Local dams showed foresight; let’s pay it forward
Dams holding back more water: Thanks for the excellent article “Dams Holding Back More Water …” (published Sunday, March 21) that ran on the front page. The article made the important connection between climate change and the changes in precipitation that we are seeing in the Miami Valley. While we haven’t experienced wildfires, rising sea levels and other dramatic impacts of climate change locally, our weather patterns are changing and those changes are straining our infrastructure, like our system of flood-control dams. That is why it is important that Congress pass a carbon fee and dividend bill soon. By increasing the cost of carbon-emitting fuels with a gradually increasing fee and returning the revenue collected to American households, we can speed up the transition to clean energy. The fee and dividend strategy supported by Citizens’ Climate Lobby uses market forces and individual choice to encourage consumers and businesses to make the transition to a low-carbon economy. Communities in the Miami Valley are lucky that our predecessors had the foresight to build the amazing system of dams that have protected our communities for the last 100 years. We need to have the same foresight to take meaningful, equitable action to protect our descendants from the worst impacts of climate change.
BOB STEINBACH, BEAVERCREEK
Differing points of view: I found it ironic that on the very day Jerry Brunswick’s letter to the editor was printed where he wisely stated, and I quote, “Above all what we sorely need is contribution and thought that contains a grain of awareness that there might be another legitimate point of view; that people can legitimately differ and still want the best for our country,” “from the left” contributor Gail Collins, on the very same page, calls for an end to the filibuster and 60 votes needed to pass important legislation. I think Mrs./ Ms. Collins could learn a couple of things from Mr. Brunswick.
MICHAEL BALSOM, WASHINGTON TWP.
Focus on what’s important: The ultimate in cancel culture is Republicans trying to overturn the 2020 Presidential election by throwing out the vote of 81 million Americans. And, if that was not enough, canceling, like Senator Johnson (Wisc.) attempts to do, the importance of the invasion and occupation of the Capitol, which was an attempt to support the overthrow of the 2020 presidential election. Instead of focusing on these important events in American history, the right wants to deflect and move the conversation, for example, to what about Mr. Potato Head and Dr. Seuss, hoping to create and sell a false equivalency. No, do not look at Republicans, trying to cancel out 81 million votes in the 2020 presidential election, look at canceling out Mr. Potato Head. No, do not look at the invasion and occupation of the Capitol, look at canceling out six Dr. Seuss books. No, do not look at the killing of Mr. George Floyd, look at a white shooter having a bad day. No, do not look at the new voter suppression campaigns across America, impacting the voting rights of millions of Americans, look at the dead person voting in Pennsylvania. Oops, his son used the vote to vote for Trump.
GUNARS FRICSONS, DAYTON
Vaccine denial consequences: I have just read your article revealing that many Ohio congressmen and women are refusing to become vaccinated against COVID-19. Among explanations are that they don’t believe in vaccinations in general or that COVID-19 is a pandemic. This report supports the columnist who asks, “When Did Republicans Refuse to Believe Facts?” All this supports my worry that both public education and democracy are failing. Skepticism about vaccinations is frightening enough considering that refusal to vaccinate against a range of diseases threatens the health of entire populations in addition to one’s own children. But in fact, COVID-19 has killed millions of people worldwide, including hundreds of thousands of Americans. How can anyone go through our education system emerge so dangerously ignorant of facts?
PAUL R COOPER,
YELLOW SPRINGS