wELL, THERE GOES THE NEIGHBORHOOD

[MaryH]

This has been a depressing day for the environment. First I read about the bass being affected by hormones in the rivers.

Then I read another article about all of the species of reptiles that have been so severly affected by something (not sure what yet) that they are simply dwindling and then becoming extinct.

And to top it off, people can run their snowmobiles all over Yellowstone again.

What has happened to Americans? Have we just dummed down the society to the point where no one has the ability to think anymore?

[kwolf68]

1. The environment is a non-issue

Don't get me wrong, because I am an avid environmentalist and was a major impetus for me moving left, however, it isn't on the radar right now.

People seem incapable of seeing something from a long term perspective. This is why Wall Street works how it works, personal debt is sky high, and everyone shops at Wal-Mart in our sterile 7-11 culture.

We only address environmental concerns when the waves are lapping at our feet. Dealing with the environment IS too complicated, because it relies on certain amount of speculation, conjecture, and scientific processes.

Jill and Joe SixPack, whose most intellectual outburst each week revolves around trying to outguess each other on Wheel of Fortune aren't capable of understanding how their miserable little lives actually DO impact our biosphere...and how at some point that biosphere will certainly impact them. Just like the saying goes, "Nature Bats Last."

There was one question on environment in 3 debates. Nothing on nature, very little on conservation, very little on renewables, etc. John Kerry is a stout environmentalist and his wife is even more dedicated. Getting Kerry in there will address so many of our other concerns (Health Care, Jobs, War, etc.), but another byproduct of a Kerry administration will be a group of people who don't consider the earth as their own shitty little ash-tray, and instead respects the natural world and the creatures we share it with.

Give it time, we'll start to work that environmental issue back into Page 1 when the war issue subsides, but in the meantime it is a 2nd tier issue.

[MaryH]

2. I was disappointed that the debates had nothing at all

on the environment. Bush's record is so terrible that Kerry could have spent 2 minutes just listing the things he lets his buddies get away with.