Clean Air and Water NOT a Republican Priority

Being able to breathe is not a bad goal to have.  Unfortunately, Trump Republicans would like to take that right from you.  During the environmentally disastrous Trump administration restrictions on what power plants could spew into the air were eliminated.  An example is mercury.

Before I begin - a short mercury primer.  There is Ethyl Mercury (found in trace amounts in some vaccines), free Mercury and Methyl Mercury.  Ethyl mercury once ingested is quickly excreted in urine and does not stay in the body. Large amounts can cause symptoms like nausea and diarrhea but permanent damage, unless it is in massive doses, is not going to happen.  Essentially, following a likely exposure, it is no harm-no foul.

Methyl mercury, found in seafood, contaminated water and food is never excreted. Once you have it – the damage is there to stay. Chelation therapy can eliminate the mercury but any damage is permanent, particularly to the nervous system.   

Free mercury stays in the atmosphere for up to a year then falls to the earth, polluting your food and water.  Free mercury once it is in the food chain is in the form of methyl mercury. So power plants are going to kill you from mercury exposure – your vaccine will not. Republicans appear to be in favor of power plants and anti-vaccine.  Go figure. 

Methyl Mercury poisoning is the gift that keeps giving. Once incorporated in your body the damage stays with you to the grave. There is no magic antidote - nothing. Methyl or Organic Mercury poisoning results in tremors, loss of coordination, weakness, mood and behavior changes, kidney failure, hypertension, heart attacks, miscarriage, stillbirths, and infants with neurodevelopmental delays. Trump withdrew the legal justification for restricting mercury emissions from power plants. So, if you are a republican I guess it is OK to poison people for a buck. 

Much simpler than mercury are particulates in the air. Particulate matter in the air has long been associated with lung disease both in adults and children. Most recently a link between particulates in the air and cerebral palsy has been established. The Trump administration made it mandatory that electric grids use power generated by some of the most polluting coal plants.  All to win a few votes in West Virginia. He also reduced restrictions on emissions from cars and trucks. For a party so concerned about pregnancy terminations they seem to have little concern about children after they are born. 

The EPA is required, by law, to regulate carbon emissions. The Trump administration replaced the Clean Power Plan with his Affordable Clean Energy Plan which cut back limitations on carbon emissions requiring the smallest amount of change possible for the coal/power industry. Overall, Trumps decisions have resulted in billions of tons of more particulates in the air making us one of the leading contributors to global warming.  Not a wonder why he pulled the United States out of the Paris accord.

That was then, how about now. 

Trump publicly stated that he would lift a moratorium on permits for liquefied natural gas exports on his “first day” in office, undo the Biden/Harris administration’s limitations on drilling in the Alaskan Arctic and pave the way for more drilling in the Gulf of Mexico.  Up to that point he had already received $7.3 million from the coal/gas power industry (Biden/Harris received $500,000). Trump went further to state that if the industry gave him a billion dollars it would represent a “deal” compared to the benefits he could throw toward the power industry. Well, now we have a dollar amount of what it cost to buy the White House. 

If breathing is not a priority, how about water?  Trump limited enforcement on pesticide and fecal matter going into waterways.  The Biden/Harris adminstration reversed this policy after taking office. Trump, shortly after taking office, removed regulations protecting our waterways that had been in place for over 50 years. Now the Trump court has ruled that experts in federal agencies have no right to impose rulings to protect the public. So according to the Trump court, if an industry wants to dump fecal matter in your water, the EPA cannot compel the industry not to do so.  Campaign money well spent?

During his tenure, Trump deregulated 100 rules protecting the environment. These included 30 dealing with air pollution and emissions, 19 concerning drilling and extraction, 14 dealing with infrastructure and planning, 16 protecting animals, 9 protecting us from water pollution and 10 dealing with toxic substances and safety. To put the icing on the cake, Chief Justice Thomas wants to dismantle OSHA. So much for work place safety. 

So, a vote for Trump is a vote for dirty water, unbreathable air and contaminated food—oh and dollars in Trumps pocket.

Click here to learn what Biden/Harris has been doing for Clean Air

Click here to learn what Biden/Harris has been doing for Clean Water