Heartland Institute’s Jim Lakely Wants Budget that Explains to Americans How to Lower Our Debt
Joining “Truth for America” for a repeat visit was James G Lakely, communications director for The Heartland Institute. Heartland’s mission is to discover, develop, and promote free-market solutions to social and economic problems.
Lakely weighed in on the tragedy in Japan and the resulting nuclear accident. He wants to see domestic and international media calm down about the supposed health dangers to America, which is creating panic in Japan and America. There is no nuclear cloud that will reach the atmosphere or damage the oceans.
“There are 444 nuclear plants around the world, and other than Chernobyl, which was poorly designed, not a single person has been killed by nuclear fallout from a plant. Coal plants are far more dangerous than nuclear
plants. We need a common sense approach from Washington about our energy policy,” said Lakely.
He noted that the Fukushima plant is 40 years old, and the industry has learned much since then about safety. For example, nuclear fuels can be reprocessed so they can be used again, negating the need to bury spent nuclear fuels.
Turning to the budget, Lakely is naturally concerned that the U.S. has amassed unsustainable levels of debt. Last month alone, $72 billion was added to the nation’s debt. Lakely wants to see the Congress present a budget that people can understand. He admonished the Obama administration for not creating a budget but rather spending all the money in the treasury and then “putting everything on credit cards.”
“This country needs political courage. Americans understand that the country is in trouble. They know that social programs need to be sacrificed to stop out of control spending. If a budget is plainly presented and
people understand it, they will do what’s necessary to pare down the nation’s debt — even if it means changing the retirement age or reducing social security. They don’t want to pass the debt down to their children and
grandchildren,” said Lakely.
Lakely would like to see the Republicans “bite the bullet and take the heat for massive spending cuts. If they’re going to get slammed for small cuts, they might as well make the bold bigger cuts that are needed.”
Hello First off are the same Heartland Institute that Colin Standish was at, that just retired?
I just attended a Rally in Salem, Oregon regarding the danger of what Monsano is doing with Genetic Modification of seeds. We had about 100 people attend, and it was the beginning of a nucleous, to have the food lalbeling show that the food contains GMO. It went quite well. I haven’t been involved in any of this up until now, but have been very disturbed about this, as Monsanto is trying to control the food change. When that happens, they controls the American people.
But I am really writing to give you one update on the nuclear fall out in Japan. I received an email with a map showing the entire U.S. and an update every 3 minutes, of the radiation level. Well this past Wednesday, the reading was 36 in Portland, Oregon. And the danger level (I’m told is 100). I’m not freaking out here, but
the nuclear plants in Japan are not close to being FIXED. But since the War with Kadofi(?) we have gotten very little info. I live about 50 miles south of Portland. This is real. The fall out will continue day after day. So
couldn’t that harm us?