Is He Everglade to Be There

McCain says he hearts Everglades, despite opposing bill with restoration funding

Posted at 3:25 PM on 06 Jun 2008

Sen. John McCain swung through Florida last week, taking time for a boat tour of the Everglades on Friday. The Obama campaign promptly criticized McCain for his opposition last year to a water bill that included major funding for Everglades restoration. McCain said he would have supported a stand-alone Everglades bill, but the broader water bill was chockful of pork. "I am in favor of doing whatever's necessary to save the Everglades," McCain said. "But I will not vote for bills that have projects and other things on them that have not gone through the proper scrutiny." Florida Gov. Charlie Crist (R), an eco-minded politician who may be a contender for McCain's veep spot, was reassured: "I am sure he supports the Everglades and the restoration of the national park."

sources: Associated Press, Herald Tribune, Miami Herald
new in Muckraker: Trouble in paradise?
see also, in Grist: Michael Grunwald on why the Everglades is burning, and how we sucked it dry

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Comments: (7 comments)

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McCrazy will save the Everglades...

...under a protective layer of ocean water. Like all American political folks, he just can't tell us that the era of fossil-fool powered wheelchairs (including electric) is either over, or history has reached its final chapter.

by human power at 7:33 PM on 06 Jun 2008

Got any Smithereens...on casette tapes?

Back in the 80s in Seattle, it was common that summer started, if ever, after the 4th of July. However, through the 90s, there was a bonanza of ever increasing earlier, warmer and sunnier summers, ending up in severe droughts by decades end.

But NW Natives can rejoice, your pasty Norse skin will yet again be preserved as we now see:

"June gloom" - all through July?
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/weather/2004463516_ ...

"The three-month outlook for Western Washington shows below-normal temperatures mid-May through July," said Jeff Michalski, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Seattle.
The prediction that temperatures will be "below normal" means they could be only 1 or 2 degrees below average -- or as much as 10 or 15 degrees below average, as they've been for the past few days.

by jabailo at 2:11 PM on 07 Jun 2008

You know...

I do in fact have the Smithereens' Greatest Hits on cassette. Good album.

Also, don't worry. The weather is supposed to be on the mild side for a few years, and then your droughts will return in force faster than you can say "Dude, it stopped raining."

by Pathos at 3:56 PM on 07 Jun 2008

Once again...

...jabailo proves that a major problem with deniers is that they don't know the difference between weather and climate.

by Tasermons Partner at 8:25 PM on 07 Jun 2008

Hearting something besides money

Senator McCain may heart the Everglades, but his political party consistently champions the escalating destruction of habitats. How would he begin to hold them at bay if elected? I want to see both McCain and Obama talk about crafting an economy that is affordable both for us and for the planet we're dependent on. As things currently stand we're in a dying empire. We've got to rebuild it. More at http://www.diamondcutlife.org/.

by Alison Wiley at 11:55 AM on 08 Jun 2008

"pasty Norse skin" indeed!

Very pleasant to the touch, though, provided it is tight enough ... Pathos, for one, knows what I am talking about, that clever lad.

Meanwhile, noi gli italiani, come Signor John Bailo ed io, siamo davvero africani, and we can stand out in the sun-baked fields all day long, humming to ourselves our bel-canto favorites by way of consolation.

As for the Everglades: God knows what John McCain means by his commitment to "save" them. Would that not require a huge amount of deconstruction of South Florida development? And can we seriously believe the new boy-toy Charlie Crist is OK with that? That would be about ten times more politically dangerous than sending in demolition crews in the Occupied West Bank to eradicate illegal settlements.

Chickens deserve our true friendship! So do fish! So do other sentient beings! Let us learn to be kind.

by caniscandida at 2:24 PM on 08 Jun 2008

Priorities Are What Matters

It's nice that McCain says he likes the Everglades, but it's also totally meaningless. Most people, at least in the U.S., think they're environmentalists because they think animals are cute, want clean air and water, and think natural views are beautiful. Problem is, EVERYONE thinks those things -- well, everyone with a heart. Being an environmentalist means making the environment a priority and being willing to make sacrifices for it, not just that you like natural views and/or animals.

So while politicians like McCain say they want to save something, they're clearly not willing to even come close to being willing to make whatever sacrifices are needed to save it, as Canis pointed out. And except for most of them being willing to protect some natural areas before they're ruined, the Democrats are every bit as bad as the Republicans in this way.

by Wolverine at 3:19 AM on 10 Jun 2008

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