"Commentary"-The Political Climate & The Environment
Thursday, May 01, 2008SUSIE GHARIB: In tonight's commentary, the importance of climate change as an economic issue. Here's Myron Kandel, president of the New Hampshire Initiative for Corporate Responsibility and Investor Protection.
MYRON KANDEL, PRESIDENT, NEW HAMPSHIRE INITIATIVE FOR CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY: Members of the media have come under attack during the current Democratic primary campaign for failing to focus on the key issues affecting most Americans in favor of tangential or frivolous matters. Many of the economic issues may not be as flashy as some of the others that get so much attention and news coverage. And that's too bad, especially because the economy and its ramifications are uppermost in the concerns of most of us, according to all the opinion polls I've seen.
And one area that's been badly overlooked is the environment. There probably has been a moment or two on that over the last year of frantic campaigning by both parties, but unquestionably, there's been a big void. Any discussion of energy and its impact on our economy usually focuses on rising gasoline prices and then, of course, there's the cliche about making the nation energy independent, although rarely is that statement accompanied by any specific proposals on how to achieve it.
It's time for the media to hold the candidates' feet to the fire on the burning issues of climate change, degradation of the air we breathe and the water we drink, the sources of the energy we use and other environmental matters that will seriously affect not only our lives, but those of generations yet to come. They need to do this not in a "gotcha" mode, but rather to create an environment for intelligent discussion. I'm Myron Kandel.
