Posted on 07/21/2002 10:23:02 AM PDT by yella rose
Washington --- Cynthia McKinney might get grief from those people who do not like her criticisms of the White House, but at least one lobbying group backs her fully.
Environmental advocates say the congresswoman from Decatur has supported nearly every cause important to them, from trying to prevent oil drilling in the Arctic to stopping commercial logging in Southern forests.
In fact, McKinney votes in favor of pro-environment measures so frequently that three of the most influential environmental organizations --- the Sierra Club, the League of Conservation Voters and the American Lands Campaign --- have endorsed her congressional re-election campaign.
"She's been a very reliable vote," said Betsy Loyless, political director of the League of Conservation Voters, a Washington-based advocacy group.
"For example, during the energy debate, which was probably one of the most contentious but also most important votes that members of Congress have taken during this entire [session], she spoke on the floor on behalf of newer, cleaner, smarter renewable energies," Loyless said.
The League of Conservation Voters "has an incumbent preference policy," Loyless said, "and, of course, a member of the delegation who has a lifetime score of 91, and a score in 2001 of 93 percent --- it just made good sense for us to endorse her."
McKinney and former DeKalb County State Court Judge Denise Majette meet in the Democratic primary on Aug. 20.
Political observers say they think that McKinney will be challenged, partly because Majette is an African-American, a Democrat and a woman, just as McKinney is.
Complained to EPA
But McKinney moves ahead of Majette when it comes to financial support from the environmental lobby.
According to the Center for Responsive Politics, a nonprofit campaign finance monitoring group in Washington, more than $5,000 of the $278,102 that McKinney had at the end of March came from the environmental lobby. Majette had no money from that area, the center said.
The group has not yet released its analysis for the latest campaign finance data.
So far, McKinney has raised nearly $515,000 and has almost $463,000 on hand, according to the Federal Election Commission. Majette has raised more than $340,000, with more than $99,000 in cash.
McKinney has received more negative reaction to her actions and statements than she has endorsements over the past 12 months.
She drew national flak after revelations that she suggested on a March 25 radio show that the Bush administration knew beforehand something about the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Even after the administration acknowledged that two agencies had some general information, congressional colleagues continued to deride McKinney.
The congresswoman also drew anger in October, when she wrote an apology to a Saudi prince whose offer of $10 million to help the terrorist attack victims was shunned by then-Mayor Rudolph Giuliani of New York.
McKinney also had suggested that the prince might want to consider some U.S. charities.
But when it comes to the environment, McKinney is known by constituents as a supporter.
Last month, she wrote to Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Christine Todd Whitman to express her concern about the loosening of restrictions imposed by the Clean Air Act.
In May, she wrote the EPA and asked the agency to look at the growing problem of air pollution in her district.
Four out of five
Of five environmental measures that have gone before the Congress over the last several months, McKinney has voted four times the way environmental groups were lobbying.
On May 8, she voted against the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste dump in Nevada, although the House passed the measure.
On Dec. 6, she voted against giving "fast track" trade authority to the president, which could permit trade deals that circumvent environmental health and safety laws. The House passed the measure.
Last Aug. 1, she voted to protect the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge from oil drilling, although the House rejected that plan.
On the same day, she voted to close a loophole that allowed SUVs and other light trucks to follow lower fuel economy standards than cars. The House also rejected that measure.
The only related vote on which she did not support the environmental lobby came Oct. 4, when she and several other Georgia members of the House voted against an amendment to the farm bill to increase financial incentives to farmers to protect wetlands, clean water and open space. The measure was defeated.
"She's been a really solid vote on the environment," said Bebbie Sease, national legislative director of the Sierra Club, based in San Francisco.
McKinney "was an original co-sponsor of the bill to end commercial logging, something the Sierra Club supports," Sease said. "She also believes in a community's right to know --- in other words, a community has the right to know what kind of pollution is being put in its neighborhood."
The organizations said they are aware that McKinney has drawn some negative reaction but do not look at it when they endorse.
Loyless said, "Frankly, her support for environmental issues is the measure and the test by which we rate Congresswoman McKinney and other members of Congress."
It reminds me of the Republic of Korea (i.e., South Korea). They are constantly dealing with the effects of DPRK (i.e. N. Korea)infiltrators within their educational establishment. These infiltrators portray themselves as students and/or professors and not only spread propaganda but use the problems of the ROK to manipulate the "brains full of mush" into believing there is a better way, i.e., socialism/marxism/communism. They also ensure that anti-American sentiment stays high.
At least the ROK government actively pursues these folks and imprisons them when they can prove it. Here, we consider it free speech and not only allow it, but encourage it (or a least it is encouraged w/in the educational establishment and democan party).
McKinney and her ilk are a danger to the Republic and everything it stands for. I would lose no sleep if she was found with a bullet in her head.
Proving, once again, Rush's assertion that the Communists have taken over the Environmental movement.
It is the Greenies, the Naderites, the "progressives" vrs the DLC, the ADL and the Mussolini-style corporatists.
Be nice if no one was left standing when it is all over.
Lieberman, Nadler, Boxer, Feingold, Levin, Schumer, Wellstone and Feinstein do just as much to shut down American oil and other natural resource production as McKinney does.
Something very evil is going on in the Democrat party. Did you catch that Lieberman is advocating more Palestinian immigration into America?
Be nice if no one Left was standing ...
Imagine if a Republican suggested more Palestinians move to America...
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