Chicago Tribune: Environmental issues lose political clout

[DrFunkenstein]

President Bush has received an "F" rating from the Sierra Club, and the comparatively conservative National Parks Conservation Association has declared his administration an official threat to the parks. Other groups have declared Bush the worst president regarding the environment in recent history.

But to the frustration of environmentalists, their issues are having only marginal impact on a bitterly contested race that has been overwhelmingly dominated by the war in Iraq and the struggling economy.

Bush has opposed new fuel efficiency requirements for automobiles, SUVs and other light trucks. Kerry co-sponsored with Sen. John McCain a measure to increase fuel efficiency standards to 36 m.p.g. from 24 by 2015.

Endorsing Kerry, the League of Conservation Voters accorded him a lifetime voting record rating of 92 percent in support of the environment, compared with 64 percent for former Sen. Al Gore, who was closely identified with the environmental movement.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=2027&e=9&u=/chitribts/20041018/ts_chicagotrib/environmentalissueslosepoliticalclout

A good read. Check out the full article.

[ochazuke]

1. Even on 9/12, the environment was the #1 issue for me.

Shockingly, voter turnout among Sierra Club members is only slightly better than average. What the heck is going on, guys?

[IIgnoreNobody]

2. Wishful thinking on the part of the headline writer.

There is a sub-headline as well 'Importance shrinks', however, there is no evidence presented in the article to support this conclusion.

[leftofthedial]

3. I'm way into the environment

but it's hard to be an advocate when you don't have a job, you don't have enough food, you may lose your house, your kids are sick and you don't have insurance

it's also hard to worry about endangered amphibians when 1100+ young men and women have been slaughtered in an illegal war of occupation

It's also hard to focus on forests when the very fabric of freedom is being systematically destroyed

I'm a trree-hugger from way back, but the environment lands at #5 on my list of issues right now, behind:

jobs&economy
healthcare
Iraq/"terror"
civil liberties/global corporatism/Patriot Act

Drag.

[DrFunkenstein]

5. That's Why Kerry Ties Environment To Security And Jobs

We can now see both at the gas pump and in the daily images of Iraq what the price of our dependence on Middle Eastern oil has become.

At the same time, renewable domestic energy represents a huge motherlode of new jobs, an entire job sector just waiting for the demand to be created. Kerry will create the impetus for that demand. You don't outsource domestic energy.

[Supersedeas]

4. and the Tribune endorsed "whom"

[DrFunkenstein]

6. The Thought Had Occurred To Me, But...

I still think the argument has some validity.