No Pity for Polar Bears from Stone Hearted F James Sensenbrenner

[undeterred]

Bill to protect polar bears’ habitat draws fire from oil, gas industries
Melting ice caps

WASHINGTON — Emanuel Cleaver worries about what melting ice caps mean for the polar bear. His opponents worry about the cost of that concern. The Missouri congressman, former mayor and well-known pastor has been on the House Committee on Global Warming for about a year and says the plight of the bears has meaning beyond the ice caps. “The polar bear is the canary in the coal mine with regard to global warming,” he said. So Cleaver is co-sponsoring a bill to protect an area known as prime polar bear habitat. The measure would prevent the government from opening up nearly 30 million acres in the Chukchi Sea off Alaska for oil and gas drilling, at least until the Bush administration decides whether the polar bear should receive special protection as a threatened species.

But opponents of the bill note that it’s not as simple as polar bears. With spiraling gas prices, the Bush administration and other detractors say oil exploration would be safe and could lead to a secure energy source for Americans. The leases went up for bid Wednesday. Republican Rep. Don Young, Alaska’s sole congressman, opposes any delay.

“This effort to stop all oil and gas activity in the resource-rich sections of Alaska has been a long-standing goal of the Democratic leadership and the extreme environmental organizations,” Young said. “What is new is that the Democratic leadership and these organizations are now seeking to use the polar bear as a reason.”

Rep. James Sensenbrenner, a Wisconsin Republican, called the polar bear “a majestic and fascinating creature that should be observed, admired and protected.” But with the price of crude oil reaching $100 a barrel, he said the United States needs more access to domestic oil and gas reserves and that the polar bear “is simply becoming a political tool” on Capitol Hill. “There has been some cynical speculation in the media and among some others that the polar bear is just a few decades from extinction and the current administration is ready and willing to diminish the polar bear’s plight in order to help the oil and gas industry,” said Sensenbrenner, the ranking member of the House Global Warming Committee. “I believe nothing could be further from the truth.”

http://www.buffalonews.com/149/story/273054.html

:blush: On behalf of Wisconsin, I am embarrassed...

[rodeodance]

1. its 14 below her in WI--it has frozen his heart--and brain

[MasonJar]

2. To hell with the world and its creatures...let's be sure we have more oil, instead of

trying NOW, i. e. immediately, to find novel sources of energy. Have I mentioned lately that I hate the GOPers!!!!!!!!!! We need to stand up for the polar bears NOW!!!!!!!!

[Clovis Sangrail]

3. I actually heard some screed from Roy Innis about polar bears

that their numbers are increasing.
I'm guessing Sensenbrenner is reading from the same propaganda as Roy.

========
Climate myths: Polar bear numbers are increasing
http://environment.newscientist.com/channel/earth/climate-change/dn11656

The two populations that are increasing, both in north-eastern Canada, were severely reduced by hunting in the past and are recovering thanks to the protection they and their prey now enjoy.

The best-studied population, in Canada’s western Hudson Bay, fell by 22% from 1194 animals in 1987 to 935 in 2004, according to the US Fish and Wildlife Service. A second group in the Beaufort Sea, off Alaska’s north coast, is now experiencing the same pattern of reduced adult weights and cub survival as the Hudson Bay group.
=======

on edit:
I misspelled Innis as Innes... and there actually is a writer from Ca named Roy Innes ... I doubt he wants to be confused with the other Roy ;)

[undeterred]

4. Well it could be true that some inland populations are increasing

without the truth of others decreasing because of global warming being called into question. There are different habitats. But people want to believe whatever supports their politics. Sensenbrenner never seems to care about the environment.

[bobthedrummer]

5. He used to be the Chair of The House Judiciary Committee, and

then there are his connections with Saleh Kamel (former wealthiest human being).

He is another made man of the BFEE's Tommy Thompson crew. That's his sole "con$tituency".

[undeterred]

6. He plays the lottery every week and occasionally wins.

And he never gives any of it away, even though he is a very wealthy man.