This is a subject I swore I would leave alone on these boards, but has anyone been following the Prez's proposed "budgetary fiasco". This guy has got to be certifiable. With the help of his partisan bedmates on Capitol hill this guy is gonna turn back the clock on environmental programs a half a century with one fell swoop. His proposed cuts over the next five years are not only going to go against all of his stated environmental objectives( and there weren't many) they are going to all but eliminate programs from all over; the dept. of Interior, EPA, Bureau of Land Management the list is endless. If anyone out there cares one iota for your water your earth , even your family, as some of these cuts will directly effect The Clean Air Act, call or write or E-mail your representatives. If you've never done this kind of thing before believe meit can help. I have been a part of many "grass roots" letter campaigns that made a difference federally and here in NY. . A good site to get started at is www.envadvocates.org they even search out your reps' foryou if you don't know them, and have form letters if you don't wish to write your own.Please excuse my directness, and any grammatical or punctuational errors as this has me so fired up I think I'm typing faster than I really can, if that's at all sensible?!?!Anyway best of luck, Godspeed, and thanx for listenin!!

-- Anonymous, April 12, 2001

Answers

I am independent, neither Democrat nor Republican. I'll admit that environmentally-minded Republicans are few, but they do exist. I hope they'll turn out in force against "their" president. I am in the fortunate position of having congress members with very high ratings on environmental issues. Does anyone think it does any good to write to congress people of other states?

Dan, do you have any links for us to read up on this issue? I have to admit to being fairly ignorant about how to follow news items. I need all the help I can get!

Did everyone read the thread on CS (trying to think which one it was) that had info about how useless to any current energy crisis it would be to drill in ANWR and the increasingly poor condition of the Alaskan pipeline?

-- Anonymous, April 12, 2001

Yeah, fired up. That's how *I* feel!!!!!!I heard something on NPR this a.m. (while concentrating on bad traffic, so I wasn't paying as close attention as I would have liked) that there is a proposal to severely chop the alternative energy programs, especially solar. The oil biz R&D however, seems to have emerged unscathed. I am EXTREMELY concerned about this and PARTICULARLY with what appears to be FAVORTISM (ya think?) for the Big Oil Companies.

Again, I would love clarification (duh...maybe I'll hop over to the NPR website) b/c I can't imagine in the face of potential shortages of energy, PARTICULARLY fossil-fuel based, that we are ONLY thinking of the short term and politically expedient.

There...is that enough CAPS for you?

Could someone please help me get a grip??? I can't believe it's only four months and it is supposed to last for four years...........

-- Anonymous, April 12, 2001

I posted a question a while ago about "our new president" on the CS forum. I do believe that many folks were rather unhappy with him! His newest thing is tampering around with the endangered species act. What's next, I wonder??!

-- Anonymous, April 12, 2001

I am registered Independent and I voted for Nader. Someone told me that was a vote for Bush, NOT, it was a vote for Nader. I didn't like either Bush or Gore. They are both lying sacks of S***!

I, too, am upset about what Bush is doing. That CO2 thing, and drilling in Alaska, cut backs on alternative energy, the tax cut for the rich and on and on ad naseum. And I wasn't particularly impressed with how he initially started dealing with the China thing either, someone must have told him to shut up because he changed his tone.

I'll check out the web site you posted Dan. I am in Louisiana, and I think Breau voted against something Bush was pushing recently. It's early and my memory must still be asleep.

It's nice to be able to say something about the environment and not get jumped on.

Blessings, Judy

-- Anonymous, April 13, 2001

I told people during the election that if Dubbyah got elected I was going to start learning the words to "Oh Canada".

I read something a few weeks ago about a proposal to drill for oil and gas under the Great Lakes, specifically Lake Michigan. Has anyone else heard about this?

-- Anonymous, April 13, 2001

It was "mentioned" on the TV news, Sherri, though I don't remember if it was national or local. Apparently, the state of Michigan currently allows it, but none of the other states that border on Lake Michigan -- Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana. I hope that it's a VERY UNPOPULAR idea. It would damage recreation and tourism in this state, so hopefully, that will get folks up in arms against it. It bears watching, however.

So far, all states bordering the Great Lakes have blocked proposals to pump water from them and sell it on the world market, according to a post I saw on CS. Hope that's true!

-- Anonymous, April 13, 2001

I found an article from CNN on April 10th. http://www.cnn.com/2001/TECH/science/04/10/greatlakes.drilling.ap/

Michigan and Ohio are for drilling, the other states are against it. A House Democrat from Michigan is trying to pass legislation that would make a federal ban on drilling, but the Republicans won't give it a hearing.

The real kicker with all these drilling proposals is the small amounts of oil and gas they'll provide. Is trashing our largest supply of fresh drinking water really worth it?

-- Anonymous, April 13, 2001

Although I do like a lot of the things that President Bush is doing, I don't care for where he is headed with energy. I,too, heard the NPR broadcast about what he is proposing be cut. I was particularly disturbed about the solar technology that Energy has been funding for the last 15 years which if it could get increased funding could revolutionize how we heat our homes, etc. I can't remember what they called it but it was something like intensified or concentrated solar. Basically it uses mirrors to reflect the sunlight onto some kind of tube which contains water which gets heated up to 700 degrees and then converts to steam which provides the power. The gist of the NPR program was saying that they are hoping that private investors would pick up the slack and help make this technology a reality. This is a prime example of what was discussed on a CS thread about innovations that are bought out or destroyed to keep them off the markets and how we as individuals don't involve ourselves by putting our money where our mouth is. This is perhaps one of those very cases that if we could just jump in now and find out about this company and its technology that we could ensure that it gets to the marketplace for all of us. I'm going to surf the net to see if I can find out more about it.

-- Anonymous, April 13, 2001

It sure would be nice to have a president in office again who could see past the end of his nose. I told everyone who would listen NOT to vote for this guy, he doesn't care one whit about the environment or any other living thing. I would like to hear how he is going to explain to his future grandchildren and great grandchildren why he did everything in his power to ruin the earth for them and every other living thing. He only cares about himself, money and power apparently. I sincerely hope something happens to keep him from serving all 4 years. Gore is far from perfect, but he would have been better than this imbecile!

-- Anonymous, April 13, 2001

Let me start by saying that I don't register or support either party in toto. I am a firm believer in that if this system of government works at all it is through balance, and unfortunately we have little of that right now. Secondly two sites will provide answers to some environmental impact questions; the aforementioned www.envadvocates.org and www.nwf.org . There are some Federal Govt. sites to visit but for the life of me I can't find my list right now so later for that. Thirdly the Prezs' cuts into the endangered species act amounts to; varied levels of severe cuts in program funds , a no new listings agenda that would curtail the listing of any further species, and a plethera of other cost cutting tools that will all but cripple a wonderful and wonderfully effective(there aren't many) program, and most of these proposals are intended to be immediate, so the damage would be too. Lastly the NPR site previously listed is a good site for info as well. This stuff all gets a little too seerious so I'm glad I'm not the only one here showing interest, THANX A BUNCH.

-- Anonymous, April 13, 2001

Forgot to touch base on the ANWR thing. The info I've been able to glean is this; we've all ready drilled in 95% of the drillable Arctic shoreline, but these guys ain't got it all yet, so stand back or get in the fight! Two thingsabout Alaska oil , one the quality of crude travelling the pipeline now is relatively poor, so I've read, and two the "new" oil drilled would be 7 to 10 years out doing little to abate the current conditions, assuming the quality was any better. From what I've been able to read the bulk of Alaska oil is sold overseas, mostly to Japan.

-- Anonymous, April 13, 2001

An email that I received from a friend today (subject line: You think he had a mandate):

"In his first days in office, President Bush has attacked the world by doing the following: Cut off talks with North Korea, thereby endangering South Korea's fragile peace with its neighbor-nemesis.

Signed legislation rolling back ergonomic standards in the workplace.

Disinvited the American Bar Association from reviewing prospective nominees to the federal bench.

Gone back on his campaign promise to regulate carbon dioxide emissions from manufacturing plants.

Withdrawn a proposed standard for the amount of arsenic allowable in drinking water.

Begun devising ways to roll back U.S. monument designations.

Pulled the United States out of the Kyoto global-warming agreement.

Engineered a $1.2 trillion tax cut through Congress, though the amount was a little less than he wanted.

Dismantled the White House Women's Office of Initiatives and Outreach.

Proposed cutting research and development of alternative energy sources roughly in half in the next budget just as the West Coast is blacking out partly from overreliance on oil, gas and electricity.

Asked Congress to deny environmental groups and individual citizens the ability to sue the Interior Department to get rare plants and anmals listed as endangered."

.........Whether you agree with him or not, he certainly has been BUSY! Can't fault him for trying I guess. Trying to do what, though, is the issue.

-- Anonymous, April 13, 2001

...Trying to do what, though, is the issue.

And to whom, I might add. ;-)

-- Anonymous, April 13, 2001

I agree with all the above too! I think, however, that the real problem is that we are in a very small minority. Bush is only doing what is popular and seen to be in the interest of "the economy" - I don't think anyone expected him to be the real "environmental president"! I am sure letter writing campaigns can't do any harm, but I would also urge everyone to make a difference in their own lives. Cut down on consumption to reduce oil use both directly and indirectly, support alternatives, and communicate with less well informed friends and neighbors. If the demand for oil was fickle, we wouldn't have to deal with any of this.

-- Anonymous, April 13, 2001

Yeah and I just heard today he rolled back an Exec order? signed by BC to increase efficiency standards of air conditioners by 20% instead of the 30% Clinton had approved. Gore keeps looking better and better, and to think he's just begun.

-- Anonymous, April 13, 2001

I was mulling this over while shedding out my horses tonight (sure does give your brain time to work). Then on the way home from the barn, listening to the BBC news as I usually do, I was struck by their analysis of Bush's presidency as seen by the rest of the world. It was understated, but the gist that I got from it was that they were incredulous as to what kind of a dope we'd allowed into the White House. They were talking about how incredibly foolish it was of him to alienate both the Russians and the Chinese in 4 short months,pointlessly for that matter, and bring about a stand-off with the Chinese that had the rest of the world holding its collective breath wondering if we were going to bomb the rest of them into oblivion. This is my paraphrasing of what was said.

I have also been thinking that something that could be effective is to enlist the help of school kids in a letter writing campaign to deluge the White House with questions about why Bush is doing these things...and get a release to the press about it so that they can pursue it. That's the kind of thing that the press likes, so they'll pay some attention when there's a human interest story.

-- Anonymous, April 14, 2001

Yeah, and another thing I just heard. Arnold "The terminator" Schwartzenhager is toying with the idea of running for guv of Calif. I suspect he'll be the next actor from Cal to run for prez. Maybe he'll have Jesse Ventura as running mate. And the scary thing about it all if it wasn't so ridiculous is its a possibility. Howz O Canada go ?

-- Anonymous, April 14, 2001

Apparently some of the "old" Republicans aren't too happy with the "new" Republicans, or specifically the way our President handled the China situation. I was just over at salon.com reading some of the stuff that Gary Bauer, John McCain, etc. were saying. Some dissent in the ranks...

What an interesting world.

-- Anonymous, April 14, 2001

Well, I don't think that Arnie can run for President, he was born in Austria, and don't you still have to be born here? You might be able to get Jessie Ventura to run along with Hulk Hogan who bandied it about...it could at least make for interesting cabinet meetings. They could air it on C-Span and charge pay-per-view. (just joking!!)

-- Anonymous, April 14, 2001

Well, I just found something that made for interesting and timely reading for those of us struggling with our taxes. This is an excerpt from the BBC's reporting --

Dick Cheney may be President Bush's second-in-command - but he managed to earn more than 40 times more than his boss last year. Tax returns show that the vice-president and his wife Lynne reported earning the considerable sum of $36.1m in 2000 - dwarfing the $894,880 earned by George W Bush and his wife Laura.

The first couple earned just under $1m in 2000 The Cheneys paid $14.3m in federal taxes on their earnings, while the first couple paid out $240,342.

Both couples would see their tax bills significantly reduced if Mr Bush manages to get his 10-year, $1.6 trillion tax-cut plans enacted.

The figures were released by the White House ahead of the annual 15 April deadline for filing income taxes.

Stock options

Only $806,332 of Mr Cheney's income was actual salary from his role until late last year as chief executive officer of Dallas-based oil services firm Halliburton Co.

The vice-president also received $4.3m in deferred compensation and bonuses from the company.

The vice-president's stock options kept the Cheneys in the money However the bulk of his income came from stock options which he exercised in order to avoid conflicts of interest. (end quote)

Gee, does anyone wonder WHY it's such a burning issue to drill out all that ANWR oil now?

-- Anonymous, April 14, 2001

Sheepish, great list. I would liked to have contributed something similar but I get so upset just thinking about it I can't type. Lest this thread get too one sided, I would like to acknowledge my appreciation to duh...byah bush. I was in our local book store and happened on a book on 'bushisms'. I usually have no problem maintaining proper decorum in librarys and book stores but by page two I was laughing so hard I had tears running down my face. My best laugh in years. In fear of soiling myself I had to put it down. Our education president. What an inspiration to our children. Just think ,you too could graduate from an ivy league school, go on to be the leader of this nation and still speak incoherently. This truely is the land of opportunity.

-- Anonymous, April 15, 2001

Yer right julie. I thot of that later. Arnie was born in Austria so I think so he'd be ineligible---thankfully.

I was so hoping tho they'd institute arm wrestling as a way of settling international disputes. You know "I win---Taiwan becomes an independent nation and you quit whining about it. You win---you can have it."

-- Anonymous, April 16, 2001

Actually my understanding was that Arnold is eligible. I know the presidency isn't open to him but I think the governor's office is?

-- Anonymous, April 16, 2001

All I have to say is, "Where is Lee Harvey Oswald when you need him?"

-- Anonymous, April 18, 2001

Laura, what would that get us except Dick Cheney as prez? :-(

-- Anonymous, April 18, 2001

Yeah, not a great alternative, but at least people would have to recognize that he wasn't voted into office. With any luck, that would curb his activities somewhat. (Maybe I'm too optimistic.)

-- Anonymous, April 18, 2001