The Environmental Platform
of the Republican, Democratic, and Green Parties
The Environment has become a hot topic in political platforms as of late. With noticeable changes in weather patterns such as El Nino, La Nina, and the steady increase in the average daily temperatures, environmentalist group's views and values have become the views and values of more of the general public. This topic has even resulted in more support of the Green Party and its leader Ralph Nader, who some environmentalists believe may have cost Al Gore the presidency. Although clean air, water, and global warming are all valid issues it is the belief of some political scientists that the reason for the recent environmental swell is due to the current surging economy and rock-bottom unemployment rate. Thus, when Americans have jobs and are able to make a descent living their concerns turn elsewhere. As far as where each political party stands in their environmental policy one should look towards said parties current leader and his/her current policy and past record on environmental issues. The Democratic and Republican Party's, Al Gore, and George W. Bush seem to be on somewhat of the same level concerning the environmental policy, with Gore of course getting more backing from environmentalists based on his track record. In contrast, Ralph Nader and the Green Party place the environment on a whole new level of importance.
The Republican Party tends to be a bit more conservative concerning the environmental policy, as they do on most every issue. Although Bush seldom spoke of environmental issues on the campaign trail, he and the Republican Party propose a plan to decentralize environmental control. During a speech at Sand Harbor S...
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...rieved February 26, 2001 from the World Wide Web:
http://ens.lycos.com/ens/dec2000/20001%2D12%2D13%2D16.html
Nader, Ralph. Statement on Global Warming. Retrieved March 03, 2001 form the World Wide Web:
http://www.votenader.com/issues/enviro_globalwarming.html
Nader, Ralph. Statement on Nuclear Power. Retrieved March 03, 2001 form the World Wide Web:
Retrieved March 03, 2001 form the World Wide Web:
http://www.votenader.com/issues/nuke_power.html
Nader, Ralph. Statement on Environmental Justice. Retrieved March 03, 2001 form the World Wide Web:
Retrieved March 03, 2001 form the World Wide Web:
http://www.votenader.com/issues/EnvJustice.html
Nader, Ralph. Statement on Energy Policy. Retrieved March 03, 2001 form the World Wide Web:
Retrieved March 03, 2001 form the World Wide Web:
http://www.votenader.com/issues/enviro_energypolicy.html
Stoll, Steven. U.S. Environmentalism since 1945: A brief History with Documents. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2007. Print.
Solis, Hilda. “Environmental Justice: An Unalienable Right for All.” Human Rights 30 (2003): 5-6. JSTOR. Web. 13 February 2014.
Ehrlich, P. R., & Ehrlich, A. H. (1996). Betrayal of science and reason: How anti-environmental rhetoric threatens our future. Washington, D.C: Island Press.
The political climate of environmental injustice movement does not seem promising. With a very polarized, divided Congress, and powerful monopoly run corporations, advocates have to battle—harder than ever to better their communities. Vig and Kraft point out the difficulties of getting environmental legislation passed through Congress when gridlock is occurring. They dissected the issue of policy gridlock into these main indicators: the diverging policy views due to partisan differences, separated powers and bicameralism which occurs when there are major disagreements between the House, Congress, and the President, the complexity of environmental problems where the injustice is so complex that
The word “environment” was given then a contrasting connotation. Unlike the traditional environmental movement, which was condemned for ignoring the experience of black people and the lower class, the environment was restructured as a setting where people live. Supporters started to focus comprehensively on making the topic evenhanded. Advocates classified this equality into three expansive types: technical, geographic, and societal equities. Technical impartiality is apprehensive on unbiased manner or justice on the employment of central regulations, assessment criterion, and enforcement of environmental rules. Geographic fair play is concentrated on finding groups of people and their propinquity to green peril, ...
(Action): If we don’t do our part to stop the expansion of nuclear power plants, the future of our planet will be bleaker. Every year, thousands of more pounds of nuclear waste will be buried underground and the damage to our environment increases. There are more efficient energy sources other than nuclear power and we must do our part today to prevent a catastrophic future for our children. The dangers that nuclear power plants pose for the United States are very real. There are many alternative renewable sources of energy available to us such as wind and solar power, which provide a much safer and efficient alternative to nuclear power. You alone have the power to speak up and act against the expansion of this dangerous energy. The future of our environment’s safety and our nation’s energy supply lies in your hands.
In 1989, seventy five percent of Americans identified themselves as environmentalists, and the number has continued to grow since then (Walls 1). Environmentalism is now the most popular social movement in the United States, with over five million American families donating regularly to environmental organizations (Walls 1). Environmentalists today focus on what kind of world they hope to see in the future, and largely deal with limiting pollution and changing consumption rates (Kent 1 and 9). Modern environmentalists also have much different issues than those Carson’s America faced. With climate change becoming more threatening each year, protection of the natural world is needed more than ever. Pollution has caused the warmest decade in history, the deterioration of the ozone layer, and species extinction in extreme numbers (Hunter 2). It not only threatens nature, but also human populations, who already suffer from lack of clean water and poisoning from toxic chemicals (Hunter 16). Unlike environmental actions in the 1960’s, which were mostly focused on protection, a massive increase in pollution has caused efforts to be focused on environmental restoration (Hunter 16). Like in the time of Silent Spring, environmentalists are not only concerned with one country. Protecting the environment remains a global issue, and every nation is threatened by the
Most, if not all, affects their day to day lives (EPA). In addressing this problem, the plans and programs of the government will play a very important role. Considering that the United States is one of the most powerful countries in the world, the US President should address and work on solutions regarding these environmental issues. In an interview with Barack Obama in 2008, he mentioned that, “The U.S. is the world’s largest economy and the largest single source of the world’s greenhouse-gas emissions, so it is our responsibility to take the first step”
Levin, Mark R.. "On Enviro-statism." Liberty and Tyranny: A Conservative Manifesto. New York: Threshold Editions, 2009. 137. Print.
Roth, Sammy. "Why Move Beyond Natural Gas." Sierra Club. Sierra Club, 15 Aug. 2013. Web. 25 Nov. 2013.
In addition to the individuals that use their wealth and influence to attempt to save the environment, there are also many individuals and organizations on the other side of the issue. These individuals and organizations are not necessarily anti-environment rather they are those who have a large stake in industries like manufacturing and fossil fuel energy or those who feel that the high initial cost of changing existing infrastructure and researching new technologies are not worth the eventual gains for the environment.
Rudel, K. Thomas, J. Timmons Roberts and JoAnn Carmin. 2011. “Political Economy of the Environment.” Annual Review of Sociology 37: 221-238.
G., Kerry. "Why Hunting Is Bad For the Environment." HubPages. Political and Social Issues, n.d. Web. 22 Apr. 2014.
Chasek, P. S., Downie, D. L., & Brown, J. W. (2014). The Development of Environmental Regimes: Chemicals, Wastes, and Climate Change. In P. S. Chasek, D. L. Downie, & J. W. Brown, Global Environmental Politics (6th ed., pp. 101-173). Boulder: Westview Press.
Williams, Laurence O. An End to Global Warming. Ohio: Pergamno, 2012. Web 13 May 2015