Did McCain Wash His Investments Before Claiming To Be Green?

McCain Wants The White House At All Costs...Kind of Like Bush Did.

Was over on the Greenpeace site reading their press releases when I came across their initial review of the McCain/Lieberman Climate Stewardship and Innovation Act of 2007...just the title is humorous in a sad kind of a way, considering that John Mc Cain is very PRO NUCLEAR, but then no surprise from a man who has had a penchant for owning GE stock. This little tidbit of information coupled with is trip to London compliments of the Blackstone Group got me to wondering, so I did a bit more digging into John McCain, SUPER GREEN environmentalist who wants to be the next president of the United States (doubtful with his support of Bush's SURGE)

Seems that John McCain was VERY BUSY in March of 2005 making his personal investment portfolio (estimated to be between $25-38 MILLION) earth friendly and GREEN. You see, he divested himself of a serious CHUNK of GE stock...you know, the same GE that is wanting to race around the world building NUCLEAR REACTORS. He also divested himself of serious holdings in BP (Brittish Petroleum) Chevron, and of course the oil company we ALL LOVE TO HATE, Exxon! MY MY...quiet the investments for a man who now wants to present himself as MR LET's FIX GLOBAL WARMING.

Let's leave our readers with this thought...Mr. McCain has done a fine job of tying up most of the major supporters that made George Bush president...one of the KEY group of Bush Supporters interestingly enough was the NUCLEAR INDUSTRY.

GREENPEACE STATEMENT ON McCAIN-LIEBERMAN CLIMATE CHANGE LEGISLATION INTRODUCED TODAY
Responding to the introduction of The Climate Stewardship and Innovation Act of 2007, introduced by Senators McCain (R-AZ) and Lieberman (D-CT) today, Greenpeace issued the following statement from John Coequyt, Greenpeace energy policy analyst:
January 12, 2007
WASHINGTON — “While this shows that the center of gravity in Congress is shifting toward significant long-term reductions in global warming pollution, the target reductions fall very short of what scientists tell us is actually necessary to avoid catastrophic climate change. Regrettably, the Senators have also included subsidies for nuclear energy which is inherently dangerous and provides no real solution to global warming.

"Scientists warn that we must make significant reductions in global warming pollution within the next ten years to address the most severe climate impacts and the average build time of a nuclear power plant generally takes ten to twenty. Providing subsidies to the nuclear industry in the form of loan-guarantees that the Congressional Budget Office states have a greater than 50 percent chance of being defaulted on, is therefore not only ineffectual, but foolish and wasteful.
To read rest of story....

Rod Adams Whines Again...Tries to Defend Nuclear

Well, seems that our dear Mr. Rod Adams, nuclear industry shill is busting a gut at my response to him here on the blog yesterday...I awoke this morning to find yet another diatribe from him wherein he DEFENDS the record of nuclear industry after first qualifying that producing electric is a dangerous business. He very carefully crafted a set of RED HERRING arguments to prove perhaps to himself that nuclear is safe, or at least safer than other means of energy production such as coal and gas...NOT EXACTLY.

The nuclear industry (both civilian and military) since the beginning have hidden their own accidents, and their own death counts. It was standard operating procedure for both the DOD and DOE to doctor documents, and to spend millions, actually hundreds of millions for attorneys to defend them against any employee that tried to make a claim that blamed their illness on their exposures to radioactive materials in the work place. They justified this practice under the guise that nuclear was necessary for National Defense...in short, humans were simply put, expendable.

We for instance will NEVER know the true deaths caused by, associated with the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant, as many of those that were deserving of our nations compassion and financial help never received it. Even now, many former employees of that facility are in a race against their own deaths to get the benefits they are deserving of. That does not count off site deaths that some attribute to the greatly increased CANCER risks associated with living next to a nuclear facility that teams of hired guns try to mitigate...IE, look up what the NRC has to say about strontium-90, a known by product of nuclear reactors...they admit a cancer leak, but associate any elevated risks not to reactors, but instead blame it on old nuclear bomb testing, and Chernobyl.

The Portsmouth plant running at full tilt required NINE electric companies to supply them their electricity...the facility used enough coal generated electricity in just one day to power Los Angeles County for a full year. Even now, the Piketon Plant in Kentucky used one half of one percent of the total electricity generated in America to produce enriched uranium.

The industry further insulates itself from it's own horrid record by having almost all of it's research and develop paid for and completed by the federal government, or universities associated with them. Those are not OUR DEATHS, that work was done by DOE, or MIT, or Lawrence Livermore. They hide their statistics in other ways...if someone who used to work at a nuclear plant has a very rare form of cancer known to be associated with working around all things nuclear conveniently dies of a secondary health issues because of their weakened condition (say a heart attack), the industry celebrates, as that is one less death in their column.

Even now, if people bother doing their research, it is obvious how the nuclear industry and DOE intend to deal with most of the waste streams from nuclear power. They will wave a magic wand, claim a new found technology makes these waste streams future potential use resources, and through reclassification....BINGO, waste problem is gone for away, and the spent fuel rods will sit where they lay until we have a major accident. In short, our government, and those in the industry WANT NUCLEAR AT ALL COSTS, and the humans and communities forced to host these facilities are expendable if God Forbid we see a serious incident at a nuclear facility.

ROD ADAMS COMMENT:

Rod Adams has left a new comment on your post "Rod Adams, Nuclear Entrepreneur Contests Green Nuc...":

Porgie Tirebiter, Royce Penstinger and Pinto Bean: Your edits of my comment left out some important information. 1. Name of Business deleted, Inc. was founded in September 1993. We have been at this for quite some time and did not just recently jump into a business because we thought it was a good way to make a quick buck. 2. While there have certainly been a few incidents in nuclear heated steam plants, there have been a much larger number in coal, oil and gas fired steam plants. I recognize that steam is deadly, but also recognize that producing electricity is never without risk. Nukes simply have a better overall safety record and that is partially because the penalty for maintenance failures is so high.

See, for example: http://www.steamcycle.com/safety_issues_pdf.htm
Just in case you do not follow links - the document provides some rather depressing statistics - "Over a ten- year period (1992 – 2001), there was a combined total of 23,338 accidents, including 127 fatalities and 720 injuries, reported for all power boilers, water and steam heating boilers, and unfired pressure vessels."

The four workers in Japan that you mentioned are much more famous on the web than any of the 127 fatalities mentioned above - it takes some dedicated searching to find any news stories at all about fossil fuel related steam plant deaths. Perhaps that is because they are too common to be considered "news" or perhaps that is because there are plenty of economic reasons for fighting nuclear power developments. BTW - I have learned my lesson about how you treat comments, so I will make a copy of this comment for future reference so that I know exactly which of my words you decide to edit.

Democrats, John Hall Pass 9/11 Commission Legislation...Sort Of

Let's Have Some TRUTHINESS On This One John...How Come No Committees Were Done Away With?

I suppose that Nancy Pelosi thinks voters have a short memory, or perhaps that we can be very easily fooled with a slight of hand trick? Tom Staudter has released a lengthy press release on John Hall's voting for for 9/11 Recommendations Bill to Make America Safer. Now, there are some potentially good things in the bill which I read earlier this evening, but there are some things MISSING, including the single BIGGEST recommendation of the 9/11 Commission. Let's not play games here.

Congress should create a single, principal point of oversight and review for homeland security. Congressional leaders are best able to judge what committee should have jurisdiction over this department and its duties. But we believe that Congress does have the obligation to choose one in the House and one in the Senate, and that this committee should be a permanent standing committee with a nonpartisan staff.

Document Page Number: 421, PDF Page Number: 439, View in context: page, section, chapter

Keeping only HALF A PROMISE is not keeping a promise...especially when the Democrats don't want to pass this specific 9/11 Recommendation for one VERY SELFISH REASON, the nine committees that would be eliminated, that would be obsolete.

U. S. Representative John Hall
Democrat – New York 19th CD

For Immediate Release
January 9, 2007

Hall Votes for 9/11 Recommendations Bill to Make America Safer
Lauds the Correction of Homeland Security Funding for NY

Washington, D.C. – U. S. Representative John Hall, acting on a pledge to make our nation safer from terrorism, voted today for legislation that will implement the unfulfilled recommendations of the bipartisan 9/11 Commission. The new bill, H.R. 1, marks a serious and resolute commitment toward improving homeland security, preventing terrorists from acquiring Weapons of Mass Demolition and developing strategies for preventing the spread of terrorism.

The House passed the bill this evening by a vote of 299 to 128. It is one of the first pieces of legislation brought to the House floor by the new Democratic leadership.

“I’m proud to stand here in Congress with colleagues who know the threat of terrorism remains real in our country, and that the time for long overdue action protecting the safety of American families has finally arrived,” said Hall. (12-20 MILLION illegal aliens here in American is not a threat to American Families? Abandoning the fence, and not securing our Southern Border...uhhh...isn't that a serious security problem?)

Noting that the bipartisan 9/11 Commissioners assailed Congress and the Administration last year for practically ignoring the Commission’s recommendations, Hall said, “This critical bill puts forth specific steps that address the shortfalls the 9/11 Commissioners highlighted.” (Not exactly)

The bill is comprised of a number of vital provisions that will substantially improve homeland security, most notably improved explosives detection at the nation’s airports, required phasing-in of 100% inspection of carry-on cargo on passenger aircraft and 100% scanning of U.S.-bound shipping containers, plus providing first responders with equipment that allows them to communicate with one another in emergencies.

Also included in the bill are steps that will help prevent terrorists from acquiring WMD and will also bolster international efforts to stem nuclear weapons proliferation. (So curious here...how does this goal jive with the DOE/NRC plan for wanting to build all those new reactors, which will actually HELP to perpetuate NUCLEAR PROLIFERATION? ) Reducing the appeal of extremism through the promotion of economic opportunities, education reform, human rights and democratic processes in the countries of the Middle East, along with as education opportunities for youths in Arab and predominantly Muslim countries is included in the new legislation as well.

“The bill put forward in Congress today is a broad, comprehensive package that finally takes action and meaningfully advances the entire spectrum of the 9/11Commission recommenda-tions,” Hall remarked. “Prominent among these is the recommendation to allocate most of our resources to where the threats are greatest. My state of New York has already experienced the brutal realities of terrorist attacks and remains a top target nationwide. In my district alone there is the Indian Point nuclear power plant, which is 35 miles away from New York City, as well as military facilities including West Point, and major highways and rail lines. The federal government needs to provide the bulk of anti-terror resources to protect targets like these in the New York City area and Hudson Valley. Today's legislation will allow it to do just that.”

Continued Hall: “Not only will this bill correct the flawed homeland security funding formula, it will finally take steps to plug the gaping holes in our air security, secure our ports from the nightmare of nuclear terrorism (Indian Point-Large aircraft, attack on spent fuel rod storage facilities.), and push this Administration to undertake an aggressive foreign policy that will attack the fundamental drivers of terrorism around the world.”

“Today is the first step toward real homeland security, but ensuring the security of the American people will require a sustained effort, aggressive oversight, and a commitment to a tough, smart, strategic approach,” said Hall. “We remain committed to pursuing this effort.” Is a part of this effort going to include SHUTTING DOWN INDIAN POINT?

Don't TAKE OUR WORD FOR IT...READ THE UGLY TRUTH

DEATH TRAPS

A major portion of my life has been spent in Ohio, it is why I have such an intimate knowledge of some of the history that is the Nuclear Industry...as much as the NEI, and the nuclear industry itself would like you to believe otherwise, Commercial Nuclear, and WAR NUCLEAR are one and the same beast. The history of nuclear is an ugly one, but please do not take the Green Nuclear Butterfly's word for this, read the story for yourselves, EDUCATE YOURSELVES, then plug into our movement. As a child, I used to deliver news papers for the Dayton Daily News, so it gives me some pleasure to share with you a history of the horror that is the Gaseous Diffusion Plants that was written by them. Visit the links below, read the story, hear the words of those who carry the sickness that is the clean, safe, green, vital Nuclear Energy...trust me, you will be horrified when the truth is set before your eyes.

Video of Survivor
Three must read articles

Speak With The Dayton Daily News:

Lynn Hulsey
Reporter
Dayton Daily News
(937) 225-7455

The NRC, DOE, Nuclear Industry Shell Game

Who Needs War To Kill People, We HAVE NUCLEAR REACTORS

Let's be clear here, the NRC is not worried about human health and the environment, but cares only about protecting it's licensees and BIG BUSINESS. The entire round of supposed relicensing applications has already been decided...we are stuck with aging, decaying and delapidated reactors no matter what the risk to our health, to our environment, to our streams and rivers...we are expendable, and our government is playing a game of smoke and mirrors, lies presented as truth, facts twisted to suit their vile agenda.

First, if you trot over to sites like Entergy's bull dog lobbyist group the NEI, you can find positive spin on how the disposal of nuclear waste is being dealt with, they will tell you that the USA, Finland and Sweden all have well developed plans to build storage facilities in the next ten years...odd, same promise they made ten years ago, and ten years before that as well. Reality is, that all three of these proposed long term storage facilities are facing stiff if not over whelming opposition from environmental groups. US Senator Harry Reid has gone so far as to say that Yucca Valley is dead, that it will not be the site of a long term storage facility for high level waste.

If you listen to the undustry propaganda, Nuclear is clean, green and vital, yet a cursory glance at any facet of the military/commercial sites forced to play hosts to these monstrosities tells a different story, and shows not only the real risks to human health and the environment, but also the hidden financial costs of this dirty form of non-renewable energy that folks like the NEI and Entergy do not want you to know about, such as the Hanford Site that is not even close to being cleaned up and safe, despite $5.4 BILLION dollars so far in clean up costs, which pales when compared to the estimated clean up costs at the Portsmouth Ohio and Piketon, Kentucky Gaseous Diffusion plants that have now been closed because of the dangers they posed, and continue to pose.

Congress should halt ALL RELICENSING while the NRC, NEI, CASEnergy and the entire nuclear industry are investigated by and independent commission...a two-four year delay in the process is nothing compared to SAVING LIVES, and EXPOSING THE LIES.

Unfund Nuclear Energy...Switch Funding to Alternatives

Just found this, and thought it worthy of mention...

Dear Friend:

In just five days—including Christmas Day!—more than 100 organizations signed the letter urging the new Congress to shift energy funding from nuclear power and fossil fuels to renewable energy and efficiency programs.

This is really a historic coalition, composed of most of the major renewable energy trade associations, safe energy groups, businesses and more. We intend to build on this first effort throughout 2007. With your help, we can make this needed shift in energy priorities a reality.

Many thanks for your sign-ons, comments and help. The press release is below—please share with your local media. The full text of the letter, along with signers, is at http://www.nirs.org/nukerelapse/congactions/energyshiftreleaseletter122706.pdf

Sign Our Petition To Close Entergy's Indian Point

We here at the Green Nuclear Butterfly just started a Petition to give to Congressman John Hall and Congressman Maurice Hinchey aimed at securing their pledge and help in closing down the failing reactors at Indian Point. Our goal in this is simple...collect supporting signatures of 50,000 people who support the CLOSING OF INDIAN POINT. Watch our video, then scroll down to the bottom of this blog to sign our petition. We thank you in advance for your help in this important matter to the at risk citizens of the Hudson Valley, and New York City.