The first time I went to Nepal, in 1970, they had just built their first paved road into the country-- in honor of the marriage of the crown prince-- and Kathmandu, the capital, was a fairly pristine city. Now the UN rates its air the world's most polluted. The traffic and the noise pollution are also off the map, and everything is filthy beyond belief. I just got back-- my third trip there-- two weeks ago and I'm still "recovering." Today my doctor sent me to a specialist to figure out what kind of exotic creatures are sharing my body. But you know what's scariest about Kathmandu, other than the grinding poverty and gigantic financial disparity between the poor masses and the rich elite? It's exactly where the GOP is dragging our own country.
You're not going to find many worse corporate shills than Alabama Republican Mike Rogers. This week he bragged how the Republican Party will not just gut Social Security and Medicare if they win the White House and Senate in 2012 but will also shut down the EPA. Republican presidential semi-contenders Michele Bachmann and Newt Gingrich are both campaigning on shutting down the agency, and House Republicans have already voted to defund its operations.
Monday the Congressional Progressive Caucus and the Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition did their best to thwart the House Republicans' determination to further destroy efforts to protect the environment. Idaho wingnut Mike Simpson introduced a bill, H.R. 2584, that will guarantee more polluted drinking water and more polluted air and overturn 40 years of bipartisan progress protecting the environment.
With eight days until the country officially defaults on its debts, likely sparking a worldwide credit crisis, the House of Representatives is busy with legislation aimed at repealing environmental regulations and stymieing conservation efforts.
The Interior and Environmental Protection Agency spending bill for fiscal year 2012 contains policy riders added by panel Republicans to thwart White House-backed initiatives on everything from the EPA's regulation of greenhouse gas emissions to conservation efforts in the Grand Canyon. It would halt new regulations on mountaintop removal mining and prevent the Fish and Wildlife Service from listing new species under the Endangered Species Act.
When the vote was called on the rule that would determine the debate, every single Republican voted to gut the EPA and they were joined by just one corrupt Blue Dog, Sanford Bishop of Georgia. Many Blue Dogs just didn't bother to vote, including Ben Chandler (KY), Mike Ross (AR) (who was busy announcing his retirement), Dan Boren (OK), David Scott (GA), Heath Shuler (NC) and Joe Baca (CA).)
Jim McGovern (D-MA) summed the problem up on the floor early in the debate: "This Interior Appropriations bill represents an unprecedented departure from our nation's decades-long bipartisan commitment to protecting our shared environment, magnificent natural resources, and our cherished cultural treasures." Jim Moran (D-VA), pointed out that all the bill really is at its heart is "a wish list for special interests."
Some of my favorite quotes from the debate Monday came from the most intrepid fighters in the House.
Here's Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ):
Why do Republicans think wiping out environmental protections would help the country more than making sure big corporations stop taking advantage of tax loopholes? Our priorities are very different and very clear. Instead of opening up the Grand Canyon to mining and our nation’s open spaces to logging and drilling, why don’t we create jobs and work on laws to benefit everyone rather than just a wealthy few? We’re going to keep asking these questions until we hear some answers.
And Keith Ellison (D-MN) came right to the point:
This bill is the biggest assault on clean air, clean water, and basic environmental protections that this country has ever seen. Minnesota has a history of commitment to our environment. My constituents did not send me to Washington to advance the interests of Big Oil at the expense of the air we breathe.
Fortunately the reactionary House bill has no chance of passing the Senate, which will rewrite it once Boehner sends it over.
UPDATE: I Bet The GOP Doesn't Like This Infographic Released By The White House Today!
It demonstrates the phenomenal impact of new 54.5 mpg fuel efficiency standards, $8200 in savings over new car lifetime in 2025-- exactly what they oppose, tribally!
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