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Olson column was wrong on many levels

Dan Olson is executive director of the San Juan Citizens Alliance and writes a column for The Durango Herald once a week. He also seems sensitive to being called a bomb-thrower (Herald, Feb 5). I would add that he also resembles a loose cannon. He is willing to exaggerate, use hyperbole, misrepresentation and to not disclose material facts that may detract from his rant. His column on Sept. 4, 2014 (headlined “Energy subsidies massively benefit oil, gas industry”) is typical.

This column is an absurd misrepresentation of reality. It is wrong on many levels. Olson cites the International Monetary Fund saying that: “$1.9 trillion is the amount of subsidies dolled out to traditional petroleum, electricity, natural gas and coal companies in 2011.” This quote is not accurate and a total misrepresentation as the IMF actually stated that global subsidies amounted to $480 billion, and the $1.9 trillion figure is: “on a ‘post-tax’ basis – which also factors in the negative externalities from energy consumption.” I’m not sure that I even understand what that means.

Of the $480 billion cited by the IMF, just 12 countries, not including the U.S., made up 75 percent of the so-called subsidies to fossil fuels: Iran, Saudi Arabia, Russia, India, China, Venezuela (where gasoline cost less than 6 cents per gallon), etc. Now, just how does Olson propose that we, U.S. citizens, persuade Iran or Venezuela to do away with subsidies? In these cases, the subsidies are actual cash payments from the government to its captive oil and gas industry or forcing lower-than-market prices for its citizenry.

So-called subsidies for fossil fuels in the U.S. amount to about $450 million. Much of that is the tax-exemption for diesel fuels used by farmers and for construction equipment, none of which runs on our highways.

But keep in mind that everything you read here comes from one who has been variously characterized as “abysmally ignorant,” “racist” and now: “knuckle-dragging denier.”

George Thompson

Durango



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