The Environment Is a Joke to the White House

Re “If Bush Really Wants a Legacy,” Commentary, Dec. 9: This president and his administration have spent the last four years dismantling as many environmental laws and policies as they could get their hands on. One can only assume more of the same damage will be done in the next four years. If they read Stewart L. Udall’s commentary in the White House, no doubt they were rolling on the floor with laughter. Obviously Udall has not read Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s book, “Crimes Against Nature.” If he had, he would certainly know that preserving our natural resources and planning for the future of our country and the planet are not something that this administration has any intention or capability of doing. Suggesting, as Udall has, that they read any scientific study is laughable. Trying to piece together a coalition for war is a good and noble idea for these guys. Trying to piece one together one for the common good of mankind seems to be beyond them.

Burt Linnetz

Palos Verdes

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Udall puts forth a good blueprint for protecting the environment and for our urgent need to become energy-independent. I don’t believe Udall seriously thinks Bush would ever become an environmentalist. Nixon going to China is one thing, but Bush has consistently been the oil companies’ best friend and the environment’s worst enemy. If voters had realized that global warming and other environmental threats are a far greater danger than Al Qaeda, they might have voted for someone who understood the problem and the urgent need to act. Much of the blame should go to the media that obsessed about the so-called war on terrorism and ignored environmental problems. This was particularly evident in the three televised debates when only one question was asked about the environment.

Dave Silva

Seal Beach