Owens’ role on Western environmental issues
Re: “Where’s Owens on smog issue?” Sept. 10 editorial.
The Post’s editorial mischaracterizes greatly the role of Colorado’s governor in two important initiatives of the Western Governors’ Association: increasing clean and diversified energy resources and improving the region’s air quality.
While the editorial notes that there are four governors heading up the WGA’s Clean and Diversified Energy Initiative, you incorrectly suggest that Colorado Gov. Bill Owens is “nowhere to be seen.” Many governors, in addition to the lead governors, are playing very active roles in the process. In fact, the initiative was launched when Owens chaired the WGA last year. He also has appointed representatives to sit on the initiative’s advisory committee, as well as several task forces. Colorado staff and agency personnel also are participating, at Owens’ direction, in the time-consuming process of researching and developing recommendations for all the governors to consider next June.
Regarding the issue of how the region should address global warming, Colorado was one of 10 states within the Western Regional Air Partnership (WRAP) to attend a recent information-sharing meeting. Five states with formal processes underway for addressing global warming were featured on the agenda. Colorado participated in the general discussion following the presentations and was represented by two senior environmental/air quality officials. Like other WRAP board members participating, Colorado expressed support for the discussions and a desire to hold additional meetings on the subject.
Contrary to the editorial’s conclusion, Owens and his able staff are being seen and heard on these very important issues and pitching in to find solutions.
Pam O. Inmann, Executive Director, Western Governors’ Association, Denver
President’s speech from New Orleans
Re: “Historic push to rebuild; Bush unveils massive federal effort to restore Gulf Coast region,” Sept. 16 news story.
Once again, President Bush and his political handlers are trying desperately to paper over the hole torn in their carefully constructed facade of caring. Fewer and fewer people are now fooled, however, by his attempt to connect with the common folks he has never known nor cared to know. Bush is far from stupid; he simply does not care.
Reading over his speech, I am once again struck by the fact that what he is attempting to do here, as he did in Iraq, is a combination of three things: Gain political advantage by seeming to care for people in trouble, reward his friends with bloated, no-bid contracts, and charge the whole thing to the credit cards of our children and grandchildren. As his rich friends and contributors withdraw huge sums of hard cash from the U.S. Treasury today, he charges the cleanup cost of both Iraq and Katrina to the next generations. The only difference is that invading Iraq was hand- crafted and stage-managed by the White House.
Impeachment is too mild a response. The American electorate needs to finally wake up to the fact that it has been fooled again and again and send the whole gang of swindlers packing, and this includes a large number of legislators, as well. Go for it! We owe it to our kids.
Chris George, Denver
Everyone’s a critic
Critics seem to be plentiful; isn’t it a shame that all these critics are not politicians, so that when something earthshaking happens, they would be right there, with all their expertise, ready to solve any problem?
Being president of this great land of ours is not an easy task. I often wonder why anyone would even want the job, for it seems that no matter what you do, someone will find fault with it. What we need most are encouragers; they seem to be in very short supply.
What we all need to do is to open our hearts and shut our mouths. Unless we all pull together, we will fall apart. That’s not how America survives. We need to stick together no matter what our political views, stand with whoever is in charge. It is easy to be an armchair quarterback, yet were we in charge, what makes us so sure we would have made exactly the right choices?
So before we criticize, let us all try to think of something we can be thankful for and dwell on that instead. God will be pleased, and we will be glad we didn’t let our mouths get ahead of our hearts. After all, give me one example where criticism has encouraged anyone to go out and try to do “it” better.
Sarah E. Ward, Littleton
TO REACH US
Phone: 303-820-1331
Fax: 303-820-1502
E-mail: openforum@denverpost.com (only straight text, not attachments)
Mail: The Open Forum, The Denver Post, 1560 Broadway, Denver, 80202
Letters guidelines: The Post welcomes letters up to 200 words on topics of general interest. Letters must include full name, home address and day and evening phone numbers. Letters may be edited for length, grammar and accuracy.
