Why To Keep Funding EPA Laws

We all know that Representative Paul Ryan (R-WI) has proposed drastic budget legislation that would eliminate all spending to enforce the EPA laws, among its various monetary cutbacks. The idea behind this particular part of the budget bill is the Tea Party belief that there is no such thing as global warming, so who needs any environmental protection laws, anyway?



The EPA laws are not part of US law just to prevent global warming. Have any Tea Party members gotten a look at the air quality above China's cities and the numerous citizens of those cities wearing face masks when they are exposed to that air? Is that what you want for our American cities? I realize that the federal government is operating under a huge deficit (and who do you think is responsible for THAT, GW?), but just trying to keep some clean air over our cities seems to be a given. Add in clean water supply - we in Baltimore know that accidental sewage dumps can make water undrinkable - and you have more than ample reason to keep money for environmental protection well-funded within the federal budget.

The American Lung Association has just released its report on air quality over major American cities. Even with our EPA laws fully funded, our major cities struggle to maintain breathable air, without high levels of smog or particulates. Yes, citizens of major cities, as we head into the summer, remember the relevance of those air quality reports when we receive the red warning days on which those with lung diseases are encouraged to remain indoors because of poor air quality. Remember that this is the way it is when the EPA has proper funding. Do you REALLY want the numbers of red warning days to increase? Do you really want more people with asthma, more people with heart disease, more people suffering from strokes, more people dying younger, because Representative Ryan and the like-minded Tea Partyers believe that the EPA laws are just about global warming, which doesn't exist, in their religious belief system, so they don't want to pay for environmental protection, so all of the rest of us can choke when we breathe the over-polluted air left to us? Is that what you are saying Representative Ryan and Tea Party followers? And...can I quote you on that?