Chides rabbis for inserting politics into holidays

In December, Rabbi Arthur Waskow misused the festival of Chanukah to promote his political agenda of Cap and Trade. Last week, Rabbis Steve Gutow and David Saperstein in “Our Tu b’Shvat responsibility,” are misusing Tu b’Shvat to promote the same disastrous Cap and Trade bill. I can hardly wait for Purim.

I have no objection to rabbis expressing their political beliefs as their political beliefs but I strongly object to their misuse of our holidays and our religion to promote their political agenda. Am I a bad Jew if I oppose Cap and Trade? The rabbis present their strictly political beliefs as if it were part of our religion. It is not.

I believe that the policies of Cap and Trade will destroy the economy of the world and of America. A strong economy helps all of us. A weak economy hurts all of us, especially poor people and poor nations. As we saw in Copenhagen, no nation will commit suicide by weakening its economy. Only a policy that promotes a strong economy can protect the world environment. Punishment of companies who produce our energy is not the answer. The punishment will be transferred to all of us.

The development of alternative sources of energy is a good policy. It does not require the punishment of our current producers of energy. The development of more efficient vehicles, appliances, and equipment has and will reduce our use of energy regardless of the source of energy. The building of nuclear power plants will greatly and safely reduce the need for carbon based fuels. Many countries are now going nuclear. As of now, President Obama supports the building of nuclear power plants.

The reduction in our use of carbon fuels must be accomplished in an orderly manner and without harming our economy and the world economy. It is the only way to get the cooperation of all of us, nations and people. The weakening of an already weak economy will only slow down our progress.

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