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Another Democrat for Nuclear Energy

By Eric McErlain
Iowa state representative Phil Wise thinks it's time for Democrats to embrace nuclear energy:
Core Democratic constituencies have stepped forward to champion nuclear energy as a cornerstone of economic growth. A number of major labor organizations, such as the Building Trades Department of the AFL-CIO, the Teamsters, the Operating Engineers, the IBEW, Sheetmetal Workers and hundreds of local labor chapters, have adopted policy positions supporting the expansion of nuclear energy. That includes some in our state, such as the Hawkeye Labor Council, the Southeast Iowa Building and Construction Trades and the Quad City Federation of Labor.

Even the environmental community is no longer monolithic in its opposition to nuclear energy. Key leaders within the environmental movement - such as Greenpeace co-founder Patrick Moore - publicly support the expansion of nuclear power.

[...]

For Democrats and nuclear energy, the landscape has changed rather significantly. This brings with it the possibility of a fresh, bipartisan consensus around nuclear power. Why? Because nuclear power works. It is safe. It is environmentally benign. And because the "times they have changed."
That's an interesting message for the national party to digest.
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Comments

Anonymous said…
While more voices is obviously good, these new groups essentially look like trade guilds representing the kinds of industries that would benefit from new nuclear build. I'm sure a new AP-1000 will require the odd bit of sheet metal work.

I also don't think Patrick Moore is an example of the environmental movement softening. He has never been part of the dogmatic, fanatical regime we have come to know and love.
July 10, 2007 at 3:56 AM
Anonymous said…
Don't know why anyone is surprised - nuclear power construction means big bucks for all the trade unions that support vital needs of the industry. Just take a look at the supporters identified in the lead post from Eric.
July 16, 2007 at 7:14 PM
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