Saving Polar Bears for Future Generations of Coca-cola Ads

A great Christmas gift from the Senate this year - one more underhanded attack on the Arctic Refuge was narrowly averted. This one was the most slippery, sleazy political tactic yet - after trying to link it to the energy bill, and then the budget bill, Alaskan Senator Ted Stevens snuck it into the defense spending bill. When speaking to a friend about this, and denouncing any politician who would support this grossly deceitful maneuver, he mentioned that a lot of them are probably motivated by fear.

I'm sure more than a few senators had nightmares of TV commercials during their reelection campaign saying "Senator Bla bla bla voted AGAINST the defense spending bill because he/she just doesn't care about helping our troops..." Shot of a soldier shooting at the enemy, his gun barrel emptying, he reaches into his bag and finds a note that says "I.O.U ten bullets". And then he goes down in a slow motion hail of enemy fire. And then an American flag. Vote for Joe Lovesamerica.

But thankfully, we have senators like Boxer and Feinstein and John McCain, who speak their conscience even when there's a risk of political backlash. And thankfully, the constant public support of preserving the Arctic refuge has created enough pressure to protect this important natural landmark for yet another year. Merry Christmas, Mr. Stevens.

It draws attention to the incredible importance of public awareness when it comes to politics. In this era of Fox Propaganda and Rovian mudslinging, it's so crucial that people are active in seeking out the truth in politics. It's out there - but you have to be vigilant, as our president would say. Once again let me plug my two favorite news sources: "Now", which you can stream online if your PBS station is monkeying with its time slot, and "To The Point" with Warren Olney, a radio show and podcast which is the single most informative and even-handed news source available.

I'm currently putting the finishing touches on my own political website which I will launch early in the new year. It focuses on the environment, and my goal is to stay on top of all the major issues and keep readers informed with a bit of humor. One-stop shopping for environmental awareness. Several of my recent posts have been test runs for the new site. I'll post the link as soon as it's launched.