Another perspective on the "Big, Beautiful Bill"

To the Editor:

A recent Letter to the Editor was titled “Why the Big Beautiful Bill will save the power grid.”

After I read it, I think it should have been more appropriately titled, “The Flat Earth Society Speaks.”

After living in Libby for more than 50 years, I’ve come to the observation that a lot of folks here (many elected) think the world drops off the other side of Swede or Sheldon Mountain. I hate to burst the writer’s bubble, but the WHOLE planet is unleashing their dependence from fossil fuels. 

Trump’s ”Big Beautiful Bill” is only going to drive the United States further into a third world banana republic. As most taxpaying Americans, I too don’t like the thought of subsidies, especially ones where the money goes down the drain.

In trying to make the case for fossil fuels over “Green” energy, I would be careful though. In loose knit numbers, the coal and oil industry has received around $20 billion annually and in Trump’s budget bill, that number is predicted to ratchet that up to over $80 billion in taxpayer dollars over 10 years. 

The more I looked this up on Google the more complicated the numbers became and the more confused I got. 

A few numbers jumped out at me though from the coal and gas industry that I could understand:

- $11 million contribution to Trump’s “Inauguration” fund. That’s a lot of Shrimp Cocktail.

- $80 to $100 million to for the 2024 election campaign.

I won’t even try to fathom what the illegal “Wars” (excuse me “Excursions”) are costing us in Trump’s quest to control the world’s oil supply and lower gas prices as he promised. This is turning out to be the biggest ill thought out back-fire of all time!

It’s very troubling as an American citizen, to have to stand by and witness the decline of our great nation: all due to an out of control deranged President and an absolutely gutless Congress (read Daines/Sheehy/Zinke), unwilling to follow the rule of law outlined in the Constitution and rein him in. 

I have no doubt the Founding Fathers are spinning in their graves.

I don’t have the time or space to bore you with statistics and facts (which never seem to get in the way of the MAGA cult anyway) but two points need to be said: Climate change is real (not a Democratic hoax) and is a serious, very serious, threat to the future and health of our planet and 2) Fossil fuels are a long term dead end (though not going away anytime soon) and the clock is ticking to move to alternative energy before China and the rest of the world leaves us in the prehistoric dust.

Lastly, saying “renewables don’t work” is something I would expect from someone living under a rock; with no comprehension of the reality of what’s happening over the hill outside our beautiful timbered valley.

Tom Horelick, Libby