BernieHund: The Political Watchdog

For those of us who watched the Democratic debate in Nevada last week, we were left with the impression that none of the candidates were interested in Yucca Mountain being the depository for nuclear waste.  And, so far, it seems that the three of the four who were allowed to participate in the debate are continuing to state that Yucca Mountain isn’t the place to plant the waste.  But, of course, they are still in Nevada.  Perhaps, things will change next week or next month.

I believe John Edwards was the one candidate who was absolutely opposed to nuclear power due to high costs of building a nuclear facility, the eminent danger involved in the operation and the lack of a safe means of disposing of the waste.  Obama, from a state with several nuclear power plants, voiced his favor for nuclear power plants.  I do believe he conditioned it on them being safe… like they come with a guarantee.  Clinton is in favor of expanding the nuclear power program.

I don’t know that any of those nuclear power plants actually work.  I know a few months ago President Bush visited a plant in Alabama that has been standing like a lone smoke stack beside the river for as long as I can remember and as yet hasn’t produced the first inkling of energy.  There seems to be something going on around the plants in NC, TN, and AL all the time, but I’m not really sure it’s generating energy.  From what I have been able to discern there is always a crack that has to be fixed or a pipe that doesn’t fit exactly as it should and the nuclear regulatory commission (I suppose that’s what it’s called) is always making inspections.  

Well, the truth is we have been building these nuclear plants in the south for about as long as I can remember.  The cost is higher than the radiation levels inside the chambers.  The output is less energy than a good sneeze.  And, the potential danger is… well, remember Chernobyl?  If you don’t, please check it out.  That catastrophe occurred years and years ago and the people, animals and land are still reeling from the effects.

So, that brings us to why these two “let’s go green” candidates are pushing nuclear energy.  There is nothing green about nuclear, except maybe the afterglow. 

It has been reported that since 2004, executives and employees of Exelon Corp., the Chicago-based energy giant and nuclear plant operator, have contributed more than $200,000 to Obama campaigns. 

According to the AP:

Clinton has accepted thousands of dollars in contributions from the nuclear industry, including nearly $80,000 in this election from employees and a political action committee of NRG Energy, Inc. That company is the first to file an application for a new nuclear power plant in the U.S. since before the Three Mile Island accident.

In all fairness, John Edwards did vote twice for the Yucca Mountain project, and finally against it when he learned the correct science concerning the waste disposal and learned of forged documents that misled the people.

We have tons of waste waiting for a place to go.  If not Yucca Mountain, where?