Mailbag: Irvine 11 editorials got it wrong

Now, the half of America who pays income taxes (does that mean we're finally paying our "fair share?") has watched a half-billion of its precious dollars go "poof" in an uncoordinated partisan flurry of activity to finally produce some of those so-called "green jobs" in time to create some positivity in advance of the 2012 general election.

So, I'd like to know if I can recoup some of that loss by declaring it on my taxes. Or, as one of the ever-diminishing cadre of those who are actually pulling the wagon so that others can ride, do I not deserve even this small consideration? Or has half-a-billion dollars become such chump change that it becomes a rounding error?

Loose change Obama could find between the cushions of his Oval Office couch, perhaps?

Pardon me, but I'm growing a bit weary of this whole costly charade. How about you?

Chuck Cassity

Costa Mesa

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Ignore global warming at your peril

(Re. "Editorial: Rising oceans could wash away revenue," Sept. 17): Kudos for your editorial about the local effects of global climate change. There seems to be an effective embargo about even mentioning global warming these days. Politicians mock science and liken themselves to Galileo, har har, yet take the word of naysayers and accuse scientists of getting rich off their research grants, har har again.

The folks who get their information from faux news outlets are just listening to the latest chapter from the same playbook the tobacco industry used: Confuse and delay while we continue making huge profits.

When did spending $100 dollars for a tank of gas become the American Dream? When did wasting energy and destroying our planet become a conservative value? Both parties ignore this at our collective peril.

The question shouldn't be how much will it cost us to do something about global warming, but how much will it cost us not to do something about global warming.

You mention possible local sea rise of 55 inches. How much do you think that will cost? Vermont, of all places, has racked up $1 billion in damages from a tropical storm.

And I haven't even mentioned this year's tornadoes or the drought. How much will those disasters cost us? A lot.

I hope my grandchildren don't look at me one day and ask why we didn't do anything to stop global warming.