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Loading...Murkowski Dirty Air Act Unfolds
Remember “Connect the Dots”? Those pages of seemingly random points that, when connected properly, formed a picture? Well, I’ve been reminded of this game while watching the Murkowski “Dirty Air Act” episode unfold.
Considering Sen. Murkowski is from Alaska, where the impacts of climate change are dramatic and costly, one might think she’d be at the forefront of the Senate’s efforts to reduce carbon pollution. She’s even acknowledged the very real impacts of climate change on her constituents, saying “My home state of Alaska literally has villages falling into the ocean.” As the ranking member of the Senate’s Environment and Natural Resources committee, she’s certainly in a key political position to put America on a clean energy course.
Connect these dots and you might expect to find a picture of a true climate champ…but that’s not the whole story.
According to OpenSecrets.org Sen. Murkowski has received hundreds of thousands of dollars from polluting companies, and some of her biggest campaign contributors in recent years include firms with fossil-fueled motives like Exxon Mobil Corp. Add those dots into the mix and a different picture emerges — and it starts to look like a person who is poised to introduce legislation next week attacking the Clean Air Act.
As early as Jan. 20 Sen. Murkowski is looking to spearhead efforts to delay the real action we need for America’s economy and health. Rather than returning from recess ready to help pass comprehensive clean energy and climate legislation that creates jobs and protects our communities and natural resources from global warming, the Senator is expected to lead a full frontal assault against long-overdue and much-needed climate action.
Right about now you must be saying: “What can I do about it?” I respond with: “Connect the dots.”
You now know about this serious threat to our health and economy (Dot 1). You have access to your senators who you can ask to reject any attempts to delay unlocking America’s clean energy potential (Dot 2). Add to these points: sharing this information with your friends and family, writing a letter to your newspaper about this issue, calling your senators to drive home your concern — and all of a sudden we have a picture of democracy that works for people and the planet, rather than just polluters.
JP Leous is a climate change policy advisor for The Wilderness Society
Read more: clean air act, epa, exxon, global warming, Murkowski, pollutants, pollution
By JP Leous
Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may
not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.
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+ add your ownShe and Sarah Palin are "Enemies of the Earth". Take a look at my share entitled: "Once Upon a Time ... Man Walked the Earth" which was inspired by the Alberta Tar Sands, but applicable to everything happening today. If you don't know about the Tar Sands, please watch the videos of "The Most Destructive Project on Earth"
WE DEMAND FULL DISCLOSURE AND ACCOUNTABILITY for GEOEngineering and Climate manipulation that has been going on for years!!!
http://www.californiaskywatch.com
Are you aware that the government admits to the deployment of aerosolized particulates of known toxicity over America for training in military applications and other purposes? Geoengineering? Climate Control?
http://proliberty.com/observer/20080112.htm
GEOENGINEERING, CLIMATE CONTROL AND HAARP INVESTIGATIVE REPORT
www.californiaskywatch.com/documents/htmldocs/geoengineering.htm
HAARP and Beyond - Dr. Nick Begich VERY INFORMATIVE...
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Sorry Lionel, you are wrong. This is about putting America back to work. We allowed our manufacturing to be exported as well as the jobs that paid the bills. For our good faith efforts we have been screwed. The healthcare problem is a direct result of the Clean Air Act of 1977. While you may believe that your politicians are not on they take, the rest of the world knows better. All politicians are on the take. Please do not kid yourself.
While I would admit that Alaska has something to gain by moving industry back to the US, from their perspective, it really does not matter where they sell their oil. China and India must have more energy. China is building anything and everything to produce more energy. The last I heard, 3 coal fired plants a week, plans to dam every river in China. The damage done to the environment is worst then lowering proposed standards. That is not to mention the damage that is done shipping the junk to our shores. Not just the US, but also Europe. Trains run back and forth across the US 24/7/365. much of what they carry is loaded back on to ships and carried to Europe. Panama is digging more locks for bigger ships, thus doubling capacity. While at the same time destroying more rainforest. Yet for some reason, nobody takes issue.
The fact is, we need to restore manufacturing to our economy in the US, as does Europe. The ecological damage done by shipping, has been ignored for too many years. I am referring to all modes of transport.
thanks for the useful and interesting postie.
this is the reason that america should outlaw the participation of corporations in elections
Lisa Murkowski is in the back pocket of the big oil companies. She really does not care about her constituents or the health of the climate in Alaska. Between her and Palin not only are women politicians getting a bad name but the voters of Alaska are probably second guessing their votes.
As long as your politicians rely upon contributions from Big Business to support their election campaigns those politicians will be puppets of the tycoons, jumping when ordered. Your "democracy" is fundamentally flawed. Most civilised nations rid themselves of such corruption in the nineteenth century; you are still in the Dark Ages. Get wise!
Hello Thomas H.,
4 of 4
Now try to figure this one out, since it still baffles me. Something can be produced half way around the world and transported here cheaper then it can be produced here. If labor was the issue, then the plants would still be here, since any job produces better living then welfare. Our labor laws can not be the answer, since plenty of illegals have jobs here to send money home. Thus government is not bothering to enforce the laws, and you really can not be running a meat packing house under the table. While I do know that employers do alter time cards by paying straight time in place of overtime, I still do not believe that low wages and shipping cost could be lower then the labor costs here in the "Developed World". It has to be environmental regulation. Environmentally we all need to have the same playing field. Anything else is an unfair advantage.
Overall, my point is short sighted intentions created all of the problems we have today. From Health Care and Finance to Unemployment and Pollution. We do not need anymore short sighted legislation. We continue to cut off our nose to spite our face, and we are no better off in the long run.
Sorry for the book each time, but I do believe it needs to be said and discussed openly. Thank you.
Hello Thomas H.,
3 of 4
Instead of fixing the problem, the developing nations instead produced Kyoto. Instead of limiting pollution to the areas that were already polluted, containment, they expanded it. The IMF and the World Bank provided essentially free money to destroy more land. Expanding the footprint of urban areas that did not have and still do not have any infrastructure to deal with the expanding populations that were created directly as a result of the new found wealth. This happened in Europe and North America due to industrialization in the 1880’s, what would give anyone the idea, that it would not happen in China, Indonesia, India, Brazil, and Russia. China is now considering removing the one child limit.
Hello Thomas H.,
2 of 4
Written properly, the CAA would have worked as intended. First would have been a restriction on allowing US tax payer dollars to be used for construction of plants offshore. Second, and most importantly, would have been a restriction on importing the finished goods unless the plants met the same standards as if they were built on US soil. As you can see, that did not happen. As a result of the CAA being half baked, we have more pollution then ever. Just because the pollution is dumped offshore, does not mean it will not get here. The Pacific Gyre is proof of that. Eventually, the raft will touch all coasts. The source for the debris is a direct result of improper sanitation standards due to rapid development in the developing world as well as increased shipping. This is not to mention the fact that in most developing nations, sewage is discharged directly to the river/ocean. My comments are based on the fact that piss poor legislation like CAA in the developed world is responsible for the problem. Not just in the US or North America, but Europe, Australia and Japan as well. Conveniently, the developed nations have failed to rectify the situation. Like much of the attitude I see here on C2NN, out of site out of mind. The problem is, just because you flush the toilet, doesn't mean the contents is gone, it is only been relocated. It still needs to be dealt with. We only have one atmosphere, and all the oceans are connected. No rocket science involved
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