Senators feel heat on climate change

Re “Feinstein, Boxer differ on global warming,” Jan. 18

Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s (D-Calif.) plan is too timid; Sen. Barbara Boxer’s (D-Calif.) is better because it supports California’s right to lead by example in a very crucial area. That said, neither plan is sufficient. Right now, the people of California need a joint effort by our environmentally aware senators to set in motion a series of events that will in two years have the United States ready to ratify the Kyoto treaty -- and to end China and India’s exemption very soon thereafter.

Following bold, practical steps using today’s technology we can, within 20 years, expect the benefits of experience and tomorrow’s technologies to possibly pull our irons out the fire -- though we won’t get out of this without burned fingers.

ROBERT SIEBERT

Orange

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Boxer and Feinstein were both senators in 1997 when that body unanimously voted to veto any climate treaty that exempted China and India.

Kyoto did just that and was thus dead on arrival under President Clinton.

The senators’ votes made perfect sense: How can any global-climate effort exempt one-third of the human race and two of its fastest-growing economies? China’s explosive economic growth since then only underscores the wisdom of the Senate.

Now Boxer and Feinstein want to impose unilateral restrictions. Did they lose their ability to reason? Anything that handcuffs American industry will send jobs to China and India, where no such restrictions exist, while doing nothing for global warming.

Oh, but they’ll make Californians feel so good about themselves for thinking globally and acting locally. Both senators are independently wealthy and thus don’t need the jobs they are exporting.

JIM BASS

Thousand Oaks