#environmental legislation

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

Trump solicits political payoffs from oil company executives

Among the many shocking things Trump has done, openly soliciting political payoffs from oil company executives is near the top. See Washington Post, What Trump promised oil CEOs as he asked them to steer $1 billion to his campaign. (Article is accessible to all.)

Here is WaPo’s description of the incident:

As Donald Trump sat with some of the country’s top oil executives at his Mar-a-Lago Club last month, one executive complained about how they continued to face burdensome environmental regulations despite spending $400 million to lobby the Biden administration in the last year. Trump’s response stunned several of the executives in the room overlooking the ocean: [Trump said:] You all are wealthy enough, he said, that you should raise $1 billion to return me to the White House. At the dinner, [Trump] vowed to immediately reverse dozens of President Biden’s environmental rules and policies and stop new ones from being enacted, according to people with knowledge of the meeting, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe a private conversation.

Giving $1 billion would be a “deal,” Trump said, because of the taxation and regulation they would avoid thanks to him, according to the people [at the dinner].

Got that? Trump explicitly connected raising $1 billion from oil executives and reversing Biden’s environmental rules that are unfavorable to oil companies. While the role of dirty money in politics is pervasive, explicit “quid pro quos” are usually exchanged in secret—because they are illegal. See 18 U.S. Code § 201 - Bribery of public officials and witnesses.

As usual, Trump is skirting the law. Section 201 prohibits public officials or “persons selected to be public officials” from demanding anything of value in exchange for an official act. If Trump made the same request after he had been elected (but before he was inaugurated), it would likely be a crime. Trump is walking right up to the line of illegality—again.

But saying that Trump has not committed a crime should not be the bar for judging his brazen solicitation of a payoff, i.e., “You raise $1 billion for me so I can repeal Joe Biden’s regulations that govern oil companies.” The mere hint of such an exchange should disqualify Trump as a candidate and outrage every American who believes their government is not for sale.

[Robert B Hubbell Newsletter]

[delicatelysublimeforester]

🌎 The Room to Roam Act: A Blueprint for Global Wildlife Protection 🌿

[kesarijournal]

The Great Green Rebellion: Farmers' Uprising Against the Quest for a 'Greener' Tomorrow

In a stunning turn of events that you might have missed (because let’s face it, it’s not on mainstream media, and who reads past the headlines these days?), farmers across Europe have decided they’ve had enough. No more Mr. Nice Farmer. From the picturesque fields of Germany to the romantic vineyards of France, the agricultural proletariat is rising against what they perceive as the tyrannical…

[iasguidance]

Criminalising Ecocide

Context: Mexico is the latest country to consider passing a law to make ecocide a crime. About Ecocide It is human impact on the environment causing mass destruction to the environment. It is defined as “as unlawful or wanton acts committed with knowledge that there is a substantial likelihood of severe and either widespread or long-term damage to the environment being caused by those…

[newsbites]

News from British Columbia and beyond, 28 May.

Revised legislation to impose the costs of cleaning up abandoned industrial project on their owners aims to protect B.C.’s natural environment.

2. Opposition House Leader Todd Stone has introduced a private member’s bill to ban foreign interference in BC politics.

The Control of Foreign Funding and Electoral Influence Act will prohibit foreign-funded individuals and organizations from making false or misleading communications for any purpose related to an election. It will also ban contributions from any foreign person, government, or political organization for any purpose related to an election, and prohibit any individual or organization from collaborating with or accepting funds from foreign entities to influence an election.

3. British Columbia is offering mean-tested rebates on the purchase of eligible new e-bikes. The rebate program will be administered by the Scrap-It Society.

4. Former NDP cabinet minister Harry Lali has joined BCUnited. (In local parlance this transfers his vote from the Dippers to the Grits.)

5. Former governor-general and current special rapporteur David Johnston has released his first report into Chinese electoral interference.

Overall, the report finds no evidence of the Canadian government intentionally ignoring warnings and reports and concludes that a full public inquiry is not necessary.

You can find the report here.

6. The Johnston report identifies significant problems in getting intelligence briefings through to decision-makers in government.

Johnston found intelligence suggesting Beijing was targeting Conservative MP Michael Chong, another MP, and their extended families in China. In May 2021, CSIS sent an “issues management note” about this threat to then-public safety minister Bill Blair and his chief of staff. But neither of them received that note. It turns out it was sent through a “Top Secret Network email” and neither the minister nor his most senior aide had access to that.

6. Jagmeet Singh, the leader of the NDP, has expressed disappointment in the report and said that he will press for a full public inquiry.

7. Conservative leader, Pierre Pollievre, is still claiming that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau might be “complicit” in Chinese election interference.

8. The former Conservative leader, Erin O'Toole, has also expressed disappointment in the Johnston report.

[gender-fluidz]

Go vote for the conditions you want to protest in 👍

[allthecanadianpolitics]

Changes to the Canadian Environmental Protection Act enshrining the right to a healthy environment have passed into law. The federal government has been working on the legislation for several years, and introduced the latest version in the Senate in February. It also adds a sentence to the act guaranteeing that every Canadian has the right to a healthy environment and makes it a duty of the government to protect that right. The government now has up to two more years to define how that right will be implemented when it comes to enforcing the act. Critics have said the law would be stronger if that right were enshrined in the Constitution, but the government is not interested in that change. [...]

Continue Reading.

Tagging: @politicsofcanada

[pebblegalaxy]

The Inflation Reduction Act: A Green Facade Masking Protectionism and Global Inequality

The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), signed into law by President Biden on August 16, 2022, has been lauded by its proponents as a monumental step in addressing economic and environmental issues in the United States. But let’s peel back the polished rhetoric, and what do we find? A web of contradictions, protectionism disguised as progress, and a policy framework that, despite its lofty…

[ivygorgon]

AN OPEN LETTER to THE PRESIDENT & U.S. CONGRESS; STATE GOVERNORS & LEGISLATURES

Act Now: Save Public Transit from Extinction!

2 so far! Help us get to 5 signers!

I am writing to highlight the critical state of public transit in the United States and urge your support increased investment in this essential service. The challenges facing public transit—under-investment, over-reliance on car ownership, and racial disparities—have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. It is imperative that we take bold action to address these issues for the benefit of our communities and our future.

Investing in public transit is not merely a matter of convenience; it is a necessity for tackling climate change, advancing equity, supporting essential workers, and fostering economic recovery. The largest source of carbon emissions in the U.S. stems from transportation, and increased investment in public transit can significantly reduce this impact. Furthermore, public transit plays a crucial role in providing equitable access to jobs, schools, and services, especially for those who cannot afford or do not have access to private vehicles.

With over 2.8 million essential workers relying on public transit, our pandemic response and economic recovery hinge on the strength and viability of our transit systems. According to studies, sustained investment in public transportation yields substantial economic returns, with every $1 billion invested annually resulting in approximately $5 billion in additional GDP.

I commend initiatives like the Green New Deal for Transportation and efforts by organizations such as the CHARGE coalition to electrify and expand public transportation. These initiatives are pivotal in shaping a more sustainable and equitable transportation system for all Americans.

Therefore, I urge you to support emergency relief funding for public transit and join the movement to rebuild and improve our public transit system. This is not just an investment in infrastructure; it is an investment in our collective future.

Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter. I look forward to your support in advancing policies that will ensure a robust and accessible public transit system for all.

📱 Text SIGN PZHBAF to 50409

🤯 Liked it? Text FOLLOW IVYPETITIONS to 50409

💘 Q'u lach' shughu deshni da. 🏹 "What I say is true" in Dena'ina Qenaga

[dpskampteeroad]

International Plastic Bag Free Day | Plastics give a helping hand, but they are polluting our land!

This day symbolizes the significance of taking small steps in refusing plastic bags, which can contribute to monumental leaps for our beautiful, clean, and green environment. By choosing reusable alternatives and raising awareness about the harmful effects of plastic bags, we empower ourselves to make a positive impact.

International Plastic Bag Free Day

DPS Kamptee Road Nagpur 

[worldsokayestdragon]

for months I have been hoping for the return of the cassadine "freeze the world" weather machine, and getting steadily more convinced it was gonna happen, but instead Victor is doing some boring "overpopulation bad" ecofascism which isn't fun and camp at all and is just pissing me off

[iasguidance]

Objections overruled; Forest Bill goes to House unchanged

Context: A Parliamentary committee, set up to examine proposed amendments to the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, has endorsed the amendment, Bill.  Forest Conservation Act, 1980 FRA was enacted to provide for the conservation of forests and for matters connected therewith or ancillary or incidental thereto.  It provides that prior permission of the Central Government is required for…

[junadeo]

YES!!

decriminalize:

sex work

addiction

criminalize: 

golf