LIBERADIO(!)

The people who did this are not our friends.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, just because you say something often and loudly doesn’t make it true.

Take the curious case of “environmentalist” Rep. Frank Niceley (R-Strawberry Plains) who, along with Rep. Joe McCord (R-Maryville) and several other GOP state reps, were graded by the Tennessee Conservation Voters and found to have not-so-good records on the legislation that would keep Tennessee beautiful and its drinking water safe.

Tom Humphrey at Knoxville News Sentinel has the quote:

“The people who give these ratings are paid environmentalists,” Niceley says. “I was an environmentalist before most of these boys were born.”

Oh yeah? Well put your actions where your words are, fella, and maybe we’ll believe you.

Woods at the Nashville Scene breaks it down:

These are the cave men who made it easier in this year’s session for road-builders and real-estate developers to pave over Tennessee’s streams. Under the fabulous new law they rammed through the legislature, here’s how we’ll deal with pesky burbling brooks interfering with development plans: The developer only has to hire a “consultant” to write a report concluding that the stream isn’t a stream at all. No, it’s merely a “wet-weather conveyance” and therefore unworthy of any protections under environmental law….

And that’s just one of the environmental degradations brought to Tennessee by these lawmakers. Once again, they also managed to kill legislation to prohibit coal companies from blowing the tops of our mountains. Thanks to them, they’ll soon have to sing “Rocky Top-less” at Neyland Stadium on Saturdays.

McCord fell only one vote short of a majority for his bill to weaken standards for the amount of selenium that coal mines may release into Tennessee streams. Critics warned it could cause massive fish and wildlife kills and jeopardize human health, too. But McCord assured everyone that selenium is perfectly safe. It’s so good for you they put it in vitamin pills! You need “your daily dose of selenium,” McCord said. Oh well, there’s always next year.

Next year. Ah, yes. Can’t wait to see – not hear – what these tree friends come up with in January.