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Palin's policies in Alaska weighted toward development
Los Angeles Times ^ | 9/22/08 | Kim Murphy - LA Times Staff Writer

Posted on 09/22/2008 11:37:49 AM PDT by gridlock

BARROW, ALASKA -- Federal scientists flying over the Arctic Ocean last month spotted something nearly unprecedented during their annual count of bowhead whales: nine polar bears in the open sea, miles from anywhere.

One was swimming 60 miles off Barrow. A flight a week or so later found five bears plying their way through the swells. The findings wouldn't have been so alarming -- they are powerful swimmers -- except that their likely destination, the sea ice on which the predators depend for survival, had retreated 400 miles offshore.

(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...


TOPICS: Government; Politics/Elections; US: Alaska
KEYWORDS: animalrights; energy; environment; esa; globalwarming; hitpiece; kimmurphy; losangelestimes; mccainpalin; msmdrivebys; palin; polarbears
This article goes on and on about how Sarah Palin's energy development agenda is at odds with the Endangered Species Act listing of the Polar Bear.

What the article fails to note, however, is that development of Alaskan energy resources will have no more effect on the Polar Bear population than development of any other fossil fuel anywhere in the World, since the "logic" behind the listing is that Human-Caused Global Warming is destroying the Polar Bear habitat. Since the warming effect of fossil fuel consumption is the same regardless or where it was found, it makes no sense to single out Alaskan production in order to preserve the Polar Bear.

This is obvious to anybody who thinks about the question for two seconds, but not obvious, apparently, to Kim Murphy of the Los Angeles Times. For some reason, she presumes that Alaska must carry the entire burden for saving the Polar Bear (which is doing quite nicely on it's own, thank you very much).

If environmentalists want to campaign on a platform of stopping all energy development anywhere, along with the $10/gallon gasoline that would result, they should do so. But it is fundamentally dishonest to ask Alaska to bear the burden of the entire World's energy consumption.

1 posted on 09/22/2008 11:37:49 AM PDT by gridlock
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To: gridlock

Wow. Who would think that the Alaska Governor would want economic development to create a better economy? Maybe she should be like the NY and Mass governor’s and try to drive the Alaska economy down. Ya think?


2 posted on 09/22/2008 11:40:16 AM PDT by sitkaspruce
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To: gridlock

OH NO! Not DEVELOPMENT! That could lead to wealth creation, prosperity, good jobs and a better life. Say it isn’t so!!!!


3 posted on 09/22/2008 11:40:37 AM PDT by Question Liberal Authority (Pontius Pilate voted "Present")
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To: gridlock

Shocker!

She was trying to improve the local economy?

Shame on her!


4 posted on 09/22/2008 11:43:49 AM PDT by Mr. Brightside
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To: gridlock
A hit piece. Environmental protection good, jobs and development bad.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

5 posted on 09/22/2008 11:44:13 AM PDT by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives In My Heart Forever)
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To: gridlock
GACK!

Not the dreaded "development is bad" argument!
That is soooo 60s...

Of course, everyone beyond Jr High realizes that these clowns condemn every hint of development --- except where they happen to live.

One of the worse cesspool pits in the entire country.

Enough said...

6 posted on 09/22/2008 11:45:29 AM PDT by Publius6961 (Change is not a plan; Hope is not a strategy.)
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To: Publius6961

Well, if pumping oil in Alaska is going to lead to Global Warming, then pumping oil in Texas, or the Gulf of Mexico, or Brazil will do the same. The argument that is being used against Sarah Palin applies to anybody who wants to develop fossil fuel energy resources anywhere.

This is why the ESA listing of Polar Bears is such a disaster. Once the “logic” is accepted, every time you put gasoline in your tank, you are killing a fluffy little polar bear, and you must be stopped.


7 posted on 09/22/2008 11:49:52 AM PDT by gridlock (The Democrats have attacked Motherhood. Now, if they attack Baseball and Apple Pie, we got it made!)
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To: gridlock
It's not what they saw...It's what they didn't see...

Polar bears floating motionless face down.

8 posted on 09/22/2008 11:50:38 AM PDT by Sacajaweau (I'm planting corn...Have to feed my car...)
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To: goldstategop
And, of course, what empty-headed environmental hit piece would be complete without the cute picture...

Awwwwww! Aren't they cute!

Sarah Palin wants to kill them, you know...

It is a shame that so many environmentalists will never have an opportunity to go up to the Alaskan wilderness to pet a polar bear. We should all pool our money to send these poor deprived folks on Alaskan safaris so they can give one of this momma's babies a great big hug!

A side benefit of this safari program is that it would provide a ready source of food for the poor starving bears!

9 posted on 09/22/2008 11:54:51 AM PDT by gridlock (The Democrats have attacked Motherhood. Now, if they attack Baseball and Apple Pie, we got it made!)
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To: gridlock
My husband works on the North Slope of Alaska and they see polar bears almost daily. Polar bears are not endangered, not even close.

Also, yesterday I was watching a special on the History channel about the Vikings. It said when the Vikings came to Greenland, there was green grass and a diversity of plants. and the mini-ice age wiped them out in Greenland.

So that means the Earth was warmer at some point than it is now and there weren't cars back then

10 posted on 09/22/2008 11:59:33 AM PDT by rlferny
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To: gridlock

 

 

11 posted on 09/22/2008 12:08:41 PM PDT by Incorrigible (If I lead, follow me; If I pause, push me; If I retreat, kill me.)
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To: gridlock
My husband works on the North Slope of Alaska and they see polar bears almost daily. Polar bears are not endangered, not even close.

Also, yesterday I was watching a special on the History channel about the Vikings. It said when the Vikings came to Greenland, there was green grass and a diversity of plants. and the mini-ice age wiped them out in Greenland.

So that means the Earth was warmer at some point than it is now and there weren't cars back then

12 posted on 09/22/2008 12:27:19 PM PDT by rlferny
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To: gridlock

Are we supposed to care about a few stupid polar bears?

My heart is untouched!


13 posted on 09/22/2008 12:53:47 PM PDT by JRochelle
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To: JRochelle

Well, since the only way to “save” the Polar Bears is for you to freeze in the dark this Winter, I would not expect you to be overly sympathetic.


14 posted on 09/22/2008 1:00:44 PM PDT by gridlock (The Democrats have attacked Motherhood. Now, if they attack Baseball and Apple Pie, we got it made!)
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To: gridlock
Polar Bear population increased dramatically since 70's
15 posted on 09/22/2008 1:43:10 PM PDT by Josh Painter ("I don't believe that people should be able to own guns." - Barack Obama)
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To: Josh Painter

The ESA Polar Bear listing is nothing but an attempt to back-door carbon dioxide emissions restrictions. It has nothing to do with Polar Bears or whether or not they are actually endangered.


16 posted on 09/22/2008 1:56:40 PM PDT by gridlock (The Democrats have attacked Motherhood. Now, if they attack Baseball and Apple Pie, we got it made!)
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