Is Our Caring for the Environment a Benefit to People?

Environment vs People, Stark Choice Posed by Republican Representative.


It may sound like a strange question.  
To me the answer is as plain as day and a no brainer. People are a part of the environment, every bit as much as trees, streams, clean air and birds in the skies. 


But, apparently Rep Charles Ross doesn't get this.

Rep Charles Ross (R-14 -Yakima) assistant-minority floor leader,
painted the budget dilemas facing legislators in a strange light. According to Publicola yesterday, when he was asked about the Governors budget item to fund Puget Sound recovery he said:

What is your number one priority as a legislator? Is it the people of the state or is it the environment? Our environment is in a tremendous position comparatively to the rest of the states in the nation. We can and should afford take a pass on big environmental programs and continuing down that road of massive protection orders because frankly, the people matter more and are more important to us that this table, I can assure you.

Our message is, ‘We choose the people.’ We’re hoping to see a dialogue that shows ways we can direct money that currently is spent in capacities that are not life and death and that can be reallocated to help sustain those who are the most needy.

http://www.publicola.net/2011/01/12/afternoon-jolt-the-people-vs-the-enviornment/?utm_source=RSS+Feed&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+publicola+%28PubliCola+%7C+Seattle%27s+News+Elixir%29

So, what do you think? Is Puget Sound an important issue to your community? If so why? Should it be important to all of our state? Is protecting and enhancing the environment an issue important to our state's economic health, to our physical well being?

photo credit - Art Wolfe

We'd like to know what you think!