Meltdown of the EPA

There is a reason why the EPA is part of the executive branch, an ultimately under the authority of an elected public official - the President of the United States. Namely, that way it is ultimately accountable to the electorate instead of the parochial vision of a group of unelected bureaucrats.

If the EPA (as in the mercury case) is actually violating the law, they should be reprimanded and taken to court if necessary. Otherwise there is no reason why some EPA scientist or group of scientists should get their way on a regulatory decision any more than I should. Ultimately it is the President’s prerogative to execute the laws.

So on an issue like the mercury case, I readily agree. But scientists complaining of “cost / benefit analyses” are doing nothing more than whining. Welcome to the real world, where such things matter.

Finally, the idea that carbon dioxide is a “pollutant” is positively ridiculous. Short of congressional action to the contrary, President Bush is right to refuse to endorse the most economically counterproductive idea of the modern era.

I think both sides fudge the numbers in order to accomplish their goals - usually to satisfy a key constituent. I’m a strong believer in environmental issues - the ones that make sense, that is. For instance, we shouldn’t be worried much about global warming, but of global cooling. History shows that it has been during periods of cooling that major diseases, famines, and wars have occurred. Warm periods have normally brought better crops and economy, and fewer diseases.
BTW, an easier and cheaper way to slow global warming is to introduce particles into the atmosphere, much as does a volcano. For us to reduce carbon emissions to Kyoto standards (1991 levels) would mean we would have to reduce our current 180 billion gallons of fuel each year down to 30 billion: 80% decrease. There’s no way we will ever do that without starving millions of people to death. Even if we did that, it wouldn’t stop the global warming, because of the Chinese and Indians are industrializing. How can we ask them to stay third world nations, by not industrializing? They won’t sign a Kyoto type treaty until AFTER their peoples have caught up to us in the West. And their 2 billion plus peoples will cause much more pollution than the 600M in the USA and Europe.
Corn as ethanol was not thought out. Once again, the political parties saw a short-termed method to make constituents (farmers) happy, but at the cost of starving people world wide. Any normal idiot could have figured out that if you use up all your grains for fuel, you eventually have nothing to eat! Obviously, we do not have normal idiots in Washington.
I am frustrated that neither major party has addressed the key issues of fuel independence and environmental friendly energy. CNN recently showed a couple brothers who purchased a Toyota Prius two years ago, and redesigned the engine to now get 100 mpg. Their question was why the big companies haven’t done what they accomplished? I’d also like to know why - is there collusion going on with the oil companies? Why haven’t we invested more into alternate fuels. Why not open up oil drilling in Anwar and offshore, with a tax that goes specifically for developing alternate energy?
Finally, I have a fear for the next generation. I live in a small town west of Indianapolis, with a pretty stream running close to my home with walking paths next to it. Two years ago, I found out about some teens that threw a grocery cart into the creek. When I chewed them out, and talked about the environment, they asked me if I was a “nature freak.” Just a couple days ago, I saw 3 other teens throw a broken bike into the creek. I made them go in and get it out, and discussed environment with them. One kid was totally uncaring, and didn’t think it important to preserve anything for his children and grandchildren. Only when I explained to them about how the environment keeps them alive with clean oxygen and uncontaminated water to drink, did they stop and think a little.
My point is, how can we fix it in Washington, when parents aren’t teaching their kids to care anymore? And if the people don’t care, who will save it?