For 8 long years our environment has been under assault. The Bush Administration has been the worst administration in US history when it comes to their environmental record. This is not just my opinion there are quite a few other people who agree.
There are many more but if I listed them all I would probably use up all of my available space. Bush has always supported business to the detriment of the environment. This includes rolling back regulations that were intended to protect the environment, as well as our health, so that businesses could pollute with out consequence. He also appointed people from apposing industries to positions that were responsible for protecting the environment. Here are just a few examples of some of the things that the administration has done which have had a negative effect on our environment.
So government officials might decide to drain wetlands on the Texas coast in order to put in a new freeway and totally neglect scientific evidence that this might interfere with the wintering grounds of the endangered whooping crane.
Or they may allow farmers in the Great Lakes Region to use some new chemical herbicide with out checking into whether or not it would effect the wild lupine that the endangered Karner blue butterfly needs to survive. These are just possible examples of the danger of not having the input and advice of scientists when making decisions that may effect the fate of an entire species.
Fortunately the reign of King George is nearly at an end but how do the current presidential candidates rank on environmental issues? Well according to The League of Conservation Voters Barack Obama scored a 67% in 2007, due mainly to missed votes, with an 86% lifetime rating. John McCain scored a 0% in 2007, due mainly to missed votes, with a 26% lifetime rating. Add to this John McCain's running mate, Caribou Barbie, who supports aerial wolf hunting, sued to have the polar bear taken off of the endangered species list, and her biggest claim to fame is that she has killed moose. Now watch this video and tell me why anyone would ever brag about killing a moose?
To me the choice is clear. The planet that we live on needs a CHANGE. It is up to all of us, living in the US, to begin that change in one week on November 4th.
5 comments:
Well put! I hope our issues are spreading quickly enough to ensure some hope for the future! Thanks for getting the word out on this subject!
Ecobirder - I'm glad you posted this! As a member of Defenders of wildlife - I've been aware of Palin's record for the past several years. I am still haunted by the aerial gunning of wolves and the recent 14 wolf puppies that were shot in the head. And our continued ravaging of our lands when we have already developed areas that can be redeveloped as opposed to going after untouched habitat leaves me sleepless at night. When I think of the abandoned buildings in Detroit - I think - redevelop that - instead it is left behind as garbage as they go after the pristine land. Okay, I need to step off my soap box - but thank you again for posting this - we need to get the word out!
Good for you, sir! What a wonderful post! It's hard to go out on a line to make a point that (seemingly) has little to do with your 'nature blog'.
Of course it does...but you know what I mean, I'm sure.
I like Bill Maher's comments about the possibility of ‘the stewardess becoming president’. Okay…perhaps not nice, but funny in a scary/real way! One of the reason’s I have trouble with her (and the men she follows) is the casual manner in which she/they dismiss science. Have you read this: http://scienceblogs.com/ ?
Yeah, her latest faux pas is that fruit-fly research has “little or nothing to do with the public good”…an odd comment for a woman who puts help for ‘special kids’ so high on her public forum. Obviously this dangerously uninformed woman has no idea research on autism and other mental disorders often include work done with fruit flies. And of course there is her new boss’s attitude about other scientific research…they work well together, in spite of her whining that he’s not doing it right.
[shudder]
Yup...I'm for change too! A LOT of it.
Well, while I'm not a hunter I know plenty lovely, responsible, nature-loving people who are. Shooting wolves from a plane is hardly the same as shooting a deer for the freezer. If little Ms Palen eats what she shoots, I figure it's okay. But by and large, I'm with you, Ecobirder...and would rather WATCH 'em. That clip of the Moose was one of the sweetest things I've seen in a long time. Thanks for sharing!
Hey Ecobirder, Hear! Hear! Thanks for the great links on this post. Very informative and good ammunition for anyone thinking that McCain and Palin will do anything but put more stress on our environment.
For this birder, the choice has been clear from the beginning. I am glad it appears that the majority of people in this country realize what the "drill, drill, drill" mentality of the neo-cons would do to the environment and what it wouldn't do to lead us out of this insane dependency on oil.
I am feeling pretty good right now about the future of this country. I am thinking we may, once again, get back on track and become a power for good in the world.
Thanks for the moose with babies video too, it is a beautiful thing!
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