Obama & Bill Nye Diss Republican Science Deniers

President Barack Obama and Bill Nye recently visited the Everglades in Florida. Obama and Nye discussed the Republican Party's denying climate change. Despite the scientific evidence saying mankind is contributing to climate change.

When I see members of Congress being part of the climate-denier clubs and basically stiff-arming what we know are facts — and not rebutting them with other facts but rebutting them with anecdote or just being dismissive,” Obama said before Nye interjected.

“‘Oh, I’m not a scientist,'” Nye said, sarcastically repeating a common conservative argument against the phenomenon.

“I’m not a scientist, either, but I know a lot of scientists,” Obama replied. “I have the capacity to understand science. The capacity to look at facts and base my conclusions on evidence. Part of shifting our political culture I think, is we’ve gotta model for our kids that facts matter.”

If these Republicans say they aren't scientists then they shouldn't go around making false claims about science.

WalMart to Be Built on Florida Rain Forest Land

The Miami Herald reports that the University of Miami has come to an agreement with Ram to develop 40 acres of a rain forest preserve. The land will be used for a Walmart, LA Fitness center, Chik-fil-A, Chili’s restaurants and other box retail stores. Needless to say, environmentalists are not happy.

“You wonder how things end up being endangered? This is how. This is bad policy and bad enforcement. And shame on UM,” said attorney Dennis Olle, a board member of Tropical Audubon and the North American Butterfly Association, who wrote to Florida’s lead federal wildlife agent Friday demanding an investigation.

The proposed land for development contains many endangered plants and species. Conservationists were sent in last month to rescue plants and other rare life. They found more than what they bargained for.

To their surprise, rescuers picking their way through the forest in June and earlier this month found a trove of rare plants outside land staked off for preservation, including the tiny, endangered polygala smallii, a small flowering herb. They also spotted rare butterflies, including the Bartram’s hairstreak, one of the butterflies expected to be named to the endangered species list this summer, and the Atala hairstreak, which almost went extinct in the middle of the 20th century.

Environmental protection is next to nonexistent under the Rick Scott administration. The oil industry wants to drill in the Everglades. Even the environmentally unfriendly Jeb Bush was never that bold.

Rick Scott Open to Drilling In Everglades

Gov. Rick Scott follows Michele Bachmann's silly lead by talking about drilling in the Everglades.

"With regard to the Everglades, I think we have to be very cautious if there’s going to be any more drilling. It’s my understanding, we haven't had any problems to date so my goal would be to be very cautious."

To give an understanding of how poorly informed Scott and Bachmann are on energy policy. There is no actual evidence of oil.

Is there even any oil beneath the Everglades? 10News sat down with USF Geologist Dr. Albert Hine, and he told us, "There is no known evidence that there is a significant hydrocarbon deposit beneath the Everglades."

Republicans like Scott and Bachmann don't even try to know what they are talking about. These politicans have an allergic reaction to researching the issues.

Update: Scott's staff is backtracking from their governor placing his foot in his mouth.

"Please update your stories with the following statement which you can attribute to me: Governor Scott has not called for an expansion of drilling in the Everglades. That discussion is not on the table. Thank you, Amy Graham."

Michele Bachmann Supports Everglades Drilling

Transcript:

"The United States needs to be less dependent on foreign sources of energy and more dependent upon American resourcefulness. Whether that is in the Everglades, or whether that is in the eastern Gulf region, or whether that's in North Dakota, we need to go where the energy is," she said. "Of course it needs to be done responsibly. If we can't responsibly access energy in the Everglades then we shouldn't do it.

"From there, though, that doesn't mean that the two have to be mutually exclusive. We can protect the environment and do so responsibly, but we can also protect the environment and not kill jobs in America and not deny ourselves access to the energy resources that America's been so blessed with."

The reporter should ask Bachmann to explain how that oil wells could be build in the Everglades without affecting the water or ecosystem. Roads and shipping docks will have to be built to transport the oil. How could that be done without damaging the wetlands. The state of Florida bought land from U.S. Sugar to restore the wetlands. Bachmann's proposal runs counter to years of Florida environmental policy.

Update: Sen. Bill Nelson responds to Bachmann's Everglades position.

"We don't need to be drilling for oil and gas in the middle of the Everglades," he said. "There is a 150-year supply of natural gas on land in non-environmentally sensitive areas from Louisiana to New York. So to go in the middle of the Everglades and to spoil the river of grass just because somebody wants to, that's not a wise thing to do."

The Tea Party Emails Bill Nelson

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack awarded $100 million to Florida for Everglades restoration. This sent tea party activist "The Rogue Patriot" into a tizzy. Mr. Patriot sent an email to Sen. Bill Nelson voicing his displeasure over "Communist horsecrap" plan by "the United Nations" to spread their "collective Marxist Agenda."

Hilarity ensues under the fold.

Read more »

A Win For Florida's Environment

Gov. Rick Scott fought against the EPA clean water standards for the Everglades. U.S. District Judge Alan Gold has taken away Florida's right to handout pollution discharge permits and given the right to the Environmental Protection Agency. Gold's ruling comes down hard against Florida.

"Protection of the Everglades requires a major commitment which cannot be simply pushed aside in the face of financial hardships, political opposition, or other excuses," Gold wrote. "These obstacles will always exist, but the Everglades will not — especially if the protracted pace of preservation efforts continues at the current pace."

Gold was not pleased with Scott fight to allow more phosphorus in the water.

As further proof of the state's resistance to EPA water quality standards, Gold cited Gov. Scott's recent instructions to the DEP to petition the EPA to rescind its limits on nutrients in Florida waters - basically limits on how much phosphorus, mostly from farm runoff, is allowed in Florida waters.

Gold noted an executive order signed by Scott in January, which suspends all rule-making by state agencies, would likely hamper the state environmental agency's ability to create rules to enforce water quality standards.

It appears the federal government will have to step in to enforce clean water regulations. What I like to know is how does Rick Scott think allowing more phosphorus into the water will create new jobs? Is Scott aware phosphorus is used to make nerve agents?

Rick Scott: Policy Wonk

What bugs me about Republican candidates is their utter lack of wonkiness. Case in point is Florida gubernatorial candidate Rick Scott.

Scott on the state's plan to buy Everglades land for restroration.

"I don't know all the details, but here's my impression: It's great. It would be great if we had more land the state can control. Can we afford it? Will it raise our taxes and are we spending dollars to do that, to not do other restoration projects? That's my concern."

Scott doesn't know the details? This is a huge environmental policy proposal. Scott couldn't be bothered to study up.

Scott is equally clueless on Bright Futures scholarships.

"Right now it's fine, but we have to look at how can we continue to afford it and if we can't how can we spend those dollars better."

The budget deficit has forced the Florida legislature make academic standards tougher for Bright Futures. Under the proposal, SAT scores will have to be 1050. Elective classes will not be covered. Students will have to use the Bright Futures tutition money within five years. The current policy calls for Florida-born college students having 7 years under Bright Futures.

Obviously, Bright Futures is under financial stress. For Scott to think "it's fine" is a joke.

Everglades Update

The maps above show the deteoration of the Everglades. The Florida government's land buy from U.S. Sugar Corp has been scaled down. There is a question is if Gov. Charlie Crist buying enough land for proper restoration. The purchase was intended to stop flooding and fix agricultural runoff. The short version is Crist's land buy will have little impact.

Was that all a false alarm? As details of the deal are coming to light, it now seems that only half of the 300 square miles Florida is acquiring will be used to restore water flow in the Everglades; the rest will continue to be used for agriculture. All told, Crist's plan may not have an impact for more than a decade, which could be too late: The National Research Council just released a new study about how the degradation in the Everglades wrought by decades of water diversions and fertilizer runoff could soon become utterly irreversible if major changes aren't made soon. The $7.8 billion plan Congress passed in 2000 to restore natural water flow in the area—a plan predicted to take 30 years—is already mired in cost overruns and bureaucratic snafus with the Army Corps of Engineers, while Congress has dragged its heels on matching Florida's spending, as promised.

In fairness, the budget crisis forced Crist to buy less land. Congress could help but that doesn't appear likely.

Miami-Dade County Commission Loves Development In Everglades

Progress Florida is asking citizens to put pressure on Lowes.

Thanks to the support of thousands of Floridians, today the Everglades are a little safer from developers. On Friday July 18th, the Florida Department of Community Affairs (DCA) announced it would deny Lowe’s and another big developer their plans to build outside Miami-Dade’s Urban Development Boundary (UDB).

But our work isn’t done. Lowe’s, who still wants to cement urban sprawl to the edge of the Everglades, plans to take this decision to court.

“We feel confident that the decision will be overturned,” declared Lowe’s’ attorney.

Progress Florida set up a form letter page to send to Lowe's. My experience is that form letters don't work. Lowe's is dead set on building their store. My advise is email Charlie Crist at Charlie.Crist@MyFlorida.com and the Miami-Dade County Commission.

Barbara J. Jordan
Dorrin D. Rolle
Audrey M. Edmonson
Sally A. Heyman
Bruno A. Barreiro
Rebeca Sosa
Carlos A. Gimenez
Katy Sorenson
Dennis C. Moss
Javier D. Souto
Jose ''Pepe'' Diaz
Natacha Seijas 305-375-4831

The Florida Department of Community Affairs ruled against Lowes because the Miami County Commission violated state land-use guidelines. Mayor Carlos Alvarez vetoed the legislation. The County Commission overrode the veto. The thing to understand about County Commissions is they receive huge campaign contributions from developers. Lowe's and other corporations spent a great deal of money putting the Commision in their pockets. They aren't going to be swayed by form letters. Politicians back off when voters put pressure on them. The Hillsborough County Commission backed off killing local protection for wetlands, after activists made their voices heard.

The FDCA ruled on parcels A and B. Parcel A is where the Lowe's will be. Parcel B is where a charter school is to be built. The report noted, "Wetlands are present on the sites." Other undeveloped land can be used for the Lowe's. What is interesting is that Parcel B can be used for nonresidential purposes. It's bad when School Superintendent Rudy Crew has no hopes of a charter school being built on parcel B.

A spokesman for the county school district said Superintendent Rudy Crew was not counting on the charter school. Killing or delaying plans for one school in one neighborhood ''is probably not going to have an effect on us,'' spokesman John Schuster said.

Parcel B would have to be bought for a charter school or developed. Mike McDaniel, FDCA Chief of Comprehensive Planning, noted the Commission approved the land zoning against objections from County staffers. The exception for Parcel B's nonresidential use after the FDCA issued an objections report.

Where the political pressure needs to be applied is the Miami-Dade County Commission. Emailing Lowe's is a waste of time. Lowe's has made up it's mind a long time ago.

Who Wants to Be Vice-President?

The answer is Charlie Crist. Even though the Governor denies that his sudden about face on offshore drilling has anything to do with a desire to be John McCain's running mate.

McCain has been against offshore drilling in the past. The Maverick announced that he is in favor of lifting the federal ban of offshore drilling. All offshore drilling must be approved by Congress and the President; due to environmental concerns. In the past, McCain has been against drilling in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and in the Everglades. Where McCain stands now is uncertain.

In 2005, Crist told the St. Petersburg Times, "I don't think it's good for Florida. I have enormous, enormous respect for the governor (Jeb Bush), as you know. But we just disagree on this issue."

Just last week, Crist made his disapproval of drilling off of Florida's coast know. Crist stressed alternative sources of fuel and drilling in the northern states. All this make Crist's recent statements of being open to studying the possibility of offshore drilling laughable. Audio link at The Buzz.

Q: Governor, are you open to drilling off of Florida's coast?

Crist: Well, it depends. It's something I least like to do. But I also understand the economics of what's happening in the country and it would all depend on the parameters. How far off the coast. How safe it would be. How protected our beaches would be. All of these things are very important to me. 'Cause I don't warm up to the idea very well.

Offshore drilling is a political loser in Florida. Even the pro-oil Jeb Bush pretended to protect Florida's beaches until near the end of his second term. Crist has projected himself as a environmentally friendly Republican. Crist's pandering undermines his past positions.

McCain's flip flop is simple. Obama is beating him in fundraising. Energy companies contributed $52,903,640 during the 2004 election cycle. This is McCain's top contributors. Obama and Hillary Clinton raised more money than McCain in 18 of the top 20 industries. Obama's dominance over McCain will increase now that Hillary fundraisers are supported the future Democratic nominee.

McCain only ranks first for fundraising in five of the top fifty industries. I have never seen a Republican nominee do such a poor job fundraising. The finance numbers from previous presidential elections does not bode well for McCain. George W. Bush raised more money than his opponents and twice won the Oval Office. So, don't be surprised if McCain's message his increasingly tilted towards the energy industry.

Update: Jim Johnson writes that McCain might have blown Florida. I don't disagree. I don't think the McCain campaign has a choice. Obama is outraising the Straight Talker over 2 to 1. The Obama campaign will blitz McCain with television ads and has better grassroots organization. McCain has to pander to the energy industry.

Drilling for oil off of Florida's shores and won't solve America's energy problems. It's a bad policy decision. McCain has backtracked from previous stance on the Christian Right, the Bush tax cuts, and campaign finance reform. McCain's sudden love of offshore drilling doesn't shock me. McCain reminds me of the Republican version of John Kerry. Vietnam hero that must play both sides of an issue. Bloggers are already pointing out McCain's past statements. The Obama people should run with it.

Quote of the Day

''My administration is committed to conserving Florida's natural beauty.''

George W. Bush

Bush is threatening to veto the Water Resources Development Act. The bill contains $2 billion to help preserve the Everglades. His veto threats have often been nothing more than bluster. The President has only used his veto powers four times. The WRDA passed in the House by 381-40; the Senate passed it 81-12. Bush is setting himself up for another political defeat.