GOP aiming to put the Endangered Species Act on extinction list . . .

[OneBlueSky]

actually, the GOP is aiming to overturn ALL environmental protections . . . but the Endangered Species Act is at or near the top of their list, according to this article in Grist Magazine . . .

Kick the Habitat
GOP has set its sights on revamping the Endangered Species Act
By Amanda Griscom Little
Grist Magazine
17 Nov 2004

http://www.grist.org/news/muck/2004/11/17/little-species/

The newly empowered Republican majority on Capitol Hill will grease the skids for plenty of legislation that's sure to gall environmentalists and delight developers, but the most galling and delighting of all could be sweeping changes to the 30-year-old Endangered Species Act.

Business leaders, top Bush officials, and many Republicans in Congress have been arguing for the past four years, if not longer, that this cornerstone environmental law is outdated and ineffective, in particular its critical-habitat provision, which constrains development in certain biologically sensitive areas deemed necessary to species rehabilitation.

The top priority next year for the House Resources Committee, chaired by Rep. Richard Pombo (R-Calif.), will be to "completely revamp this skewed ... and broken provision that offers little if anything to the effort of species recovery," said committee spokesperson Brian Kennedy.

(snip)

Plater worries that eventually the whole act will be dismantled: "There is a very strong push from developers to get Congress to repeal the Endangered Species Act, one piece at a time," he said. "This is a make-or-break moment for the environmental movement. If are successful, everything I've dedicated my life to protect will be lost."

- more . . .

http://www.grist.org/news/muck/2004/11/17/little-species/

[theoceansnerves]

1. this is EXACTLY what i knew was going to happen

although i figured they'd somehow get the supreme court to declare it (the endangered species act) unconstitutional once bush packs the court.

[eleonora]

2. Greed is going to kill us all. Animals and humans.

If there's a hell, they just bought their one way ticket.

[blindpig]

3. Is this what it will take?

I was disappointed that Kerry, with his excellent environmental credentials, did not drive this issue like a stake into bu$h's black heart. The smart money said it was low priority, but how right were they about the election in general? Perhaps the party's corporate master's didn't want the issue to have high visibility. In any case, it's one thing that the Dems can clearly be FOR, unlike the muddy stand taken on Iraq. If this is not fought with every weapon at their disposal I will curse the Democratic Party forever.

[OneBlueSky]

4. kick . . . n/t

.

[phantom power]

5. Hopefully, the Dems will vote against this, party line.

oh, who am I kidding?

[struggle4progress]

6. Hopefully, ordinary folks like you and I will organize mass protests ...

... against these Repub psychotics.