We're All Doomed

I’ve spent a lot of time out of town lately, in fact, this week I’m hanging out in beautiful, Liberal Kansas. I hate being gone but it gives me a chance to read newspapers from other parts of the state. I’m a big letters to the editor fan and I’ve got to tell you Governor, a lot of people in southwestern Kansas are mad as hell. But then I spent last week in Garnett. Looks like they feel the same way in southeast Kansas too Governor. And according to the letter in last week’s Metro from Senate President, Steve Morris and Speaker of the House, Melvin Neufeld it looks like you ticked them off too. Good luck getting anything done for the rest of your term. I’d be willing to bet that a lot of that Republican cooperation you’ve always enjoyed is going to be a little harder to come by from here on out.
I understand that the whole Holcomb power plant thing was politically motivated. That much I get. But what’s your problem with the Kansas wine industry? Your people say you were trying to be funny. I’ve got to tell you Governor, you’re not a funny person. I’ve done my best to defend you though. I’ve tried explaining that it was because of the Hollywood writers strike. Sorry, most people I’ve talked to aren’t buying it.
I don’t want to mislead you, there are plenty of letters from true, dedicated, followers of the global warming movement. In one letter, a woman talked about a family picnic. She said that while the others were off having fun being together, all she could feel was sadness because of all those Styrofoam cups and plastic plates and what they were doing to mother earth. In another one, a man said the debate was over. His kids were doomed. He pointed to the melting glaciers and drowning polar bears as his proof. The man was terrified. Most all of them follow the same theme, we’re all going to die. And it’s all America’s fault.
I‘ve got to be honest here, you had me once. Remember back in the seventies, when hair spray was destroying the ozone layer? Then you gave us the really bad news. It seemed the earth was cooling and we were headed toward another ice age. The polar ice cap was expanding at an alarming rate, all the crops were going to die, and there was going to be mass starvation. Remember that? Yep, the debate was over. We were all doomed.
Guess what? You were wrong. None of the dire predictions you made came true, did they? In fact you’ve been wrong about almost every weather related prediction you’ve ever made. Just look at this year’s hurricane season. It was supposed to be the worst one ever. Didn’t happen, did it? Kind of makes you look a little foolish, doesn’t it?
The global cooling hysteria of the 70’s gave us environmental laws that have pretty much shut down domestic oil production. We haven’t built an oil refinery in what, 30 years? These laws are directly responsible for our current dependency on foreign oil and we’ve all seen how successful that’s been. You’ve just got to love $100 a barrel oil. Now you’ve turned your efforts towards making America dependent on our electricity needs. Why?
Governor, I hope your efforts pay off for you in the form of a cabinet position in Washington or whatever it is you’re looking for by shutting down the Holcomb plant. Because it looks like you’ve made so many enemies here in Kansas that even your tree hugging supporters in Douglas and Johnson County can’t help you this time. Good luck, you’re going to need it.
Kevin McGinty can be reached at: kevinmcginty@sbcglobal.net