Kerry Blasts Bush on Environmental Laws

[papau]

I did like the Bush response that this is a "campaign of pessimism/false attacks" line that the media refuses to call a lie.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uslatest/story/0,1282,-3999471,00.html

Kerry Blasts Bush on Environmental Laws

Tuesday April 20, 2004 5:31 PM By MIKE GLOVER Associated Press Writer

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry on Tuesday accused President Bush of ``playing dirty'' by gutting the nation's environmental laws, contending that the president has reversed 30 years of progress.

Speaking along the shore of Tampa Bay for a photo-friendly rally, Kerry said he would toughen environmental regulation and rejected arguments that protecting the environment damages the economy.

"They use the same tired old argument that you can't have a clean environment if you want a strong economy," Kerry said. "Well, they're wrong. You can have both."

Kerry cast his environmental argument in economic terms by noting that beach closings in Florida have reached record levels and threaten the state's $50 billion tourism industry.<snip>

On Monday, Kerry's campaign released a lengthy critique of Bush's treatment of the environment, accusing him of fighting to weaken protections on several fronts. Kerry's campaign also launched a television ad in five states that accuses the president of allowing corporate polluters to rewrite the nation's environmental laws.<snip>

[TreasonousBastard]

1. Had Pigboy on for a couple of minutes today...

and he's trashing Kerry by still parroting the line that the environment is as clean as we need to to be.

"Nobody's dying from drinking the water."

That's what he thinks...

[seasat]

2. Kerry's timing is great.

MSNBC has this interview up from dateline with a former EPA employee who quit over Shrub's policies.

(LINK)

If you're going to make a stand by walking away from your job, it should be over something pretty important. How about the air we breathe? A new government report found that the air in 31 states, affecting nearly 160 million people, fails to meet new federal health standards for smog. Part of the reason is pollution coming from big coal-burning power plants. For decades, the Clean Air Act helped improve air quality, a man named Bruce Buckheit helped enforce it. But now, this former top government official has given up his job, frustrated because he says the country is taking a giant step backwards -- and that you and your children may soon see the difference in the air you breathe.
...
Phillips: “Without that federal intervention chances are the air in Tampa would not be as clean as it is today?”

Ramil: “That's probably right.

Phillips: “What's the biggest enforcement challenge right now when it comes to air pollution?”

Buckheit: “The Bush Administration. An opportunity to reduce pollution just as we saw in Tampa is being foregone.”

Phillips: “Are you saying this administration just doesn't care about air pollution?”

Buckheit: “Yes. I'm saying this administration has decided to put the economic interests of the coal fired power plants ahead of the public interests in reducing air pollution.”

Give this guy a campaign button and stick him in front of the crowds.:D The interactive features are pretty good too. I especially liked the Kerry ad on this page.

They also released the Ocean Policy Commission Report. It's worth a read by anyone with any concern for the Environment.

(LINK)