Opinions and Letters

One and the Same: Great new DNC web ad.

Special session on oil drilling: People deserve to vote on ban

With a few exceptions, the Republican members of the Legislature have completely lost sight of why they are in their positions. They are so immersed in a "tiff" with the governor (who left the Republican Party to get elected to the U.S. Senate), that they have forgotten that they represent the people of Florida, not their own selfish interests.

The "take their ball and go home" childishness of the Republicans is an embarrassment to the people of Florida. The fact is that these legislators were sent to Tallahassee to represent their constituents. Instead, they allow their childishness to keep the people of Florida from deciding the future of the state. These small-minded bullies are uninterested in the serious problems facing the state. They only want to keep Charlie Crist from success.

As a Democrat, I don't want Crist to succeed either, and I am very dubious of his supposed change of heart. However, in this case, his flip-flopping has resulted in a call for an extra session to give the people a chance to save Florida's waters by deciding on a constitutional amendment to ban drilling off our coasts. In this instance, it does not matter that Crist cares only about himself. These bullies have no right to deny this opportunity to the people because they are mad at Crist.

I call on all the people represented by Republicans to call the offices of their representatives and senators, and tell them that the people should be allowed to make this decision.

Mary Lou Ambrose, Belleair Bluffs  (Club member)

Published as feature letter in the St. Pete Times July 20, 2010

Rep Markey: .... Foreign oil ... keeps US troops in harm's way. (video)

Rep Markey " The BP oil spill highlights our need to move to clean energy alternatives to oil, but it is not our only oil problem. Foreign oil continues to account for 1/2 our trade deficit and keeps US troops in harm's way. "

Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse: "America . . must never be on it's knees before Corporate Power!" (C-SPAN video)

This is a very powerful speech.  This sums up the damage done by decades of deregulation and worshiping at the altar of greed and profit.  I have always been impressed by Sen. Whitehouse, but this..... wow.   This says it all. 

Mr. President, we have watched with horror the unfolding disaster in the Gulf. We have seen precious lives lost; hard-earned livelihoods hammered; treasured ways of life imperiled. We have seen the largest deployment of resources ever against an environmental disaster. We have seen astonishing corporate negligence. But we have seen something else too-something that ought to be a lasting lesson from this catastrophe: we have seen the revolting specter of an agency of government subservient to - captive to - the industry it is supposed to regulate. ... ...What lesson of history, if left unlearned after this disaster, are we condemned to repeat? I hope that the lesson we learn is this one: that we can never, never, never again let agencies of the government of the United States of America fall so far under the influence of the corporations they are supposed to regulate.... ...This American government of ours should never, never be on its knees before corporate power, no matter how strong. It should never be in the thrall of corporate wealth no matter how vast. This American government of ours should never give the American citizen reason to question whose interests are being served. Never.... ...We must act in defense of the integrity of this great government of ours, which has brought such light to the world, such freedom and equality to our country. We cannot allow this government - that is a model around the world, that inspires people to risk their lives and fortunes to come to our shores - we cannot allow any element of this government to become the tool of corporate power, the avenue of corporate influence, the puppet of corporate tentacles.

Please make the time to watch the entire video (click below).   The transcript is also <<here>> with commentary added by MinistryOfTruth.

The Raging Grannies

I agree!  

posted by Wanda Schwerer

Obama Taps Former Senator Graham to Co-Chair Commission Probing BP Oil Spill

Published by truthout on  Saturday 22 May 2010 by: Shashank Bengali, Renee Schoof and Lesley Clark  |  McClatchy Newspapers 

Facing a growing furor over the monthlong Gulf of Mexico oil spill, the White House Friday named two environmentalists to lead a presidential commission investigating the disaster.... ...the Obama administration also appeared to be distancing itself from BP, forming a task force this week to measure the spilled crude that includes an engineering professor who's told Congress that he thinks the spill is far larger than originally thought, but not a representative from BP.... ... Graham, a longtime Florida senator who ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2004, positioned himself during his campaign as an opponent of offshore drilling and frequently spoke about the need to reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil. Reilly is a past president of the World Wildlife Fund and The Conservation Foundation. He also is a founding partner of a private equity fund, Aqua International Partners, which invests in water and renewable energy.

Read more

Submitted by Katleen Jamison, Member

Sylvia Earle Speaks for the Ocean and She Speaks for Me - Congressional Testimony

Sylvia Earle Speaks for the Ocean and She Speaks for Me - Congressional Testimony

This outstanding diary entry at dailyKos quotes, in full, the recent testimony before the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the US House of Representatives on May 19.  Ellinoreianne adds her own commentary and pictures that add power to Dr. Earle's words.  I highly recommend it.

National Geographic also covered the testimony, since Dr. Earle is their "Explorer in Residence.  The NatGeo Newswatch report is also worth reading.  

Introducing Earle to the hearing, Committee Chairman James L. Oberstar, Democrat-Minnesota, said he had read her testimony (published in full below) and found it to be "positively lyrical" and reminiscent of Lord Byron's poetry about the ocean. "I am enthralled by your love of the ocean," he said.  "I really come to speak for the ocean," Earle said at the start of her remarks. "You are the only voice for the ocean that we will hear," Oberstar said when she had read her statement, adding that her testimony was "moving and compelling.

This disaster is huge, and growing. We can't tell, today, what the eventual extent of environmental and economic destruction may be.  Dr. Earle's testimony gives a hint of the cost we are paying in the pursuit of cheaper gasoline.

"The Gulf of Mexico is not, as some believe, an industrial wasteland, valuable primarily as a source of petrochemicals and a few species of ocean wildlife that humans exploit for food, commodities, and recreational fishing. These are assets worth protecting as if our lives depend on them, because in no small measure, they do," Earle said. "The Gulf of Mexico is a living laboratory, America's Mediterranean, a tri-national treasure better known for yielding hurricanes, petrochemicals, shrimp and, in recent years, notorious 'dead zones,' than for its vital role in generating oxygen, taking and holding carbon, distributing nutrients, stabilizing temperature, yielding freshwater to the skies that returns as rain--contributing to the ocean's planetary role as Earth's life support system," Earle added

I urge you to read Dr. Earle's full testimony.  I'll post video if I can locate it.

Link to C-SPAN coverage of the hearing

Wanda Schwerer

 

More quotes from "Hands across the Sand"

We didn't want to leave anyone out -and some of these didn't make it into the March Newsletter.

“This was 'grassroots' at its best. Over 20 events in Pinellas and 100+ in the state! All started by one man in the panhandle. Never believe that you can't make a difference, because you can.”

DOUG HICKMAN, one of the Redington Shores coordinators  (Go to YouTube and search for more Hands Across the Sand videos.)

What I loved about Hands Across the Sand was the excitement of the crowd as we gathered in the parking lot (which reminded me of how we got President Obama elected) but, even more, walking down to the water's edge and turning around to see how many folks were following me to join hands and make a strong statement against drilling.  It's wonderful to find you're not alone.

KAREN WELLS, at Indian Rocks Beach  (right with Kathy Ewing)

“I chose to go to Clearwater Beach on a day when normally I would have stayed in, near the heater. I was dressed in heavy layers, wool hat, and gloves as we joined the thin crowd on the beach. The sun was shining bright, and the wind was blowing bitter cold. Near the pier, I mingled among the slowly growing crowd, collecting petition signatures. Many of the people I approached to speak with were tourists. They were in town seeking to enjoy some of the beauty that Clearwater Beach is known for. One of those attractions-warm weather- sure wasn’t to be found there that day. But the clean water and the white sand beach, attractions that I support protecting, were there.

“That cold day our Gulf water was oil-spill free and so sparkly in the bright sun, that it hurt my eyes to look at it for long. On another day I would have joyfully entered the inviting water for a refreshing swim.

On that cold day the minute granules of clean white sand were pelting us, driven over the wide beach by the bitter wind. It wasn’t spoiled by any dark oil-stained pollution. I looked up and down the long beach and out over the water vigorously experiencing this familiar place in a totally different way. The cold was in control, but it was good.

“A cold day at the beach offers resident as well as tourist a unique Florida experience. Being at Clearwater Beach on such a day reaffirmed my eagerness to guard this gift of nature that we have been given. It is ours to protect for future generations.”

GINNY NELSON at Clearwater Beach, Pier 60 (above, right, with Kathleen Jamison)

“I was gratified too see a large turn-out at Indian Rocks Beach  It was more gratifying to know that the folks were united on this subject, regardless of their party affiliation.  Even more, I was glad to be at the location that our U.S. congressman chose to attend.   Although I agree with little else Rep. Bill Young supports, in the case of drilling off our shores we do agree, and it was nice to hear him speak so forcefully on his opposition to drilling.”

WANDA SCHWERER at Indian Rocks Beach  (Right Rep. Young with bullhorn)