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UT, Reagan dismantled the better part of the government research programs into alternative fuels back in 1980. I watched the whole oil shale thing out on the West slope of Colorado go from boom to bust, literally over-night. There are parts of the Uncomphaghre Plateau where you can take a cigarette lighter and literally set fire to the dirt, the oil shale content is so high. But the US would rather spend $200 billion dollars and countless lives in a foreign war than spend the money to come up with the technology to make shale oil a viable resource. The same for every other form of alternative energy.
I have spent time in Europe and been extremely impressed with their modern, efficient forms of public transportation and their use of energy sources like hydro-electric and, yes, nuclear. In Europe I know that extremely rigorous training for nuclear power plant operators is required. In the US, Homer Simpson runs them.
I can't afford to own a dog. I barely can cover the expenses for my cat. Besides, I'm not afraid. I'm older than most on this board, and I have no children. I figure the US will probably hold on for the rest of my lifetime. What happens after I'm dead is a matter of indifference to me, other than the fact that I wish my country and future generations well.
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