Climate change views, thanking others, and more: letters to the editor

‘Wonderful addition’

Delighted, invigorated and thankful for Good Day Cafe in State College. As a Centre County native and current resident, I was so impressed with my experience and pleasantly surprised to see so many fellow State College classmates associated with the cafe.

I am extremely proud of the community support, Strawberry Fields, Cindy Pasquenilli and all of those surrounding this endeavor to make it a success! Thank you, everyone, for this wonderful addition to our neighborhood. - Colleen Williams, State College, PA

‘We must change ... behavior’

The Citizens’ Climate Lobby (CCL) has been working for years on Capitol Hill pushing for a Carbon Tax and Dividend. They propose an initial fee of $15 per ton of carbon dioxide emitted by fossil fuels, escalating to $10 per ton yearly thereafter.

A Carbon Fees Trust Fund would collect 100 percent of the fees, which would then be returned to households as a monthly dividend from the U.S. Department of the Treasury (minus administrative costs). This is straightforward and quite reasonable.

Drs. Anders Fremstad and Mark Paul from the People’s Policy Project recently published, “Disrupting the Dirty Economy: A Progressive Case for a Carbon Dividend.” It proposes a $230 tax per ton of carbon dioxide and the creation of a wealth fund similar to the Alaska Permanent Fund, which would distribute money equally to all Americans. They, too, make a compelling case that helps protect our planet from avoidable climate chaos.

CCL’s carbon tax scheme is a better first step in the direction of a cleaner, sustainable future because it’s fairer to the poor. We must change industrial, consumer and financial behavior and reduce carbon emissions to avoid cooking the Earth in less than a generation.

Unfortunately, U.S. Reps. Glenn Thompson and Tom Marino recently voted in support of the Scalise resolution, which condemns a carbon tax and dividend approach. I hope our legislators will begin to listen to the scientists trying to alert society on the dangers of global warming before we pass a tipping point on climate. - Douglas M. Mason, Port Matilda, PA

‘Let us abolish war’

November 11th was the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I, the war to end war. Let us celebrate this by doing now what they proposed then -- let us abolish war.

Let us do this in the following way. Let us take migrants in their caravan now demonized in high places and see them for what they in fact are -- our fellow citizens in the bright blue borderless world that is coming together before our eyes in what is the great adventure of our time.

The President demonizes these migrants. In elemental fact, you must first demonize a man to then kill him in war. In fact, undemonized, we are each moral complements of each other. In completing ourselves that way, we can begin to see the great, great inclusive civilization which our common humanity demands. - John H. Harris, State College, PA

‘People have been talking about those issues’

The other day our former U.S. Senator, Rick Santorum, said on CNN: “The reality is that a lot of these [climate] scientists are driven by the money that they receive.” He followed up with: “The question is how much does man contribute, number one? And, number two, what can man do to actually change it? Those are the two big issues which we really don’t talk about.”

Perhaps the senator lives on another planet, but people have been talking about those issues for a long time, including those money-driven scientists he mentioned. The voters wisely rid themselves of Santorum, a Penn State alum. Perhaps Penn State could revoke his degree? He clearly didn’t learn anything while he was an undergrad. - R. Thomas Berner, State College, PA

‘Well-deserved tribute’

Thank you for the front page photo and article in Sunday’s edition about Trace McSorley. It was a fitting and well deserved tribute to a fine young man and athlete who has contributed a great deal to our University and community. Thank you Trace! - Kay Salvino, State College, PA

This story was originally published November 27, 2018 at 11:07 AM.