I thought this article would be appropriate considering that we are going to cover politics in science writing the next few days. I realize the article is three years old, but it was the only one I could find which truly articulated McCain’s position on the environment, without delving into other aspects of his political platform.
I also find it heartening that the three major candidates for the presidency have all voiced their support for environmental causes. This article focuses particularly on John McCain, who has a history of bucking party trends and reaching across the aisle to democrats in order to create bi-partisan support for legislation (think McCain-Feingold, Kennedy-McCain, and McCain-Lieberman). I believe this is especially pertinent with the threat of global warming, and other environmental concerns stemming from the growing global population, industrialization of third world countries, and the increased development of the United States. Although Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama have pledged their support for environmental concerns (and unlike McCain, were always supportive of such measures to my knowledge), I believe there is something particularly exciting about a Republican who cares about the government. I may not agree with the rest of Mr. McCain's platform, but his environmental awareness is admirable. Maybe by supporting environment-friendly issues, McCain will help garner support from other Republicans, and protecting our environment will cease to be a partisan issue.
Monday, February 18, 2008
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Interesting. This is very refreshing: to see a Republican supporting environmental causes. The article mentions that maybe his experiences in Arizona helped him see nature as something that can be both vulnerable and dangerous. I strongly believe that the experiences we all have shape us more than we know. That is why effective communication is that which causes us to do more than just think--it draws on our experiences and memories, and brings emotions to the floor. Before deciding to write up an article about Bee-Eaters, for example, each author had to target the audience for which he or she was writing. That is why children get more out of Ranger Rick, while scientists get more out of the technical paper.
I thought it was remarkable to see John McCain’s interest in environmental issues, particularly after viewing the Republican’s website, which made little mention of such topics. While his own personal experiences, I’m sure, affected McCain’s stance, I find it quite interesting to see his progression, from a politician who initially thought little of such issues, to one who now understands and seeks to educate others that “something is happening.” Juxtaposing this political/environmental article with that previously published on Hillary Clinton, I think it is evident how imbued science is within the political arena. As much as we might like to separate issues, all roads seem to lead to politics. It has become clear, through close analysis of political standpoints, that every issue in which the majority of constituents have opinions – be it science, religion, etcetera, politics soon become involved and a major force in shaping public opinion.
I thought it was remarkable to see John McCain’s interest in environmental issues, particularly after viewing the Republican’s website, which made little mention of such topics. While his own personal experiences, I’m sure, affected McCain’s stance, I find it quite interesting to see his progression, from a politician who initially thought little of such issues, to one who now understands and seeks to educate others that “something is happening.” Juxtaposing this political/environmental article with that previously published on Hillary Clinton, I think it is evident how imbued science is within the political arena. As much as we might like to separate issues, all roads seem to lead to politics. It has become clear, through close analysis of political standpoints, that every issue in which the majority of constituents have opinions – be it science, religion, etcetera, politics soon become involved and a major force in shaping public opinion.
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