In A Word – Action – The Bush Administration may not believe in climate control, but Americans do.
Gerald Eisman
August 12, 2006
Action: The state or process of acting or doing.
The Bush administration, the Republican congress dominated by vocal Conservative non-thinkers, and a recently stacked Supreme Court may be clueless when it comes to global warming, but Americans in general are waking up to the danger. State and local officials throughout the nation are instituting ambitious programs aimed at the reduction of greenhouse gasses.
In California, legislation has been passed mandating automobile manufacturers reduce carbon dioxide emissions from their vehicle's engines by 30 percent by 2016. Governor Schwarzenegger had forged a bond with British Prime Minister Tony Blair vowing to trade Carbon Dioxide pollution credits across the Atlantic. Former president Bill Clinton initiated an effort with 22 of the world's largest cities to cut emissions.
Many local officials are moving forward with their own plans to combat the process of global warming. They say that the Bush administration pays lip service to cleaner technology while insidiously changing rules that allow the biggest polluters to continue their practices. Not only has the administration failed to recognize and address the problem, they have exacerbated it with their gullibility, stubbornness, and ignorance of the danger.
Albuquerque Mayor, Martin J Chavez said this: "Like most mayors, I'm disappointed the federal government has not taken more of a lead on this issue, but so be it. We're moving forward." He (Chavez) has even persuaded mayors of other cities to pledge to make their cities carbon-neutral by 2030. Simply stated, that means there would be zero emissions of carbon. What about that, Mr President?
Mayor Alan Arakawa of Maui has joined a coalition of more than 130 U.S. mayors agreeing to live by the standards of the Kyoto global warming treaty.
"I feel this is an issue here on Maui," Arakawa said. "I can actually relate to seeing a lot of changes in the climate here, just in our lifetime. It’s something I’m very concerned about."
Participating mayors pledge to meet or beat Kyoto targets such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions 7 percent from 1990 levels by 2012. Recommended actions range from anti-sprawl land-use policies to public information campaigns.
The coalition was formed in response to the Bush administration’s rejection of the Kyoto treaty although all but a few nations on the planet have signed on to it. The United States, George Bush, president, is one of those few.
The Kyoto Protocol, adopted in the Japanese city in 1997, imposes requirements on 35 industrialized nations to cut emissions of "greenhouse gasses" blamed for rising world temperatures to an average of 5 percent below 1990 levels. The treaty has been ratified by at least 140 nations, but the Bush administration has taken a position that the restrictions are flawed and could hurt the U.S. economy.
Bush's top environmental adviser, James L. Connaughton, is on record stating the president welcomes state and local initiatives because they compliment the administration's approach to global warming. Several state officials and environmentalists scoff at the statement and say their own efforts are rapidly approaching and will soon exceed anything the administration has done to combat global warming.
After five and a half years in office, the George W. Bush administration has compiled a record that is taking America in a dangerous direction. Last year alone (2004-5), the Bush administration agencies instituted more than 150 actions that weakened our environmental laws. During the first term, this administration led the most destructive campaign against America's environmental safeguards in the past 40 years.
After the first four years, the Bush administration's relentless anti-environmental agenda has translated into real damage on the ground. A recent analysis of government data shows Americans face a dirtier environment while polluters largely get a free pass. Since the Bush administration began, health warnings to avoid eating locally caught fish have doubled and completed cleanup of toxic wastes at Superfund sites have fallen by 52 percent. Civil citations issued to polluters, however, dropped by 57 percent and criminal prosecutions of polluters are down 17 percent. What a magnificent record.
Now, automakers are suing to block California's law, but the Bush administration may do its own blocking using the excuse that the law arrogates the federal government's right to set national fuel economy standards.
The new spate of activity is part of a rapidly expanding movement of officials at the local and state level who have all become disillusioned and disgusted with the lack of action by Bush, the administration and the congress. It is the underlying driving force behind actions and initiatives on stem-cell research, immigration, carbon emissions and energy policy.
The records show that lately, 22 states and the District of Columbia have set standards demanding utilities generate a specific amount of energy, up to one third, from renewable sources. Eleven of those same states have set goals to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions by as much as 80 percent below 1990 levels in 45 years.
The Bushies are in trouble and it's about time. Lies about WMDs that took us to war was very bad, but lies about the things that can bring down the planet is abhorrent. The need for action has been recognized and America, the sleeping giant, is once again waking up. Our nation's enemy is within. Our weapon of removal is determination and the voting booth.
The Bush administration, the Republican congress dominated by vocal Conservative non-thinkers, and a recently stacked Supreme Court may be clueless when it comes to global warming, but Americans in general are waking up to the danger. State and local officials throughout the nation are instituting ambitious programs aimed at the reduction of greenhouse gasses.
In California, legislation has been passed mandating automobile manufacturers reduce carbon dioxide emissions from their vehicle's engines by 30 percent by 2016. Governor Schwarzenegger had forged a bond with British Prime Minister Tony Blair vowing to trade Carbon Dioxide pollution credits across the Atlantic. Former president Bill Clinton initiated an effort with 22 of the world's largest cities to cut emissions.
Many local officials are moving forward with their own plans to combat the process of global warming. They say that the Bush administration pays lip service to cleaner technology while insidiously changing rules that allow the biggest polluters to continue their practices. Not only has the administration failed to recognize and address the problem, they have exacerbated it with their gullibility, stubbornness, and ignorance of the danger.
Albuquerque Mayor, Martin J Chavez said this: "Like most mayors, I'm disappointed the federal government has not taken more of a lead on this issue, but so be it. We're moving forward." He (Chavez) has even persuaded mayors of other cities to pledge to make their cities carbon-neutral by 2030. Simply stated, that means there would be zero emissions of carbon. What about that, Mr President?
Mayor Alan Arakawa of Maui has joined a coalition of more than 130 U.S. mayors agreeing to live by the standards of the Kyoto global warming treaty.
"I feel this is an issue here on Maui," Arakawa said. "I can actually relate to seeing a lot of changes in the climate here, just in our lifetime. It’s something I’m very concerned about."
Participating mayors pledge to meet or beat Kyoto targets such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions 7 percent from 1990 levels by 2012. Recommended actions range from anti-sprawl land-use policies to public information campaigns.
The coalition was formed in response to the Bush administration’s rejection of the Kyoto treaty although all but a few nations on the planet have signed on to it. The United States, George Bush, president, is one of those few.
The Kyoto Protocol, adopted in the Japanese city in 1997, imposes requirements on 35 industrialized nations to cut emissions of "greenhouse gasses" blamed for rising world temperatures to an average of 5 percent below 1990 levels. The treaty has been ratified by at least 140 nations, but the Bush administration has taken a position that the restrictions are flawed and could hurt the U.S. economy.
Bush's top environmental adviser, James L. Connaughton, is on record stating the president welcomes state and local initiatives because they compliment the administration's approach to global warming. Several state officials and environmentalists scoff at the statement and say their own efforts are rapidly approaching and will soon exceed anything the administration has done to combat global warming.
After five and a half years in office, the George W. Bush administration has compiled a record that is taking America in a dangerous direction. Last year alone (2004-5), the Bush administration agencies instituted more than 150 actions that weakened our environmental laws. During the first term, this administration led the most destructive campaign against America's environmental safeguards in the past 40 years.
After the first four years, the Bush administration's relentless anti-environmental agenda has translated into real damage on the ground. A recent analysis of government data shows Americans face a dirtier environment while polluters largely get a free pass. Since the Bush administration began, health warnings to avoid eating locally caught fish have doubled and completed cleanup of toxic wastes at Superfund sites have fallen by 52 percent. Civil citations issued to polluters, however, dropped by 57 percent and criminal prosecutions of polluters are down 17 percent. What a magnificent record.
Now, automakers are suing to block California's law, but the Bush administration may do its own blocking using the excuse that the law arrogates the federal government's right to set national fuel economy standards.
The new spate of activity is part of a rapidly expanding movement of officials at the local and state level who have all become disillusioned and disgusted with the lack of action by Bush, the administration and the congress. It is the underlying driving force behind actions and initiatives on stem-cell research, immigration, carbon emissions and energy policy.
The records show that lately, 22 states and the District of Columbia have set standards demanding utilities generate a specific amount of energy, up to one third, from renewable sources. Eleven of those same states have set goals to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions by as much as 80 percent below 1990 levels in 45 years.
The Bushies are in trouble and it's about time. Lies about WMDs that took us to war was very bad, but lies about the things that can bring down the planet is abhorrent. The need for action has been recognized and America, the sleeping giant, is once again waking up. Our nation's enemy is within. Our weapon of removal is determination and the voting booth.
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