Air Date: Week of November 18, 1994

We air listener comments from the last few shows, both spoken on our listener line and written over the computer lines.

Transcript

CURWOOD: A number of you responded to our segment last week about the new Republican majority in Congress, and our question about whether the GOP sweep carries a new mandate for a conservative approach to environmental protection.

CALLER: Hi, this is John in San Francisco. I hope we can look forward to an emphasis on sound environmental regulation without as much authoritarian, nightmarish type of legislation that we've had in the past. I think there will be a lot more emphasis on sound, scientific research in new proposals.

CALLER: Hi, my name is Jill Nyland. I'm from Chicago. My station is WBEZ. I just want to say I abhor the know-nothingism of the Chenoweth of Iowa types, the new Republican supposed mandated folk. And I think that the Newts, Phils and Bobs of the world misjudge the American people's interest in the environment. The last poll I saw said that 84% of the people wanted stronger or to keep the same environmental laws that we have now.

CALLER: Hello, my name is Steven Travali. I'm calling from Seattle, Washington. I listen to KUOW here. I think that it's a false claim, and I think that the Republican party very successfully appealed to the fear and to the emotion of the American public. And I think it's up to those of us who recognize that to begin to counteract that by organizing and on a grassroots level for environmental issues.

CURWOOD: "In listening to your show, I was somewhat disturbed to hear representatives of environmental organizations talk about anti-environment Congressmen," writes Dr. Thomas R. Jackson over the Internet. He continues, "Disagreeing with an environmental organization's agenda does not make one anti-environment any more than disagreeing with the Black Caucus makes one a racist. It's just this sort of smug arrogance that has cost environmental organizations credibility. By accepting such distortions unchallenged, your own credibility is also compromised."