I am a single issue voter

 

Thanks to Dave Warlick for sharing this graphic on Facebook

Trump came into office promising to rid the nation of what he called unnecessary and burdensome rules on the fossil fuel industry and others. Environmental regulation trackers like those run by Harvard and Columbia law schools find that he’s made good on that promise, so far dismantling or in the process of dismantling 100 major climate and environmental policies.

The Trump administration has weakened efforts to reduce climate-changing carbon emissions from power plants, rolled back mileage standards on cars and trucks, reduced Clean Water Act protections, and shrunk the size of two national monuments by millions of acres. Amy Grant, Tracking Trumps 100 Environmental Rollbacks Allegheny Front, June 18, 2020

The first two years of the Trump administration had a 70% decrease in criminal prosecutions under the Clean Water Act and a decrease of more than 50% under the Clean Air Act, the Environmental Crimes Project at the University of Michigan law school found. Minneapolis Star-Tribune, October 14, 2020.

I hope all people vote this year. And not just vote, but vote out of informed passion for a belief, an injustice, a cause, a hope, or an issue.

There are plenty of issues, of course, to be passionate about: racial and gender equity, gun control, abortion, health of the economy, police reform, health insurance, Social Security funding, education, and the list goes on...

One can also vote on personalities: Is the candidate a "uniter" or a "divider"? Is the candidate moral? Whose best interest does the candidate represent? What is the candidate's "vision" for the future? Who is the best looking or has the best hairstyle? Who can speak in complete sentences?

While I recognize that there are plenty of issues around which to have informed opinions (and I have an opinion on just about everything), this year a single issue was the deciding factor in my choice of what little circles to blacken on my mail-in ballot.

I voted for the individuals who believe as I do in the importance of protecting the environment. 

I have always called politics values in action. I value this planet and its ability to sustain quality human life. I believe humans can and do have an impact on climate change. I believe we have a responsibility to at times make choices that are not in the immediate best interest of our financial investments, but will have a long-term impact on how well we and our children live.

The natural world is of special interest to me. Are we protecting our wilderness areas, our wetlands, our lakes, our oceans, and our rivers? Will there be forests and prairies through which our grandchildren and their grandchildren can hike? Will a kid with a fishing pole be able to catch an edible walleye or swim in a lake's cool waters? Will she be able to identify the constellations and see the Northern Lights? Will my children's children's children be able to put on scuba gear and see the brilliant corals and parrot fish of healthy reefs as I have been able to do?

There is a practical side to environmental action as well. Much strife with refugees has been a resutlt of migrations forced by one arable lands no longer being able to support the native population. Rising oceans and hotter atmospheres have caused great damage to human habitation. And on the flip side, the manufacturing, installation, and maintenance of sustainable, less polluting engergy sources have sky-rocketed, providing jobs and economic stimulus.

That's my issue and my rationale for it. Be sure you can state yours as well when you vote.

Comments

[Kenn Gorman]

Well stated!

For the record, if asked, my one issue if pro-life.