The Bush legacy that must never happen

Quote from the NY Times September 14, 2004:

"THE BUSH RECORD
New Priorities in Environment

By FELICITY BARRINGERPublished: September 14, 2004

Every fall, after raising their young near Teshekpuk Lake and the Colville River, tens of thousands of geese and tundra swans leave the North Slope of Alaska for more southerly shores. Some end their journey at the Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge in the flatlands of North Carolina.

Both habitats could be transformed if current Bush administration initiatives come to pass. The birds would have oil rigs as neighbors in Alaska and be greeted by Navy jets simulating carrier takeoffs and landings in North Carolina.
That such projects could bracket the birds' path is not surprising in light of the priorities of the administration. Over the last three and a half years, federal officials have accelerated resource development on public lands. They have also pushed to eliminate regulatory hurdles for military and industrial projects.

In a recent interview, Michael O. Leavitt, the administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, summed up the Bush administration's philosophy. "There is no environmental progress without economic prosperity," Mr. Leavitt said. "Once our competitiveness erodes, our capacity to make environmental gains is gone. There is nothing that promotes pollution like poverty."
The administration's approach has provoked a passionate response. Asked about his expectations in the event of President Bush's re-election, Senator James M. Jeffords, the Vermont independent who is the ranking minority member on the Environment and Public Works Committee, wrote in an e-mail message: "I expect the Bush administration to continue their assault on regulations designed to protect public health and the environment. I expect the Bush administration to continue underfunding compliance and enforcement activities."
Mr. Jeffords concluded, "I expect the Bush administration will go down in history as the greatest disaster for public health and the environment in the history of the United States." "

There is little to add to this clear disaster that the Bush regime has created. This onslaught against our precious and fragile natural resources and environment must be stopped. It must happen now, in November we all have the power to stop the lunacy and the destruction. Take action and vote against this destruction of our future.

Texas sun

The one thing I can say about Texas is that we sure have spectacular sunsets. Texas does not have the spectacular landscapes and scenes that can be found in many other place, but the light at sunrise and sunset frequently is stunning. On ozone action days the sunrises and sunsets are often particularly rich and extensive. What an irony that the dirty air helps to make the sunrise or sunset look so good. Nature and physics at play to reward us despite our careless attitude and disregard for the earth we live on. Texas must have more trucks and SUV's than anywhere else. Together with the don't care attitude form the state government about pollution the air quality is constantly degrading. When will we wake up? Clearly not as long as we have the current government (both state and federal). It is up to us to take care and take the initiative. Politicians living of the fat of their corporate sponsors sure as heck will not.