Environmentalism

In today's newspaper editions, there appears to be a lot of interest in environmental policy and environmentalism...and how these issues relate to the Candidates of 2008. The environment is important, but what's become evident over the past 20+ years is how the two major political parties are portrayed in The Press. A potentially skewed representation is this:
Democrats: Pro-Environment, Save the Animals, Industry is Evil, Business Kills Bambi
Republicans: Anti-Environment, Kill All Animals, Industry is Pure, Business At All Costs

Now, let's try to be fair. Neither portrayal is accurate if you're trying to represent the "typical" voter for each party. Is it possible that there are fringe extremists in both parties that could be portrayed thusly? Of course. But we don't cater to extremism - we tailor our coverage to the mainstream America. So, in an effort to represent the "typical" voter (always a goal in this blog), let's touch upon some of the environmental issues in the news today.

GLOBAL WARMING
1. Last week, Al Gore won a Nobel Peace Prize for bringing more attention to Global Warming.
Comment: In two years, we'll hear about how Al invented Global Warming. Thank the heavens that Al took up this cause and finally (FINALLY!) shed some light on a novel concept that no one had ever heard of. Never mind the years of international meetings, scientific papers, newspaper articles , and television reports - after all, the Kyoto Protocol only came out in 1997!!

And let's totally discount the scientific community that believes that we may merely be entering a natural warming phase caused by (gasp!) the earth. But we can discount these so-called experts - Al has spoken.

2. Last week, Obama released a plan to combat global warming that calls for an 80 percent reduction in U.S. carbon emissions by 2050.
Comment: Details to follow in 2049.

Endorsements
1. Friends of the Earth Action has endorsed Senator John Edwards for the 2008 Democratic Presidential Primary.
Comment: No surprise. Edwards led the Democrats' 80% carbon reduction effort, and is rewarded by the liberal environmental advocacy group. No comment yet on whether carbon reduction includes humans (remember, 18% of a human is carbon).

2. Republicans for Environmental Protection has endorsed Senator John McCain for the 2008 Republican Presidential Primary.
Comment: Huh? Republicans want to protect the environment? I must have missed that segment on CNN.

Other News
In non-environmental news, "Law & Order" Thompson says that he's the real Conservative. Details to follow in 2009.

-- Submitted by R Wellesley