Why is it that the environment is almost a taboo subject in American political campaigns? Voters need to know the candidate’s stand on environmental issues!

You can bet we will learn a candidate’s stand on same-sex marriage, but not their stand or views on the amount of toxic pollution power plants emit into our air. Same-sex marriage only affects homosexuals who choose to marry. Clean air affects each and everyone of us, as we have to breathe.

Carolyn St. James
Spearfish, South Dakota

Close window X

Republish this article

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Our articles are available for republishing, but images are only available on a case-by-case basis. You can’t republish photographs or illustrations without written permission from High Country News and/or the photographer. Please reach out to syndication@hcn.org to request illustrations and photography for specific stories. Republishing guidelines

• Credit the author and High Country News - We prefer Author Name, High Country News at the byline.  At the top of the story, if on the web, please include this text and link: “This story was originally published by High Country News.”
• Check the image requirements - Images that are clearly marked CC or from federal agencies are in the creative commons and are available for republishing. Outside of this, you can’t republish photographs or illustrations without written permission from High Country News and/or the photographer. Please reach out to syndication@hcn.org to request more information.
• Don’t change anything significant - Articles must be republished in their entirety. Revisions for house style or references to time (“yesterday” to “today”) are allowed. If larger revisions are necessary, including significant trims or an editor’s note, contact us at syndication@hcn.org to get approval for the change ahead of republishing.
• Share on social media - When sharing on social tag High Country News in your post and note the story is from @highcountrynews
  • Twitter: @highcountrynews 
  • Instagram: @highcountrynews
  • TikTok: @highcountrynews
  • Facebook: @highcountrynews
  • LinkedIn: High Country News
• Stay in touch - Let us know you republished the story. Send a link to syndication@hcn.org once you’ve republished the story and let us know how it’s resonating with your readers.

Environment is a political issue

by Carolyn St. James, High Country News
April 26, 2004

<h1>Environment is a political issue</h1> <p class="byline">by Carolyn St. James, High Country News <br />April 26, 2004</p> <p>Why is it that the environment is almost a taboo<br /> subject in American political campaigns? Voters need to know the<br /> candidate’s stand on environmental issues! </p> <p> You can<br /> bet we will learn a candidate’s stand on same-sex marriage,<br /> but not their stand or views on the amount of toxic pollution power<br /> plants emit into our air. Same-sex marriage only affects<br /> homosexuals who choose to marry. Clean air affects each and<br /> everyone of us, as we have to breathe. </p> <p><b>Carolyn<br /> St. James</b><br /> Spearfish, South Dakota</p> <div class="wp-block-group hcn-print-edition-box"> <p>This article appeared in the <a href="/?p=188910">print edition of the magazine</a> with the headline <span class="hcn-magtitle">Environment is a political issue</span>.</p> </p></div> <p>This &lt;a target=&quot;_blank&quot; href=&quot;https://country-survey-collabs.info/issues/issue-273/environment-is-a-political-issue/&quot;&gt;article&lt;/a&gt; first appeared on &lt;a target=&quot;_blank&quot; href=&quot;https://country-survey-collabs.info Country News&lt;/a&gt; and is republished here under a &lt;a target=&quot;_blank&quot; href=&quot;https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/&quot;&gt;Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;img src=&quot;https://i0.wp.com/www.hcn.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/cropped-HCN_Logo-Monogram_White_Sq-2.png?resize=150%2C150&amp;amp;quality=100&amp;amp;ssl=1&quot; style=&quot;width:1em;height:1em;margin-left:10px;&quot;&gt;&lt;img id=&quot;republication-tracker-tool-source&quot; src=&quot;https://country-survey-collabs.info/?republication-pixel=true&amp;post=110227&amp;amp;ga4=G-0NS3WVPPTN&quot; style=&quot;width:1px;height:1px;&quot;&gt;&lt;script&gt; PARSELY = { autotrack: false, onload: function() { PARSELY.beacon.trackPageView({ url: &quot;https://country-survey-collabs.info/issues/issue-273/environment-is-a-political-issue/&quot;, urlref: window.location.href }); } } &lt;/script&gt; &lt;script id=&quot;parsely-cfg&quot; src=&quot;//cdn.parsely.com/keys/hcn.org/p.js&quot;&gt;&lt;/script&gt;</p> Copy to Clipboard

1