Mitch McConnell (R-moran) Defends Nuclear Power Amid Japan Fears

[jpak]

http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2011/03/13/mcconnell-defends-nuclear-power-amid-japan-fears/?mod=google_news_blog

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell said Sunday that he doesn’t believe the U.S. should back away from nuclear energy in the wake of potential reactor meltdowns in Japan.

“This discussion reminds me, somewhat, of the conversations that were going on after the BP oil spill last year,” Mr. McConnell said during an interview on “Fox News Sunday.” “I don’t think right after a major environmental catastrophe is a very good time to be making American domestic policy.”

As congressional Republicans engage the White House on the issue of rising energy prices, the potential meltdown at a nuclear facility in Japan threatens to undermine a central element in the Republican push for expanded domestic energy production: new permits and financial incentives to spur the construction of new nuclear facilities in the U.S.

The potential for a nuclear disaster, triggered by last Friday’s record-setting earthquake, could undermine that argument in much the same way that last year’s oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico stymied calls to open more offshore sites to underwater oil and gas drilling. With average gas prices nearing $4-a-gallon, Republicans took shots at President Barack Obama this week for issuing too few drilling permits in the Gulf.

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yeah - we should make policy after the disasters - not before...

idiot

[dkf]

1. Good luck with that.

[Frustratedlady]

2. Well, his opinion clinched the one I held. No nuclear plants!

Anything that #$%^& agrees to encourages me to stand by my opinion, no matter the subject. I haven't agreed with anything he's said/done to this point. Why start now?

We've done enough harm to the world. In my opinion, the Repugs are responsible for the majority of harm. Quick and dirty is their method. To hell with the masses.

Isn't he about ready to retire?

[rfranklin]

3. This would be a good time to have a Congressional junket to Japan...

Mitch can personally inspect the Fukishima Da-ichi plant to show us how safe it is.

[NV Whino]

4. Darn you beat me to it.

[notesdev]

5. Fear based policy doesn't help anyone

We shouldn't be making our policy based on the effects of a freak event on 50-year-old, dawn-of-the-Nuclear-Age reactor designs.

"Don't build nuke plants where they can be damaged by earthquakes and tsunamis" = good takeaway

"Don't build nuke plants at all" = bad takeaway

All power generation has negative environmental effects, we should make a mature, calculated decision weighing the pros and cons, rather than making a panicked decision in the heat of the moment.

[jwirr]

6. He and his banksters did not think that when they rushed the bailouts for

the banks.

[hatrack]

7. IOW, "Making Policy In Light Of Unpleasant, Inescapable Reality = Bad Idea"

Whatever, Turtle-Man.