‘Don’t Let the Tea Party Set the Agenda’

(This is sixth in an ongoing series of posts on What’s It Going to Take?: A look at how the environmental community can regain the initiative and build the political will necessary to clean up the Chesapeake Bay.)


Whats It Going to Take?

In this exclusive interview, Maryland state Sen. Paul Pinsky tells the Bay Action Plan that, “We shouldn’t be taking our cue from the Tea Party,” when it comes to cleaning the Chesapeake Bay. “The correct response to them is to ask, ‘What is the right thing to do?’ We shouldn’t allow them to shape the dialogue.”

“We have a Democratically controlled legislature, we have a Democratic governor,” Sen. Pinsky said. “To allow those people to slow any kind of efforts down is a tragic mistake.”

“We have to take an aggressive, offensive approach, and not just respond to these people. We shouldn’t be back on our heels. We should be moving forward.”

Watch the whole interview:

3 Comments

  1. Jim McCulley on January 26, 2012 at 10:11 am

    We shouldn’t let the Democrats set the agenda, or the left wing environmental groups or the right wing special interests…how about the people? Let the people control the agenda.



    • bob gallagher on January 28, 2012 at 3:58 pm

      Jim-

      In my experience, the environmental and conservation groups are the people. Conservation is not a partisan issue. The groups that I am familiar with are supported by Republicans, Democrats and Libertarians. I’m sure they would welcome you.

      Bob Gallagher
      Shady Side



      • Jim McCulley on January 28, 2012 at 5:36 pm

        You are correct, conservation should not be a partisan issue. My guess is you are not talking about the groups suing EPA at the drop of a hat in a coordinated effort to allow EPA to circumvent rulemaking.

        I would also guess that less than 10% of the population belong to these groups, hardly a representation of the people.

        This original post kind of suggests a partisan slant.