Look to the Sun
I hope you all read Willy Davis’ cover story on coal, “Reclaiming Kentucky,” in the July 31 LEO Weekly. It was an excellent résumé of the situation, especially with respect to reclamation funds. These funds might be easier to get if they were sought for the purpose of building and operating solar energy farms. Even if reclamation funding still was not forthcoming, the return on a solar energy farm would far outweigh that from the various proposals presented so far. This would result in a workforce trained in new technology fulfilling the same role they and the region have historically occupied, but with much better outcomes. This could accompany new solar panel plants and research facilities in the region. This will work because solar is the only energy source that does not add to the heat burden in the biosphere, and it is economically competitive. This has already been realized by several western states and large companies developing such farms there.
Martin Williams, Prospect, Ky.
Shanklin Debacle
I am a disgruntled constituent of the 1st District of Louisville. I am a senior citizen who votes in every election and, until this Barbara Shanklin debacle, was a registered Democrat. I can’t register as a Republican out of deference to my immortal soul, so I guess I’ll have to register as an Independent.
I watched every moment of the Metro Council trial on television, as I also had done with the Judy Green trial. Going into this latest trial, I considered the issues to be motivated neither by partisanship nor race.
I was appalled when I found out that my representative and the other African-American council members failed to appreciate the racial implications by not removing Shanklin from the Council after she had been found guilty. What person with an ounce of common sense accepts the argument that Shanklin did not mean to break the law as a valid reason not to remove her? Do we allow any other law-breakers off the hook for that reason? Should we be sending that message to our children?
I hold every member of the Metro Council accountable for this travesty and pledge to participate in any efforts to defeat all incumbent members in the next primary and general election cycle. Shame on them all.
Titus St. John, South End
Triangle Freedom
Some folks were surprised by the Metro Council’s recent decision to override the Planning Commission’s rejection of an application for building another skyscraper in the Cherokee Triangle. Why would the council nullify the Metro Cornerstone 2020 Plan, they want to know?
The answer to that question might be pretty simple, even if it is not satisfying to those of us who believe in neighborhood plans. It appears that the majority of the council members were applying the orthodox reasoning of the so-called classical economics. One of its basic principles goes like this: Our freedom to own and use property leads to free societies that respect their citizen’s property rights. This mutual respect eventually develops into civil rights. So, it’s believed by some that property rights are the foundation of our society. In the Cherokee Triangle case, it’s the property rights of the developers that matter so much to Metro Council.
We see this thinking all around us nowadays — from new shopping centers in your backyard to Supreme Court decisions that bolster the property rights of corporations by 5-to-4 decisions. People are “economic actors,” according to these theories. What is an economy for, you might be wondering?
Tom Louderback, Highlands
Indiana’s Whisper
These past three years, I’ve seen a lot of music shows at the KFC Yum! Center, Freedom Hall and Broadbent Arena. Only Sugarland has mentioned Indiana onstage because of their benefit concert for Henryville High (hit by a tornado). Could someone inform the singers that Indiana is just across the river and thousands of seats are filled by Hoosiers? If performers can send a shout-out to Kentucky, could they at least whisper about Indiana?
P.S. I’m serious — can someone please tell them about Indiana? We don’t have to keep buying tickets.
Greta Imwiehe, Floyds Knobs, Ind.
