Kerry and Dean on the Environment

[Feanorcurufinwe]

Kerry and Dean have some similar rhetoric on the environment, but they diverge in the details, and in their records.
Rather than listen to my spin on it, I urge you to click through both links below.


Kerry:
http://www.johnkerry.com/site/PageServer?pagename=env_main

Dean:
http://www.deanforamerica.com/site/PageServer?pagename=policy_statement_environment

[blm]

1. rhetoric on the environment is nothing new

look at Bush in 2000. Check their REAL records. What were they for and what they were against throughout their time in government.

[JI7]

2. that's why i usually don't go to campaign sites

the official campaign sites of the candidates. i usually try to look at other sources to get information of where candidates stand on the issues. although i do like to look at their sites at times. it's much better and informative to look at independent groups. like if you wanted a candidates position on abortion rights naral would be good. or sierra club and league of conservation voters for environmental record.

[DrFunkenstein]

3. Kerry Rated

League of Conservation Voters gave Kerry a 92, and a nearly flawless record at Public Citizen - voting with them on issues like the Yucca Mountain Nuclear Waste Site and higher CAFE standards. Outside of one no vote, Kerry also voted with Sierra Club 100% of the time.

Kerry's reproductive rights record is spotless, btw.

But I feel you can also see a substantive issue between the candidates. Kerry speaks directly to specific programs, whereas Dean wants us to ask fisherman if we need healthy oceans, and loggers if we need healthy forests. Bush also asked the loggers what we need, but I wouldn't call gutting the forests necessarily in our best interest.

Not to equate Dean and Bush, but by being so vague he allows these sort of cheap comparisons. And if you thought Kerry tied everything to Vietnam : "As a doctor, I believe clean air, clean land, and clean water are the right of all Americans," not to be confused with "short term policies that amount to a band-aid on a broken bone."

As DrFunkenstein, I believe Dean needs to do a little more homework on environmental policy.