Christian Coalition And Law Center Have Totally Distinct Purposes
Christian Coalition And Law Center Have Totally Distinct Purposes
There is an error in the story ''Courts To Decide if Church-Pew Politics Will Become Expensive,'' April 19. The author identifies the American Center for Law and Justice as the ''Christian Coalition's legal action wing'' and mentions that the suit was filed by ''lawyers representing broadcaster Pat Robertson's Christian Coalition ....''
The American Center for Law and Justice has no connection to the Christian Coalition. The two organizations are distinct. Pat Robertson is founder of both, but the American Center for Law and Justice is a public-interest law firm and educational organization with no ties to the Christian Coalition. The coalition focuses on political education.
Gene Kapp, Virginia Beach, Va.
Media Relations The American Center for Law and Justice
Nuclear energy: an environmental ally
Regarding the article ''Americans Go 'Lite Green,''' April 18: There is much to celebrate in terms of improved air and water quality, establishment of recycling programs, and, above all, a real consciousness of the environmental effect of human activity. Missing from most lists of successes is a technology that has widely improved the environment -- nuclear energy.
The generation of electricity from nuclear power plants produces no air pollution. From 1973 to 1993 United States nuclear plants averted the cumulative emissions of 1.6 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide, a contributor to global warming.
The release of other major pollutants, such as sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, is also curtailed by the use of nuclear energy. In a year's time nuclear energy offsets the emission of 4.7 million tons of sulfur dioxide, which is almost half of the entire reduction target called for in the Clean Air Act amendments of 1990. For nitrogen oxides the savings exceed the 2-million-ton annual reduction required.
It is important to recognize what is really contributing to a better environment and to focus on those issues that can truly make a difference.
Frank R. Bruce, Oak Ridge, Tenn.
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Health care is a right
The opinion-page article ''Market Forces = Health-Care Reform,'' March 30, shows what is wrong with relying on the market in health-care reform.
The market emphasizes the bottom line while ignoring access to and quality of care. People still need government to protect them from the predatory practices of health-care corporations. Health care is a right, not a privilege of the wealthy! Instead of merging insurance companies with hospitals as the author suggests, let's eliminate the health insurance industry. The single-payer plan, originated by Rep. Jim McDermott (R) of Washington, would do this -- at a savings of more than $100 billion annually. These savings could provide for universal access, freedom of choice, and more, higher quality services.
Ronald Forthofer, Longmont, Colo.
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