How do you feel about the environment? Is there too much pollution? Is there not enough? Must economic policy trump envirnomental damage? With recent studies showing that most fish are not edible in US waters due to mercury levels, does more need to be done to enforce environmental standards and decrease emissions?
The floor is open...
I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody.
- Bill Cosby
The guy who takes a chance, who walks the line between the known and unknown, who is unafraid of failure, will succeed.
- Gordon Parks
George W. Bush on Environment
Click here for 20 full quotes on Environment OR 12 older headlines OR other candidates on Environment OR background on Environment.
* Clear Skies Initiative improves air quality now. (Aug 2003)
* Restrict wetland development, but not arsenic or CO2. (Apr 2001)
* More lead emission reporting requirements. (Apr 2001)
* Weaken Clean Air; no comment on Clean Water. (Nov 2000)
* Incentives for private land stewardship & conservation. (Jun 2000)
* Conservation partnerships to protect lands & watersheds. (Jun 2000)
* $60M for private stewardship; tax break on conservation land. (Jun 2000)
* Superfund failing: too costly; too litigious; too complex. (Apr 2000)
* Keep drilling; keep dams; keep private property. (Apr 2000)
Brownfields + Parks
* Proposes $211M to cleaning up brownfields. (Aug 2003)
* $450M annually for wildlife and open spaces. (Sep 2000)
* $4.9B to repair “crumbling” national parks. (Sep 2000)
* Reinvest in Conservation Fund; repair parks & refuges. (Apr 2000)
Federal Role
* Good stewardship is personal responsibility and public value. (Aug 2003)
* Natural resources & environment funding in FY04 highest ever. (Aug 2003)
* Federal standards+local collaboration; no command & control. (Oct 2000)
* Replace mandate/regulate/litigate with decentralized efforts. (Sep 2000)
* Can’t sue our way to clean air & water--work with industry. (Apr 2000)
* Keep fed enviro role but give money & flexibility to states. (Apr 2000)
* Base enviro decisions on science & market-driven solutions. (Apr 2000)
John Kerry on Environment
Click here for 15 full quotes on Environment OR other candidates on Environment OR background on Environment.
* Fact Check: Contaminated home uses city water, not bottled. (Dec 2003)
* Make environmental justice an EPA priority. (Oct 2003)
* Safeguard the environment and grow the economy. (Jun 2003)
* Voted NO on confirming Gale Norton as Secretary of Interior. (Jan 2001)
* Voted NO on more funding for forest roads and fish habitat. (Sep 1999)
* Voted NO on transportation demo projects. (Mar 1998)
* Voted YES on reducing funds for road-building in National Forests. (Sep 1997)
* Voted YES on continuing desert protection in California. (Oct 1994)
* Voted YES on requiring EPA risk assessments. (May 1994)
* Reduce liability for hazardous waste cleanup. (May 2001)
* End commercial whaling and illegal trade in whale meat. (Jun 2001)
* Support UNCED Rio Declaration at 2002 conference. (Jul 2002)
* EPA must do better on mercury clean-up. (Apr 2004)
* Fund studies of sustainable fisheries. (Oct 1996)
* Fund studies of invasive species and algal blooms. (Mar 1998)
It saddens me that the environment seems to be an issue that no one wants to talk about. Why is it that people think that we do not need to care for our earth? It boggles my mind that we can be so selfish...and that, in the greatest gesture of poetic justice ever, the earth will cleanse itself, as it always has....this time of us. If we continue at our current rate, we will have reached a point of no return within our lifetimes. We will damage the earth beyond its ability to repair itself, and therefore, will die out when it does. Do we think that we will simply be able, through technology, to escape this? Does it not occur to people that this could be not only the most important issue facing us today, but that, within a few hundred years, may be the ONLY issue facing our progeny?
Wolf_eyes said this in post #4 : It saddens me that the environment seems to be an issue that no one wants to talk about. Why is it that people think that we do not need to care for our earth? It boggles my mind that we can be so selfish...and that, in the greatest gesture of poetic justice ever, the earth will cleanse itself, as it always has....this time of us. If we continue at our current rate, we will have reached a point of no return within our lifetimes. We will damage the earth beyond its ability to repair itself, and therefore, will die out when it does. Do we think that we will simply be able, through technology, to escape this? Does it not occur to people that this could be not only the most important issue facing us today, but that, within a few hundred years, may be the ONLY issue facing our progeny?
I think the environment is one of those shadow issues that is ignored and no one realizes how important it is. From fertilizer usage and dumping into the ocean to cutting down trees that will later cause floods. I think people need to understand, invest in environmental protection now and you will make more money later. So much money is spent on clean up efforts and lawsuits against companies that dump pollutants into the environment and no one realizes the real cost. If you look at our maritime markets, it clearly shows the problems you get when you don't put in the proper controls. Pollutants poison the fish and lower the available supply while overfishing kills the markets. The environment is ignored too much and people need to stop ignoring it. They wait until the sky is falling before they do anything and that's the problem.
As always the mantra is, you hurt buisness...
I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody.
- Bill Cosby
The guy who takes a chance, who walks the line between the known and unknown, who is unafraid of failure, will succeed.
- Gordon Parks
The environment really hasn't been a key issue for candidates of recent years and I don't really understand why. It's a very serious issue that needs consideration. One of the problems, is that on the die hard conservative side, fans of Rush Limbaugh who blindly follow his word regardless of derangement, mimic his words by calling those concerned "enrvironmental wackos". It's sad to know that some people don't think for themselves, but unfortunately there are many people out there who do. Until it's broadcast by candidates and public personalities alike, I fear it's an issue that will remain on the far back burner.
Holy War....You're basically killing each other to see who's got the better imaginary friend. - Richard Jeni
Must economic policy trump envirnomental damage? With recent studies showing that most fish are not edible in US waters due to mercury levels, does more need to be done to enforce environmental standards and decrease emissions?
09-21-2004 08:31 AM
