I think Democrats have to stand for what we stand on. Protecting our children's heritage is a core value for strong majorities everywhere. In the GOP's drive to gut our environmental laws, many of the most important fights will be over small changes conducted under the public, and the media's, radar. Those struggles have now begun. We have to punch back hard and take the wind out of the GOP sails.

Two riders are floating with the must-pass Omnibus Appropriations bill which would shred the safety net for endangered species and make recovery of endangered species more difficult. We have only the next two or three days to kill the riders.

Earthjustice has a rapid-response webletter page up here. We need calls and emails to both houses, especially to Reps Bill Young and Obey, and Senators Stevens and Byrd. Let's put some mud in Bush's anti-environmental eye.