Former presidential candidate and now Utah Sen. Mitt Romney lives in political no-man’s land – untrusted by conservatives and liberals alike.

He’s got something interesting to say, however. It’s worth a little attention.

Boiled to the bone, his message takes both Republicans and Democrats to the woodshed on American energy policy and climate change. He says “the United States can and should be a worldwide leader in energy production and in developing solutions to climate change. Any long-term, sustainable solution requires support from both sides of the political aisle.”

But “more and more, we are a nation in denial” about potentially cataclysmic threats from drought, wildfires and climate change.

Says he: “The left thinks the right is at fault for ignoring climate change and the attacks on our political system. The right thinks the left is the problem for ignoring illegal immigration and the national debt. But wishful thinking happens across the political spectrum.”

One of Romney’s themes that I very much like is in his advocacy of private sector innovation to lead the way to our big environmental solutions such as “carbon capture, clean infrastructure, renewables development—including small modular nuclear, hydropower, geothermal, solar, and wind—and climate and energy research to reduce costs, accelerate commercialization and export to high-carbon-emitting nations.”

Did you catch that? “Small modular nuclear power,” he said.

He’s right, but you almost never hear anyone talking about it.

On this, I think Mitt Romey has something worthy to say. Solar alone won’t do it. Windmills? Please! Doubling down on coal can’t be the answer, either. He’s calling on moderates everywhere to rally around common sense on these pressing problems.

I’m in.

ABORTION POLLS

While I’m on a kick for moderation, may I take a moment to urge all Nevadans to take care in reading the results on abortion polls. Partisans know they can get different results depending on how the question is asked.

Beth Whitehead of The Federalist recently dug into how national poll results on Roe v Wade change dramatically depending upon how the question is asked.

If the question about Roe is framed as a “constitutional right,” she writes, a majority of people support it. But if the question about Roe mentions that it allows late-term abortions, the results switch.

So, be careful when one side or the other tells you the majority of Americans are on their side. (And, believe me, that’s going to be happening shortly.) My bias is that Nevadans – and Americans as a whole – are somewhere in the middle. When fully explained, they neither want abortion on demand nor a total abortion ban.

CULTURAL ICONS

We lost three entertainment cultural icons last week. First came James Caan, 82, who played Sonny Corleone in “The Godfather.” Then Larry Storch, 99, passed. He played Corporal Agarn in “F Troop.” And finally, Paulie Walnuts, the well-dressed tough guy in the Sopranos, died at 79. He was played by Tony Sirico.

Thanks for the entertainment, gentlemen.

ONE MORE THING

  • Russian dolls are so full of themselves.
  • Sign language is handy.
  • Defense lawyers eat Mexican food to get case-ideas.
  • There’s a chicken in Ely that can count its own eggs. Locals call it a mathemachicken.

Until next week, avoid soreheads, laugh a little and always question authority.

(“Properly Subversive” is commentary written by Sherman R. Frederick, a Nevada Hall of Fame journalist and co-founder of Battle Born Media, a news organization dedicated to the preservation of community newspapers. Mr. Frederick loves feedback. You can reach him by email at shermfrederick@gmail.com.)