- Joined
- May 19, 2012
- Messages
- 1,990
I have been reflecting, for a lack of a better term, on our recent election. I know Nick does not like bringing in politics to the site. The thing is, politics and environmental protection go hand in hand. So I will risk Nick's wrath.
In 1972 the republican Nixon was re-elected. I did not like him much. However, Nixon has an impressive environmental record: The National Environmental Policy Act, the Environmental Protection Agency, he extended the Clean Air Act, created the Marine Mammal Protection Act, the Safe Drinking Water Act, and the Endangered Species Act. Yes, we have to thank “I am not a crook” tricky Dick for these policies. Not many would consider Nixon a good person, he was a disgrace. Sound familiar?
President Carter created the “Superfund” to clean up toxic waste. Carter is a very nice man, and had a lot of good ideas, but people wanted change in 1980. Sound familiar?
As a result, we got President Reagan. A f*cking actor. Nice, good natured, just like your slightly crazy great uncle. He unleashed on us the devils incarnate, Secretary of the Interior James Watt, and the director of the EPA Anne Gorsuch. Watt reduced funding for environmental programs, slashed funding for acquiring protected land, he wanted to increase the leasing of federal land for oil and gas production. Mining, drilling, timber! It was the first time in my life that I felt that immediate action was needed. We gave to environmental causes, increased our visits dramatically to areas around Escalante and Bluff. Had my tires deflated at the Egypt trailhead.
Reagan made us painfully aware of the consequences of inaction.
Recently, Obama has increased dramatically natural gas drilling and fracking. Wells have appeared all over our part of Colorado. Look up Rifle Co on google maps, we have Obama to thank for most of that.
If you feel strongly about this, you need to vote. And help as you can.
It makes good economic sense to protect what we have. Trump say’s how great a business man he is. Let’s see.
I, for one, want to give our president elect a chance. We all win if he wins. Given the lessons from history, maybe he will be a good president for the environment. But I am not optimistic at all. If he performs as he probably will, I recall the immortal word’s of Robert Kennedy and D-Day in Animal House, “Don’t get mad, get even”.
In 1972 the republican Nixon was re-elected. I did not like him much. However, Nixon has an impressive environmental record: The National Environmental Policy Act, the Environmental Protection Agency, he extended the Clean Air Act, created the Marine Mammal Protection Act, the Safe Drinking Water Act, and the Endangered Species Act. Yes, we have to thank “I am not a crook” tricky Dick for these policies. Not many would consider Nixon a good person, he was a disgrace. Sound familiar?
President Carter created the “Superfund” to clean up toxic waste. Carter is a very nice man, and had a lot of good ideas, but people wanted change in 1980. Sound familiar?
As a result, we got President Reagan. A f*cking actor. Nice, good natured, just like your slightly crazy great uncle. He unleashed on us the devils incarnate, Secretary of the Interior James Watt, and the director of the EPA Anne Gorsuch. Watt reduced funding for environmental programs, slashed funding for acquiring protected land, he wanted to increase the leasing of federal land for oil and gas production. Mining, drilling, timber! It was the first time in my life that I felt that immediate action was needed. We gave to environmental causes, increased our visits dramatically to areas around Escalante and Bluff. Had my tires deflated at the Egypt trailhead.
Reagan made us painfully aware of the consequences of inaction.
Recently, Obama has increased dramatically natural gas drilling and fracking. Wells have appeared all over our part of Colorado. Look up Rifle Co on google maps, we have Obama to thank for most of that.
If you feel strongly about this, you need to vote. And help as you can.
It makes good economic sense to protect what we have. Trump say’s how great a business man he is. Let’s see.
I, for one, want to give our president elect a chance. We all win if he wins. Given the lessons from history, maybe he will be a good president for the environment. But I am not optimistic at all. If he performs as he probably will, I recall the immortal word’s of Robert Kennedy and D-Day in Animal House, “Don’t get mad, get even”.