“What merit has a nation’s so called ‘progress,’
If it destroys all god-given life in its way?”
Music: Nature’s Lament
The last eight long agonizing years of the Bush Administration
Have been truly abysmal for America’s endangered wildlife
And now, before this administration is thankfully departing
It is trying to gut the Endangered Species Act with its knife
Many politicians today, including Governor Sarah Palin
Believe that endangered animals interfere with ‘progress’
They want to ‘de-list’ as many species of animals as possible
So that logging, mining, and oil interests can continue with zest
The White House is currently seeking ESA rule changes
That would significantly reduce the Act’s effectiveness
They’ve received 300,000 letters from concerned citizens
But they very eagerly want to ignore our citizen comments
So they’ve now assigned a team of government ‘reviewers’
To read and examine these 300,000 letters, in just a few days
Each member of this ‘team’ would have just about enough time
To review seven letters per minute – what a joke – there’s no way
We need to somehow return to a nation where our voice counts
We need to somehow elect leaders, who care about our concerns
We need to finally stand up for our many god-given natural wonders
Before our so called ‘leadership’ begins in earnest to kill, slash, and burn
Many of us environmentalists and conservationists are extremely disappointed
That very little mention has been made in this election concerning the environment
But we do know that Governor Sarah Palin agrees with the abysmal Bush philosophy
That wildlife doesn’t matter, in pursuit of corporate profit and resource development
Before you cast your own ballot for anyone this coming Election Day,
Please ask yourself if you care about preserving our nation’s animals;
And ask yourself if you care about what we’ll be leaving to the future,
Will it be a vibrant, life-filled nation, or will it be dead and abysmal?
And Please Read My Posted A.D. Article,
Maybe Your Type of Leader – Definitely Not Mine.
And Please Do Some Research On Your Own,
Concerning Each Candidate’s Stance on The Environment.
On its way out the door, the Bush Administration is making a mockery of a long-standing practice in our government — to set aside substantial time for reviewing public comments concerning major federal rule changes.
Since midsummer, the Interior Department has been rushing to implement a high priority of President Bush’s regarding the Endangered Species Act (ESA). He is seeking numerous ESA rule changes that would significantly dilute the act’s effectiveness.
His administration tried to get these rule changes through Congress in 2005, but failed. Now, it wants to make these changes administratively, which it claims it has the power to do, once public comments have been received and reviewed.
And normally, it would take months to review this many comments. But a ‘government team’ with only a few members has now been ordered to have their reviews completed this week. They were given 32 hours, from Tuesday through Friday, to accomplish this.
An analysis by the House Natural Resources Committee concluded that each member of this team would have to review seven comments every minute. And many of these comments are long and technical, including one submitted by a University of California law professor that numbers 70 pages.
The rule changes President Bush eagerly seeks would give federal agencies and corporations they work with the power to decide for themselves whether any project they were planning to build, fund, or authorize, including highways, dams, mines, and oil drilling, would harm endangered species. Since the Endangered Species Act was passed in 1973, such projects have always undergone independent reviews by government scientists.
These new rules would also prohibit federal agencies from assessing whether green-house gas emissions from a new government sponsored project would intensify global warming, thus harming endangered species and their habitats.
This administration is so hellbent on getting these ‘corporate and developer-friendly’ changes made before it leaves office that it is turning the normal comment review process into a complete sham.
If these ESA rules do get changed, we should demand that the next administration immediately work to reverse them — this time after giving the appropriate thought and consideration to our citizen comments concerning the continued protection of our nation’s remaining wildlife and wildlife habitat.
The Endangered Species Act was enacted into law back in 1973 only because at that time, millions of us did care about our nation’s wildlife, and about our nation’s future, and millions of us had then demanded that action be taken to protect them.
And although I commend every citizen who submitted a comment concerning these abysmal ESA changes, it’s truly sad in a nation of 350 million that only about 300,000 American citizens today even seem to care.
©2008, Mr. Ed
Maybe Your Type of Leader - Definitely Not Mine
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you do it so well!...TL
thanks.
Larry
Be always safe,
Karen
Always powerfully written, always poignantly versed - superb!
Best regards,
Lance
When I see and hear the birds and other creatures around me, I feel just a little less lonely. Humans are, I think, headed for ultimate loneliness and despair if we carry on like this.
Remember the tale of Hyperion?
Newfie hugs, Rose
to vote and voice their opinions. Ed, great message! Thanks!
It's appalling to me that people would even consider the
continuation of the policies of this abysmal administration.
They care not for, as you so succinctly put it, "God-Given Life"!
They care only for the almighty dollar.
And this is why it's so critcal that Obama and not McCain gets in. If McCain gets in, these illicit changes to ESA will stand, and consequently OUR wildlife and wildplaces will FALL! Am I only one of the few Americans who thinks that this is the REAL most important issue between the two candidates? I don't hear Americans discussing this except for US animal advocates. It's not just the animals it's also the last wilderness (as I sure don't have to tell YOU!)
On Nov. 5 if McCain wins I will feel crushed and truely in mourning for the GREATEST AMERICAN Heritage: the wildness this country was founded on...
Bush came in after Clinton and UNDID all he tried to preserve for posterity... We need a president who will UNDO all Bush is doing to destroy America!!
Later, michael
Regis
When is the general average six pack Joe going to realize that the environment soup that he lives in, is slowly leaking away, so too is his life and his grandchildren , too late when it's over my friends, so do what Ed. says, please spread the word, we failed up here, and we got another dinosaur running this place again, the greedy majority, the ones , that think my purse before my health won again, and a decent honest and bright man lost for it, and so did all the little critters and big ones along with all the rest, that guarantees us live!
Bless you a thousand times for caring, and all your friends!
Jasmin Horst
Aren't supposed the policians to represent us, not to drive their own private agenda?
Now, if they can shot American wolves can we shot American politicians? after all you can't have both ways.
Georg
YESTERDAY heard this Candidate on Radio - WYPR - Was Truly Impressed - Been saying Ralph Nader, but now leaning toward her & GREEN Party!
Talk of the Nation, October 22, 2008 ·
Cynthia McKinney, the first African-American woman to represent Georgia in the House of Representatives, is now the Green Party's candidate for the 2008 presidential election. She discusses the Green platform and her plans if elected.
Her determination & Stick-to-it-tive-ness while the MC kept trying to shut her down was remarkable - She had something to say - AND SAID IT - the Party Platform makes more sense than the Donkey & Elephant COMBINED!
MAY GOD GRANT GREEN GREATNESS ! TK.
This about made me cry. I am an animal activist but feel absolutely helpless. People care more about money than animals. I guess we have to band together, and let the government know what is important.
I applaud you for speaking out.
Mary
(((HUGS))) and love, Karla.
I was reading Stacy's response and realized, I hadn't heard anything about wildlife preservation. They're part of our American heritage and our lifeline to God.
I'm so glad you mentioned this in your article
This is SUCH an important issue in the election and I am also appalled that no mention has really been made of it. I watch the debates and "town hall" rallies in hopes of seeing something - anything - about the status of wildlife preservation and it's either sidestepped or disregarded completely. If we lose our animals, we lose our environment and the natural balance of the world. If we lose that, what will we have to fight for or defend? The world would not be worth living in. But, I guess for those clustered like so many rats in high-rise apartments, it's not a big deal... We can only write, bring attention to the issue and hope we're taken seriously. Life is to short to start eliminating our wildlife family... Great job covering this important issue.