BUSINESS: WAR IS PEACE; FREEDOM IS SLAVERY, ETC.
Written by Steve Sloane to
The New York Times, March 16, 2007.

To the Editor:
Thomas Friedman’s column “Marching With a Mouse” in today’s New York Times is helping to put a rosy shine on bad environmental news. He spins the plans to build 3 more “...coal-powered, CO2 belching power plants...” into an environmental victory because an earlier plan called for 11! Environmentalists do not want to build 3 coal- burning power plants in Texas. Greedy, misanthropic, rich bastards without social consciences or any concern for the environment do.

In this column it is reported that environmentalists have become clients of a Boutique Wall Street firm and Friedman proclaims “...a new world...” for environmental activists. This suggests to me a “Brave New World” where “savage” activists are co-opted into pacified investors and demur from demonstrations. The Texan case in point yields much more pollution. Is this buying in, or selling out? These “environmentalists” have morphed into PR agencies for polluters.

Here's the kicker. With a $45 billion dollar purchase, $400 Million is committed to energy efficiency programs, less than 1%. That is less than similar surcharges that have been in place for years, without the help of “Boutique Wall Street firms”, in states like NY and CA. Whom are we kidding? This PR is cheaper than ADV.

3 more coal-burning power plants according to Mr. Friedman’s column is an environmental victory. This column is Orwellian in its “double speak.”

Mr. Friedman—Lay off the “soma” and get real!

—Steve Sloane
—Glen Cove, NY

EDITOR’S NOTE:
Steve Sloane is an energy analyst for the Long Island Progressive Coalition and for the Sustainable Energy Alliance. His opinions, however, are his own.