my care2
make a difference

causes & news

news network

socially conscious news and video shared and rated by the community

When Ignorance Is Bliss

Environment  (tags: greenhouses gases, polltuion, CO2 emissions, White House, EPA, US government, manipulating science )

Ombretta
- 86 days ago - nytimes.com
In December 2007, the Environmental Protection Agency concluded that greenhouse gases must be controlled and emailed a report to the White House. The White House refused to open the email from the EPA. More details about this debacle are being revealed.
Comments

Ombretta LittleShadow (417)
Saturday July 19, 2008, 3:28 am
More information emerges on the huge chunks of information the White House pressured the EPA to remove from its conclusions:

"...including a finding that tough regulation of motor vehicle emissions could produce $500 billion to $2 trillion in economic benefits over the next 32 years."

But wait, there's more. After reading the posted story, look at this followup published just yesterday:
More on Why White House Blocked CO2 Curbs

Refusing to even READ a report? Does this give the government carte blanche to pretend ignorance and manipulate science?
 

Gregory S. (268)
Saturday July 19, 2008, 3:54 am
Here in Redding the smoke from the forest fires is so thick you could slice it. Thanks for the post Cate.
 

Maria Oniga (231)
Saturday July 19, 2008, 3:57 am
noted.thank you,Cate
 

Stephanie Colson (245)
Saturday July 19, 2008, 4:39 am
The white house just sucks...The government has gone to shit...

Big Gorilly hgs
 

Dolores H. (37)
Saturday July 19, 2008, 4:45 am
Our current administration is not interested in any environmental issues. They are too busy lining their greedy pockets at our expense. I often wonder if they are ever going to be held responsible for crimes.
 

Joycey B. (514)
Saturday July 19, 2008, 5:29 am
This does not surprise me at all. They live in this world too, you think they would show some concern and do something about it. Noted with thanks Cate.
 

Ken S. (20)
Saturday July 19, 2008, 6:31 am
About 5 years agp I spent a month in Virginia. I enjoyed my stay, but did not enjoy the pollution in the atmospere.I don't know if many of you realize this, but the sky IS blue...not grey.We see the sun nearly every day here. When I travel, I am alwways pleased to get home to blue sky, and clean air...Mind you in our capital cities, we are catching up to you in peak hour.
 

Ombretta LittleShadow (417)
Saturday July 19, 2008, 7:44 am
It doesn't make any sense to me at all...If scientists can show, in cold hard fact, that CO2 emissions are harmful to the health of the planet and all living creatures...why ANY government would not want to impose restrictions to limit their emission. Expense is not an excuse. Either you truly care about the planet or you don't. And the harm caused by the US's refusal to act affects everyone, not just Americans.
 

Shoshana B. (149)
Saturday July 19, 2008, 8:01 am
I am so SICK of these people. As you said Cate, I don't understand why they don't want to limit emissions. Do they not care that they're ruining the planet and the creatures on it? Have they ever stopped to consider the effect their actions will have on others, especially future generations? Knowing our administration, probably not. I'm tired of living under this administration. And it's not clear how much better things will be after the election.

Maybe I should move to Iceland (or somewhere)
 

Joan Mclaughlin (123)
Saturday July 19, 2008, 8:34 am
I get it.If you don't know about a problem,there isn't any problem!YEAH RIGHT!!
 

Brenda H. (139)
Saturday July 19, 2008, 10:04 am
BUSH/CHENEY HAVE MADE A GREAT EFFORT TO DESTROY OUR COUNTRY AND HAVE DONE A PRETTY DAM GOOD JOB OF IT!! AND--WHAT WILL THE NEXT 4 YRS. BE--ANY DIFFERENT?
 

Jeannine C. (46)
Saturday July 19, 2008, 10:19 am
they want to make people ill it seems, their pollution makes them money all around. this winder we shit off our oil burner installing a energy smart electric heater, and electric heaters we found via mother earth news, saves money too. you can choose a green energy provider. we hope to install wind water and solar panels soon too.
 

Laurie W. (116)
Saturday July 19, 2008, 10:26 am
Most of the those in power are not young...nobody lives forever and they don't give a crap about anyone but themselves...make big profits...escape to those islands were the air is somewhat cleaner...relax...stuff your face..just live for today...and if they get sick...well at least they can afford the medical costs
 

Timothy Brown (33)
Saturday July 19, 2008, 10:37 am
The really sad and obscene part of this is that Bush knew CO2 emmisions were a problem and promised in the campaign to significantly reduce them. Shortly after he was elected, someone, either a wealthy contributer or someone in his administration that was bad for the people who gave them money, lots of money. If he was just stupid and believed the crap and pap that we were fed, somehow it would not seem so bad.
 

Jeff D. (52)
Saturday July 19, 2008, 10:39 am
Hey Thanks Cate :) One would appear to think The Bush Admin are exempt from compliance to the rest of the world. My Hot N Steamy cup just went sour after a memory to the lyrics of Billy Joel's song of "Honesty".

When Bush says bring our troops home, he really means "Lets re-draft these guys back to Iraq's firing line. When he says, everyone is entitled to a 5-10% wage increase, he is referring to a postponement of tax increases to fund road repairs.

Where's there credibility now? It's in one of the effluent ponds near the whitehouse!

This is one MAJOR MAJOR reason WHY we need to create the Next Generation Society that won't cost anyone a single penny ever again and work for a minimum of 25-30 hours per week to better humankinds international society.

Just imagine NO MORE down-winded methane pumping Bulsh Chet-ney :D
 

Tim Redfern (473)
Saturday July 19, 2008, 11:05 am
*cough-cough-cough!*

Thanks, Cate.
*cough-cough-cough!*

noted.
 

Ombretta LittleShadow (417)
Saturday July 19, 2008, 11:41 am
OFF TOPIC REMINDER: PLEASE SIGN FOR JULIE, AND SPREAD THE WORD TO YOUR FRIENDS - THANK YOU! Justice for Julie
 

Cary V. (0)
Saturday July 19, 2008, 2:19 pm
Here is a little exercise to appreciate clean air and how precious it is to all living things.Pass it on.....
The next time you are in front of a world globe I would kindly ask you to measure 200 miles from your house on that globe.It's about a centimeter on most globes. Now tilt that measuring stick straight up and that will display the limited amount of oxygen wrapping this planet. In the grand scheme of things it is like a blue elastic band wrapped around a head of lettuce you would find in a grocery store.We have to STOP polluting.Don't choke
 

Donna Smith (17)
Saturday July 19, 2008, 2:23 pm
noted,thanks Cate.
 

Roy B. (0)
Saturday July 19, 2008, 2:44 pm
insane isn't it........arrrgh....
noted.
 

Mick C. (38)
Saturday July 19, 2008, 4:11 pm
Nice article ,Cate - noted.
 

Carolyn T. (210)
Saturday July 19, 2008, 4:38 pm
Noted. There is no national leader as ignorant as GWB, so he ought to be downright blissful...even euphoric! Isn't this a childish way to conduct the business of the country....egad!
 

Shawn olsen (4)
Saturday July 19, 2008, 4:44 pm
I cannot stomach this administration any more, It is a black spot on our history. Bush and Cheney and others are just plain criminals and if there was a hell they would go to it.
 

Louise L. (35)
Saturday July 19, 2008, 6:11 pm
How about a local example of how bad compliance is overall? I Live about 10 blocks from the I225 corridor which runs from Houston into Pasadena into Deer Park, and is solid miles of chemical plants. A private plane flies over every morning at 11am, so I asked a native (he's lived here since 1956) what it was about; seems the plane flies over to measure impurities in the air; the catch is that they are told to stop at 6am so the air will clear by 11am. So any news that they don't intend to increase their policing isn't much of a surprise, since they don't even monitor now! All we can do is email our feeling to senate/congress/white house and hope new administrations start doing better. It sickens me that we are leaving this putrid air to our grandchildren! Thanks, Cate, great read.
 

Deborah N. (28)
Saturday July 19, 2008, 7:37 pm
Sounds about right for this Administration.. they aren't listening to the Citizens when we tell them what we want why would this be any different ??? They have always did what they want.. don't like it hide it & say it never came to there office or war.. say that they are harmful to the world & we go to war.. we have never had any say & its wrong.. when will this ever be in our say.. ???
 

Bronwyn H. (137)
Saturday July 19, 2008, 9:23 pm
Noted and thanks for story Cate.Ignorant bliss yes, power and greed also.
 

Dar D. (193)
Saturday July 19, 2008, 10:34 pm
They don't care..., and they are not going to really do the improvements that would help anything to get better. Now ask yourselves..."why"? For some reason I feel the worst for us lies within that answer, which is beyond this administration and the next one.
 

Eternal Optimist (117)
Saturday July 19, 2008, 11:19 pm
Noted with thanks Cate :) Since Bush can't put a sentence together coherently until someone tells him what to say, maybe he can't read either!
 

Denice G. (47)
Saturday July 19, 2008, 11:38 pm
I am not surprised. Business as usual for Bush
Thanks Cate
 

Arielle S. (77)
Sunday July 20, 2008, 7:54 am
So why is this not on the nightly news and spread across every newspaper? Why do we the people keep allowing them to get away with so much? I'm so weary of them - may camels fly up their noses and elephants spit in their eyes.
 

Lorraine K. (210)
Sunday July 20, 2008, 8:14 am
They are stupid because it affects them as well as everyone else, we all breath the same air!
 

Bill McGlone (120)
Sunday July 20, 2008, 8:59 am
Note and read with much interest because I see many similiar attributes betwee the Nazi and Bush doctrines on experimentation and denial....