Bush conservatives believe America must find a free-market energy future. They also believe in "states’ rights" to refuse federal mandates and chart their own course. Yet these same conservatives are now pushing a new era of nuclear power for the U.S., one that would be subsidized by the $8 billion (and counting) federal waste-disposal facility at Yucca Mountain (HCN, 4/18/05: 'Sound science' in doubt at Yucca Mountain). Nevada officials from both parties have told the federal government repeatedly that they want no part of this scheme.

Then Bush tells Nevadans that he believes in "sound science," while federal scientists working in wildlife and air and water pollution report intimidation and multiple instances of science being suppressed or altered for political reasons. Seems conservatives are having a great deal of trouble being honest, and their ideological standards are compromised by the interests of favored industries. And we thought Democrats had an identity crisis!

Tom Ribe
Santa Fe, New Mexico