blue Media, which owns and operates Blue Nation Review.
plus
By stating he began his blogging at DU, proves his bona fides?
As if there are NO Bernie detractors on DU?
Aha
(53 posts)hobbit709
(41,694 posts)yallerdawg
(16,104 posts)Somehow, this applies - because his wife is running for office?
hobbit709
(41,694 posts)angstlessk
(11,862 posts)You can see how some president's wives become embroiled in the policies of their husbands..and Hillary has been as ambitious (maybe more so) than Bill.
yallerdawg
(16,104 posts)keep digging here.
When you continue to prove the point there's nothing much more to be said.
And you know, "House of Cards" is a fictional TV show? Based on a British series? From decades ago?
angstlessk
(11,862 posts)I was saying, like the wife in the show, Hillary has had her own political desires...If say, Harry Reid was the 'other' candidate I would be behind Hillary 100%
Aha
(53 posts)Not surprising. Illegal too.
nadinbrzezinski
(154,021 posts)ad the media outlet is a brock production.
Peters journey has taken him from Beirut to the Beltway from a war zone to an advisory role in the war rooms of two U.S. presidential campaigns. He has advised major political figures, including Hillary Clinton, Arlen Specter and John Kerry, and was described by the New York Times as one of the most prominent political bloggers in the nation. A consultant to the Clinton Global Initiative since its inception, he has organized media roundtables for President Bill Clinton and has crafted digital strategies for the UN Foundation, Department of Energy, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Intel, AARP, and Action Against Hunger, among others.
Peter grew up in Lebanon and lived through a decade of sectarian strife, undergoing three years of compulsory military service. He moved to New York City to attend NYU and has gone on to attain national recognition in three fields: as a blogger and activist, a political strategist, and, during the 90s, as a writer/producer. He is currently the CEO of True Blue Media and an adviser to organizations in Washington, DC and New York.
http://peterdaou.com/one-page/about/