Recently George W. Bush (GWB) and the administration has eviscerated a rule that will leave millions of acres vulnerable to the chains and gangs of loggers. In 1997, Bill Clinton signed the Roadless Conservation Rule protecting 58 million acres of our national forests after receiving millions of requests from citizens. GWB broke a promise he made on May 4, 2001 stating that he would uphold the rule. Now, with the dire conditions of our economy GWB will do just about anything to increase and aid his friends' funds of the logging industry. In addition, with the election months away, he's pandering to his cohorts.

To prevent roads from being built in national forests, the governors would have to petition to prevent these roads from being built. This was once a job for the National Forest Service now raided by Mark Rey, a former timber industry lobbyist who will ultimately make the decision. Millions voiced their opinions to President Clinton who passed this law. GWB's executive power seems to have no bounds; GWB is exposing the lush lands to steel seething trucks.

GWB has also not limited the emissions from power plants that spew mercury exhaust. The plumes of smoke hosting mercury molecules fall with the rain and seep into the ground water. Reacting with bacteria in the water, the mercury latches onto the bacterium and pervades every specie in the affected area. Fish eat bacteria, then a bigger fish would consume another and then fishing hooks dangle and finally into the body of a human. All states in the union have issued warnings concerning the toxicity of fish and consuming fish from local rivers and lakes (excluding Wyoming and Alaska). The affected fish cannot be relieved of the lethal toxins with cooking. Therefore, it's imperative that the mercury be curbed at its source - the power plant.

There is a litany of violations detrimental to the environment that the current administration is engaging us in, including not attempting to quell the arsenic in our rivers and oceans; arsenic is an ingredient in pesticide. Due to the inexplicable fabrications of misinformation concerning Iraq, foreign policy and domestic policies, citizens now will pay to clean up this administration albeit, corporations moving elsewhere after leaving hazardous chemicals behind -that permeate through the soil and into the ground and our waterways - the faulty information from the CIA and our relinquishing our rights to make it easier. The Healthy Forest initiative, not yet signing the Kyoto Protocol that over 150 other countries are engaged in; this administration is supposed to be looking out for us. We end up having to deal with policies that turn into destruction. We deserve facts and accountability, and we all deserve better. He's (supposed to be) working for us. Every aspect of the federal budget is being slashed and we have no other option but to make amends.

His failed policies have us in a situation I do not want the future to endure. Please research other atrocities and remedies with a number of news mediums. Let's not forget about the trees holding up the world let's not have the forest become a memory or fantasy.

Before casting your revered vote for GWB, research his record, please.

I'm voting for the future.

Mark Schager

(Mark Schager is a Mineola High School graduate.)