To solve climate change, make polluters pay
The Daily Camera recently published two articles on extreme weather — one a heat wave and the other on wildfires in New Mexico.
The first article talks about how people were struggling to keep cool during a heat wave in New England. The second article talks about how two wildfires in New Mexico were deadly and destructive.
As the climate warms, heat waves and wildfires are becoming more common and severe. In order to prevent this, we must address climate change.
One good proposal is the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act, a bill introduced in the 115th, 116th, 117th, and now 118th Congresses that would make polluters pay, driving down our carbon emissions and helping to solve climate change.
Thank you to Rep. Joe Neguse for cosponsoring the bill in the 116th and 117th, and now 118th Congresses. I urge him to cosponsor the bill again. Please urge your members of Congress to support the passage of the bill.
In order to prevent heat waves and wildfires from being so bad, we must reduce our emissions and get climate change under control.
Emerson Sturgis, Lyons
Congress must repeal Pentagon’s Unfunded Priorities List
I was thrilled to read Lindsay Koshgarian’s June 22 detailed opinion about Pentagon spending.
This year as a member of the FCNL Colorado Advocacy team I was shocked to learn about the Congressional requirement for military branches to submit an additional wish list of weapons and projects that were not included in their base budget request.
Yes, you heard that correctly, the Pentagon is the only federal agency that is mandated by Congress to have a second bite of the budget cake.
The Unfunded Priorities List (UPL) provides a back door mechanism to boost the already bloated military budget. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and the Department of Defense Comptroller have testified to Congress in support of repealing this requirement.
As Lindsay Koshgarian shared in her piece, there are so many other pressing areas of need in each of our lives and communities that could really use a fraction of those precious tax dollars. As a health care provider, I am witnessing many non-profit health care providers and facilities struggling post-COVID. Whenever I am in a coalition meeting, I hear that resources to support individuals remaining safe and housed being the number one request from agencies.
This is why I am asking Representative Joe Neguse to cosponsor the Streamline Pentagon Budgeting Act (HR 4740) to repeal the submission requirement for UPLs. In addition, I urge Senators Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper to cosponsor a parallel Senate bill when it’s introduced. I hope that you will reach out to their offices and urge them to do the same.
Teresa Robertson, Nederland
Businesses should put on July 4 show
I am so disappointed that once again Boulder has decided not to hold a Fourth of July fireworks celebration. It seems to me the City and Prairie Mountain Media could partner to hold this event. If not these two, how about a consortium of City businesses put the show on?
My family and I had attended these wonderful celebrations of our Country’s founding for 40 years and loved every minute!
Lew Frauenfelder, Superior
The hypocritical West is always so self-righteous
Julian Assange is “free” at last. Fantastic! SHAME, SHAME, SHAME on our USA, the UK, Sweden and the other sycophants that make up the Western “civilized nations.” It should be that not reporting war crimes, human rights abuses and so much more is in itself a serious crime. Incentivize honesty. The hypocritical West is always so self-righteous and anxious to criticize the people of their adversaries for not acting against the crimes of their governments but duplicitous when the tables are turned. Let us get things straight at home where we supposedly still have some control. Our invertebrate politicians must act now.
Filip Sokol, Boulder
