How is it possible for a "leading" national environmental organization to support the re-election of a vulnerable rubber stamp Republican when the future of American Democracy itself is in the balance? How can the Sierra Club be so eager to return a Republican majority to the Senate? A majority that has completely slashed 30 years of environmental progress, that facilitates the looting of America's resources, that fights to poison and pollute our citizens, that completely sabotages any attempt to address global warming, and that is beholden to nefarious oil companies?
Complete insanity!!! That's the only explanation. Follow me below the fold to see the Sierra Club's response to my letter.
First, here is a
link to the Sierra Club's press release (WARNING: DO NOT READ IF YOU HAVE A HEART CONDITION) where they state:
Along with the endorsement, the Sierra Club will lend its volunteer strength to Senator Chafee's campaign.
"We pledge to do all we can to help ensure Senator Chafee is re elected," concluded Buckser. "Sierra Club volunteers will work with the campaign to contact voters about his exemplary environmental record. We look forward to a victory party for the environment on election night and to many more years of Lincoln Chafee fighting for the environment as a U.S. Senator."
Next, my letter to the Sierra Club:
ARE YOU GUYS NUTS!!!!
How the hell can the Sierra club endorse Republican Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island?!!! And then pledging to "do all you can to make sure he is re-elected"?!!! He is vulnerable this year and could be replaced by a Democrat. ONLY with a Democratic majority will ANY environmental issues ever see the light of day.
EVERYTHING the Republicans have done is to loot money, including now trying to sell off America herself - allowing oil and mining and logging companies to buy land worth tens of thousands an acre in resource rights for just pennies on the dollar and rape those resources that belong to the American people into their cronies' private accounts. All this under the guise of 'fiscal responsibility'. It's completely insane and ANY support for ANY Republican is giving support for the whole. It's not like Chafee is a shoe in - he's in trouble and he can be defeated.
Supporting Chafee is supporting Frist and the entire anti-environmental Republican corporatist leadership,
is supporting an anti-environmental Republican corporatist to chair the Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry committee,
an anti-environmental Republican corporatist to chair the Appropriations committee,
an anti-environmental Republican corporatist to chair the Armed Services committee,
an anti-environmental Republican corporatist chair the Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs committee,
an anti-environmental Republican corporatist chair the Budget committee,
an anti-environmental Republican corporatist chair the Commerce, Science and Transportation committee,
an anti-environmental Republican corporatist chair the Energy and Natural Resources committee,
an anti-environmental Republican corporatist to chair the Environment and Public Works committee,
an anti-environmental Republican corporatist to chair the Finance committee,
an anti-environmental Republican corporatist to chair the Foreign Relations committee,
an anti-environmental Republican corporatist to chair the Governmental Affairs committee,
an anti-environmental Republican corporatist to chair the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions committee,
an anti-environmental Republican corporatist to chair the Indian Affairs committee,
an anti-environmental Republican corporatist to chair the Judiciary committee,
an anti-environmental Republican corporatist to chair the Rules and Administration committee,
an anti-environmental Republican corporatist to chair the Small Business committee,
and an anti-environmental Republican corporatist to chair the Veterans' Affairs committee.
So if you support anti-environmental Republican corporatists controlling all those committees and all the laws those committees control, go ahead and support Lincoln Chafee!
You guys need to read chapter 2 of "Crashing the Gate" and you will see how insane and destructive your political ineptness is. Please make sure that I am off ANY Sierra Club membership list. Do not send me any more renewal notices or emails - ever! Do not call me or ask for my support - ever! It's narrow-minded, self-serving, single-issue defeatists that will keep anti-environmental Republican scumbags in power.
With the greatest disappointment,
p.s. I'm bcc-ing this to my whole mailing list and I'm going to make sure everyone I know hears about this Sierra Club pledge to re-elect Chafee and assure a Republican majority.
The Sierra Club's cut and paste reply:
The Sierra Club publicly announced its endorsement of Senator Lincoln Chafee on Wednesday, April 19th. While this announcement may appear controversial, Senator Chafee is a key leader in our work towards a pro-environment majority in the Senate. As a key member of the Environment and Public Works Committee and chair of the subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife and Water, he has consistently demonstrated independence and leadership on issues ranging from clean air, to global warming, to cleaning up toxic waste and protecting special places. Some of the highlights include:
A champion for rallying colleague votes to protect the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge,
A leader who single-handedly made sure the Clean Air Act was not weakened to produce more polluting oil refineries
A thoughtful Senator who is making sure that the Endangered Species Act is preserved despite attacks from special interests.
The Sierra Club Political Committee has a policy of generally
endorsing incumbents who have solid environmental records. Senator Chafee meets that criteria with his League of Conservation Voters scorecard ranking of 90%. In addition, the Sierra Club analyzes votes for a scorecard we send out to our members. In 2004, our own analysis of 4 key votes showed he voted correct on 100%. While we are still putting together this cycle's scorecard, we have reviewed 6 environmental votes and one trade vote. Chafee voted correct on 100% of the environmental votes.
Even with a great record on environmental issues, any endorsement
requires a 2/3s vote by two volunteer committees - one at the local level and one at the national level. Sierra Club volunteers at several levels of the Club were engaged in this endorsement. The Rhode Island political committee and the Rhode Island Executive Committee both voted unanimously in favor of endorsing, and the volunteer national Political Committee voted unanimously too.
The Board of Directors' appointed Task Force that reviewed the goals and the underlying strategies of the political program concluded that there should continue to a focus on conducting our work and making our endorsements in a manor that works to protect our reputation and
credibility. The underlying reason for this recommendation was:
"The strength of our endorsements and our reputation is in our
ability to declare in a nonpartisan/bipartisan manner which candidate is the best choice for the environment. Our opponents seek to diminish our power in this arena by labeling us as a special interest, so we need to constantly strive to maintain our reputation."
The Sierra Club's decision to endorse and draw attention to our support of Senator Lincoln Chafee fits solidly with the mission of the political committee to use the political and electoral process to advance our conservation goals.
Regards,
Political Desk
Naturally, I will be replying to the Sierra Club. I find it interesting that they use the excuse "single-handedly made sure the Clean Air Act was not weakened..." Well guess what? If there was a Democratic majority, there would be no "single-handedly made" efforts to preserve the Clean Air Act because a Democrat majority would not weaken it. The fact that it was 'single-handed' only proves that your supporting of a 'single' voice in 55 is stupid as compared to having 51 voices in support. I can only hope that the "single-handedly made sure the Clean Air Act was not weakened" senator you support is worth every other environmental, corruption, incompetence, and disastrous agenda problem the nation faces that your wholly endorsed Mr. Chafee will so aggressively cram down your abused-spouse syndrome suffering throats.
With Warmest Regards,
Reality Bites Back
......
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