Apr 13, 2020 2 min read

Set aside stale notions, embrace new ideas

Regarding Dave Ball’s April 5 column, there are three main problems with Ball’s position. First, it lacks imagination and vision that we need to advance our country and the world to the next era of sustainability. We can and should massively invest in and tool up new technologies that will lead to plenty of good-paying jobs. Other countries are doing it. We simply cannot afford to put our collective heads in the sand. We are living the fallacy in that approach right now as we cloister in our caves.

Secondly, he leaves out large parts of the equation. Let’s be honest, extraction industries have been massively subsidized from the beginning in several ways including direct subsidy, advantageous taxing regimes, public-funded infrastructure, and unpaid external health and pollution costs borne by workers and the public. Also, to present the choices as mutually exclusive, either-or, or zero sum is just false and misleading. We can walk and chew gum at the same time.

Thirdly, it just so much relies on evoking fear, fear of harm, fear of change, fear of the other. Haven’t we had enough of this fear mongering? It is short sighted to say the least. Odd that Ball takes at face value the exaggerations of some politicians but minimizes those of the current president. Of course, we need to recognize our continued need for gas and coal. But we also must recognize that change is coming. We must all work together to figure out ways to safely transition our jobs and communities. For that to happen maybe we need to put aside stale notions and embrace new ideas. Yes, support current industries but start retooling for the future. The gas industry touts itself as a key to the transition.

Richard Rinehart

Washington