In an unprecedented move, Democratic Senator John Tester along with Rep. Simpson have placed a rider in the budget bill that would remove wolves in the Northern Rockies from the endangered species act. As any reasonable person knows, this is a scientific issue, and should be managed by those with such expertise, and not congress.
Sad news. And if you don't think it's a big deal, think again. This is big picture stuff that goes far beyond jobs. We are a species too, as much as we've tried to separate ourselves from that in our lives. Setting aside habitat for rare and endangered species is actually setting aside habitat for us. Making sure there are places that haven't been polluted or developed is not just about wolves or grizzly bears. It's about our quality of life, and our land and water. The Endangered Species Act is the finest tool ever crafted to preserve the human race. Its usefulness in setting aside tracts of land for dwindling species to recover is its most important feature. Wolves didn't just lose today. We lost.
Obama and Reid have approved the language in the upcoming budget bill, and in effect have initiated the greatest single attack on the Endangered Species Act in its existence.
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