League of Woman Voters Endorses Cape Wind

Politically Powerful Group's Endorsement Should Impress Local Pols

By Walter Brooks

The Cape Cod chapter of the League of Women Voters has endorsed the Cape Wind project to install 130 wind turbines in Nantucket Sound.

In a position paper published today this powerful political action group states, "The members believe that the development of utility scale wind energy resources, such as the project proposed by Cape Wind is critical in: meeting the energy needs of our area; helping to provide clean air; providing health benefits for our citizens and addressing the issue of climate change".

Position Statement of the League of Women Voters Cape Cod Area on the study of “Wind Energy on Cape Cod�

The LWVCCA supports wind energy as an important source of renewable energy both off shore and onshore.

The members of the LWVCCA believe that the development of utility scale wind energy resources, such as the project proposed by Cape Wind is critical in: meeting the energy needs of our area; helping to provide clean air; providing health benefits for our citizens and addressing the issue of climate change.

The LWVCCA , in order to facilitate future development of wind energy, encourage the appropriate levels of government to create regulatory guidelines for both on and off shore energy.

The LWVCCA, consistent with the need to develop future renewable energy sources at all levels, encourages the installation of onshore wind towers for town and specific facility purposes,

The Cape Cod LWV web site is http://www.lwv.cc/.

Nationally the League of Woman's Voters is waging a fight in congress to stop the weakening of the Clean Air Act.

The lead article on the  front page of the league web site is entitles Take Action! Clean Air is Under Attack!.

Using the Ballot Box

The league here on Cape Cod urges members to contact elected official to "encourage the appropriate levels of government to create regulatory guidelines for both on and off shore energy".

"Bad politicians are elected by good people who don't vote"

With our senior U.S. Senator and the local congressman adamantly opposed to the project almost every local Cape Cod politican in has taken a "ditto head" position.

Since no one has ever suggested that politicians live by any code other than self-preservation (i.e.: getting re-elected), it is obvious that league members feel local pols should see how their constituents feel about our renewable energy project.

If there is one thing local pols know about the League it is the fact that they vote, early and often.

Matt Patrick believes the ballot box is mightier than the oil barrel

The only Cape Cod politician who has stuck his neck out on the issue is Upper Cape Representative Matt Patrick who increased his plurality in the last election after doing so.

As that mellifluous old curmudgeon of a senate leader Everett McKinley Dirksen said a long time ago, "The oil can is mightier than the sword. "

Perhaps the local ladies in the League of Woman's Voters will be able to prove in the next election that the ballot box can be mightier than either of the above.

They believe that bad politicians are elected by good people who don't vote. These women vote.