We live in one of those open concept places. I came down this morning to find my young daughter behind our kitchen island, getting some of her lunch together. And this is how our conversation went:
Me: “Didn’t I leave my boots right here last night?”
Daughter: “I don’t know.”
Me: “Wait, are you wearing my boots?!?”
Daughter: “No!”
You can guess exactly where those boots were. As I stepped around the kitchen island, there she was in plain sight, wearing my boots. As soon as I got them off her and started putting them on me, I got a slightly queasy feeling. They were hot and clammy—her speedy little metabolism translates to hot feet.
Being misled, followed by feeling queasy is not exactly a new feeling for me. I’m one of millions of Americans weary of hearing the double-speak of politicians. Aren’t we all so tired of it? Talk around endangered species is a classic example.
Wildlife opponents in Congress are going after the Endangered Species Act in a way that we haven’t seen. But it’s as if they’re still small children; they think they can destroy it without us noticing. They seem to think that we aren’t smart enough to see what they’re up to. Since virtually every one of us—Democrat, Republican, and Independent—love wildlife and endangered species, enemies of wildlife try to be slick about their plans.
But we know when they say they’re just going to “modernize” the Act, they’re really standing, boots at the ready, to trample endangered species protections.
Congressman Bishop, the chair of House Natural Resources Committee (the guy in charge of the House committee that authorizes the Endangered Species Act) got as close as they’ve come to being transparent when he said, “repeal it and replace it.”
But we’re just not that dumb. We know exactly what he and his friends mean—replace means completely gut. Of the 130+ bills and riders that Rep. Bishop, Sen. Barrasso, and all of the other wildlife opponents introduced in the last session of Congress, a total of zero increased conservation for wildlife and plants. Zero. The same holds true for all of the bills they’ve already introduced in this session.
Their willingness to destroy the Endangered Species Act is unbelievable—particularly now, when scientists are so concerned that we’re in a sixth great wave of extinction. Instead of doing all that they can to save wildlife, plants, fish, and birds—and even humans—they’re going after the Endangered Species Act. In fact, Senator Barrasso made bashing the Endangered Species Act one of his top priorities—scheduling one of his very first hearings on exactly that topic.
Thankfully we Americans are too smart to be fooled by congressional wildlife opponents and their attempts to trample over endangered species protections. While they bend over backwards to tell us, they really mean well for species, we see those boots headed our way. And we’re not letting them get anywhere near our precious endangered wildlife.
We’re joining together to defend what’s ours. Join us. Sign the pledge to defend America’s endangered species.