Date: Sun, 20 Oct 96 15:20:42 UT From: "K. Lee Lerner" <Lernerdesk-AT-msn.com> Subject: M-G: RE: Re: On "green warfare" against workers, 3rd world Dear Mr. Martens, Although I am disregarding my own rules regarding the number of posts I write on a given thread, on the matter of nuclear waste you have ventured into one of my areas of expertise, therefore please permit me one small sur rebuttal. You wrote, "The waste question is *not* a big one; the waste in fact is quite small, compared to the enormous amounts of electricity generated, and this whole argument is CLEARLY A PRETEXT for certain very reactionary political aim on the part of the powerful forces which are really behind the anti-nuclear-energy campaign. We had a discussion on this on the earlier Marxism list. Some people got angry with me when I pointed out that Ronald Reagan (for once) was right: That waste you could put under a desk. Later a physicist replied to them that wasn't all that far from the truth." The truth is that the nuclear waste problem can not, and should not, be viewed in terms of quantity of material produced. You are correct that the amounts in question are quantitatively small in comparison to the amount of electricity generated. However, nuclear waste needs to evaluated in terms of potency, lethality and longevity. In addition, you wrote, "The waste 'problem' is not only a pretext. It is, >from the scientific point of view, an UTTERLY RIDICULOUS PRETEXT, so ridiculous that one must wonder how anyone with the least knowledge of elementary physics etc. can come to believe, or purportedly believe, in it." I assure you, that a substantial number of scientists with far more than an elementary knowledge physics (and I include myself in this category) harbor grave doubts concerning the ability of the private sector (or of most governmental entities) to properly handle the construction, operation and maintenance of nuclear facilities. Without question, the technology exists to assure proper disposal of waste _ but based on a dismal environmental history by both socialist and capitalistic nations I fear that the practical considerations concerning the short term economic cost of proper storage will lead to dumping, improper storage and eventual environmental disaster. Although I disagree with much of what I respectfully contend is an inflated and hyperbolic rhetoric, I appreciated your comments on Marxist differentiation. Best Regards, Dr. K. Lee Lerner --- from list marxism-general-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu ---
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