Wind energy farce
The Topeka Capital-Journal, cjonline.com 17 June 2012
The Topeka Capital-Journal on June 5 published an article about Arkansas Gov. Mike Beebe, speaking at the WindPower convention in Atlanta, who called opponents of tax breaks for the wind industry “un-American.”
Because the wind industry position in our energy economy has no merit on any credible basis, it is not surprising to hear “paid-for” politicians whooping it up and denouncing the opposition, which clearly has the stronger case.
I was saddened to see that Gov. Sam Brownback, who should know better, also call for an extension of tax breaks. At least he had the courage to say the attack on taxpayers (and power company customers) should be phased out in four years.
The truth is the entire wind industry is another example of “crony capitalism” fastening itself to the carcass of our fading democracy and sucking the lifeblood from hard-working taxpayers who haven’t taken the time to read up on this monster.
The “wind industry” is an artificial creation of special interests propped up by government mandates and freed from nearly all forms of taxation – in particular, the 10-year exemption from property taxes at turbine sites is particularly onerous. Wind power has a very low “energy density,” meaning that it takes thousands of acres of land to match the energy production of Wolf Creek Nuclear, for example, or Jeffrey Energy Center, which exist on comparatively few acres. And they pay taxes.
Wind energy will turn out to be a constant drain on taxpayers, who will have to make up for the taxes not paid by the windmills. That cost will be doubled up because taxpayers are also utility ratepayers. We should all be screaming bloody murder.
Furthermore, the wind industry has constantly lied about “jobs” being produced, which are very few in reality. This industry will be the next Solyndra.
The Tea Party should inform itself of this horrendous attack on the public purse and take on the wind energy scam as its next reality show for the political class.
Brownback should run, not walk, away from the wind industry. If he was paid to speak at their convention, he should send the check back.
JAMES H. RANSOM, TOPEKA
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/06/18/wind-energy-farce/