Letters to the editor: Move to clean renewable energy; Trump's policies worked

The tyranny of the oil industry

None of us old enough to remember shall ever forget what happed over 20 years ago on 9/11. In response, President George W. Bush, a former oil executive, launched a U.S.-led global war on terror. This response may have been in keeping with the tyranny of oil — the world’s most powerful industry. An industry that must be stopped if we are ever going to successfully win a more important conflict. In short, we need to switch to clean renewable energy ASAP.

Our homeland security depends on it. Call it sour grapes, but for those same 20 years, the wealthiest, most scientifically advanced, most powerful, and most responsible for climate change country in the world, allowed this once in a lifetime “no kidding” civilization ending “window of opportunity” to rapidly close — almost. Knowledgeable climate scientists report, we have less than 10 years left in which to make any appreciable difference.

If the U.S. DOD had been tasked, it would have used the military/industrial complex to successfully lobby, resource, and wage a “yet to be” fought Climate World War. Just imagine the opportunity lost with us spending the same amount of time, cooperation, treasure, and blood. Of course, you would have to factor in oil pushback, an industry that has produced two U.S. Presidents and one Vice President.

The U.S.-led global war on terror has killed nearly 1 million people globally and cost more than $8 trillion since it began two decades ago.

What’s it going to cost the U.S. to fight a Climate Crisis World War? The Office of Management and Budget assessment by the end of the century could total 7.1% annual revenue loss, equal to $2 trillion a year in today’s dollars. Pay me now or pay me a whole helluva lot more later.

Robert Nast, Oxnard

US was better off with Trump

Re: Gil Muramatsu’s Sept. 16 letter, “Voting Republican in November”:

I would like to applaud The Star for printing the letter from Mr. Muramatsu. His letter on voting Republican in November was well written and makes so much sense. I have been afraid to express my conservative views. I was beginning to think freedom of speech was disappearing.

Some people expressing conservative views have been blocked out of Twitter, called fascists and been fired from their jobs. Many news stations pick and choose what they want us to hear and see. As Mr. Muramatsu said in his letter, “I was better off before our current president.” Well, so was our whole country. No matter what you think about our last president, just look at his policies. Our country was in much better shape than it is now.

I might even be brave enough to wear my red MAGA hat. President Biden says we should kill MAGA. Maybe he doesn’t know it means Making America Great Again.

Catherine K. Channels, Camarillo

This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Letters: Move to clean renewable energy; Trump's policies worked