Companies, not politics, behind ozone hole fears

In response to Walter Sullivan's May 14 letter “Dems created ozone, global warming fears”: At their core, the ozone hole and global warming are not political issues. Politics hinges on beliefs/values and our human ability to put them into practice. Ozone and global warming are issues of physics.

But like any issue, global warming can become politicized if those who would benefit can make it happen. Who benefits? Big coal, big oil, all those currently profiting from profligate use of fossil fuels. Moreover, those profits are bloated by laws that protect them from paying for the social costs of production - the degradation of our air, land, and water quality and resulting public health and environmental costs.

Fossil fuel interests pour millions into both major parties as they campaign to protect the status quo. If they can keep Democrats and Republicans fighting between themselves, they can avoid public scrutiny and continue business as usual.

Our opponent is not the Left or the Right but moneyed interests who would use our dislike of change to finagle us into promoting their profits rather than recognizing the danger they pose to our own quality of life and long-term economic interests.

Elisabeth Robbins

Marion