DEAR EDITOR:

If there was ever any doubt, and I'm sure there was, one need only to read the recent news coming out of the "historic" climate talks in Copenhagen to understand what all the global warming issue is really about.

While the fanatics march in the street with their "350" signs, and chide the rest of us for not reverting to stone-age lifestyles to save the planet, the leaders of the world haggle about the real argument: Who's going to pay for it? It is after all, about the money. No country wants to commit to spending untold billions from now until who-knows-when to solve a nonexistent problem. Who would? And naturally, all eyes fall upon the United States to take the lead. Much like what happens when any other perceived problem exists in the world, except when the U.S. is the one with the perception. Then we are labeled as "bullies" and "colonialists."

For myself, I am hopeful that the outcome of the odious activity in Denmark (does anyone else see the irony in the choice of location?) will follow the normal pattern of global summits and result in nothing meaningful. However, given our current domestic leadership and its unprecedented ability to spend what isn't theirs, I wouldn't be surprised if we saddle our future generations with even more financial burden.

I guess I shouldn't worry, though because we'll probably all be underwater soon anyway. What ever happened to "plant a tree"?

Tony Kosior
Marietta