Environmentalists Want More Mercury Emissions

It sounds crazy, doesn't it? But, how else can you explain this? This is the same type of headline we saw when President Bush put new restricions in place for arsenic in drinking water. His plan was lampooned by claims that he wanted to allow more arsenic in drinking water because it didn't increase the restrictions as much as the environmentalists wanted. But, these environmentalists have flat-out canceled the new mercury guidelines.

To summarize:

Environmentalists lobbied congress to shoot down a proposal to cut power plant emissions of mercury (Hg) nearly a third by 2010. By 2018, the proposal cuts mercury emissions by 70 percent. The new emissions rules would be the first ever to limit mercury emissions from power plants. But, senate Democrats blocked the change!

If you're confused right now, there's something you don't realize. Saving the environment is NOT the #1 goal of environmental activists. I should repeat that a few times:

Saving the environment is NOT the #1 goal of environmental activists.
Saving the environment is NOT the #1 goal of environmental activists.
SAVING THE ENVIRONMENT IS NOT THE #1 GOAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVISTS.
SaViNg ThE eNvIrOnMeNt Is NoT tHe #1 GoAl Of EnViRoNmEnTaL aCtIvIsTs.
.stsivitca latnemnorivne fo laog 1# eht TON si tnemnorivne eht gnivaS

In Spanish: Ahorrar el ambiente no es la meta fundamental de activistas ambientales
In Portugese: Conservar o ambiente não é o objetivo preliminar de activistas ambientais
In Russian: Сохранять окружающую среду не будет главным образом целью относящих к окружающей среде актуариев
In German: Das Klima zu speichern ist nicht das Primärziel der Klimaaktivisten
In French: Sauver l'environnement n'est pas le but primaire des activistes environnementaux
In Italian: Conservare l'ambiente non è l'obiettivo primario degli attivisti ambientali.
In Australian: Saving the environment is NOT the #1 goal of environmental activists, mate.
In Pig Latin: avingsay ethay environmentay is OTNAY ethay imarypay oalgay of environmentalay activistsay.
In HEX Code: 536176696E672074686520656E7669726F6E6D656E7
4206973206E6F7420746865207072696D6172792067
6F616C206F6620656E7669726F6E6D656E74616C206163746976697374732E00

Scoring political victories is. This would be the first restriction on mercury emissions, ever. They're not about to let a republican president put his name on "their" cause. So, the lobbies CANCELED the new restrictions, returning the proposed reductions back to 0%. That's progress!

They claim that they are trying to force a do-over because the new guidelines aren't good enough. Well, how about taking a freebie and going from there? What's to stop a proposal to increase the restriction after it's been passed? Answer: nothing. If they truly cared about saving us all from as much mercury as possible, as soon as possible, they'd take the 29% and push for incentives to cut more.

As someone who actually cares about the environment, especially heavy metals in my air and drinking water, I'm offended by these childish actions. Activists are playing politics with your health!

You can thank your Republican senators for saving you from this insanity.