Nucler--Not So Much

While The Decider squanders our nation's wealth in a foreign debacle of epic proportions, our infrastructure continues to deteriorate. Almost a third of our licensed nuclear power plants have been shut down for a year or more due to severe safety problems. These year long plus shut downs have occurred 51 times since nuclear operations began. The Union of Concerned Scientists detailed case studies of the forty one plants in their report, "Walking a Nuclear Tightrope". You may remember The Decider touting nuclear power as an alternative fuel solution. Of course he doesn't bother to address the needed improvements in government regulation and oversight by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). Because after all, he's a "free market" kind of guy.
The respected scientific advocacy group has also studied the obvious vulnerablity of nuclear plants to terrorist attack. This vulnerability was recently mentioned in Al Gore's speech at NYU on beginning carbon reductions now. Six of the last 11 test evaluations reluctantly conducted by the NRC resulted in successful penetration of plant security. In previous discontinued tests, the NRC concluded that at 27 out of 57 sites tested, "a real attack would have put the plant in jeopardy". Current regulations do not require plant protections against aircraft, boats or trucks. DUH? And the party of stay and die just keeps playing Hail to the Chief.