Open Letter to the Party of Teddy Roosevelt Re: Scott Pruitt

smoke-stacks-862929_1920

NOTE: This post was originally concerning the possible appointment of Myron Ebell. I got to simply do a find/replace with Scott Pruitt. Who is maybe even worse.

“We have fallen heirs to the most glorious heritage a people ever received, and each one must do his part if we wish to show that the nation is worthy of its good fortune.” – Theodore Roosevelt

Dear Elected Officials,

As the parent of an asthmatic child in the city of Philadelphia – a place where nearly one-half of our children suffer respiratory issues, I urge you to stand up to the dismantling of the Environmental Protection Agency and the appointment of climate change denier and oil company lobbyist Scott Pruitt to “head the EPA.”

Firstly, I understand that as a congressman your power is limited in terms of presidential appointments. However, as a GOP representative, you could make a strong statement in support of all Americans.

According to a March 2016 Gallup poll, 64% of Americans are worried about climate change, while 65% of Americans believe that human activity, e.g. burning fossil fuels and cutting down forests, is to blame for increases in the Earth’s temperature over the last century. Most importantly – and based on six independent studies ­– more than 97% of scientists agree: Climate-warming trends over the past century are due to human activities.

We have become great because of the lavish use of our resources. But the time has come to inquire seriously what will happen when our forests are gone, when the coal, the iron, the oil, and the gas are exhausted, when the soils have still further impoverished and washed into the streams, polluting the rivers, denuding the fields and obstructing navigation.” – Theodore Roosevelt

In the 1980s, President Reagan rose above the politically-charged rhetoric and honestly searched for the truth. He sided with the best available science on the topic and — by giving the State Department direction to negotiate the strongest possible treaty — took prudent action to address it. The result was the Montreal Protocol Treaty to begin phasing out production of the ozone-depleting gasses. The Montreal Protocol is widely regarded as the most successful environmental treaty in history.

Scott Pruitt is a lobbyist – not a scientist. Backtracking on the Paris climate deal would not just be catastrophic for the planet – it would be disastrous for foreign policy.

Climate change – including protecting our air, water, food supply, and natural resources – should not be a partisan issue. More than 2/3 of Americans are with me on this issue and YOU have the power to take a stand for an issue that affects all of us.

And that doesn’t mean losing jobs! We could be on our way to be a clean energy superpower. We have the resources and we have the workforce. We can “Make America Great Again” by becoming a clean energy leader, cutting healthcare costs from air and water pollution, protecting families, and ensuring a sustainable future.

I sincerely thank you for considering this plea,

Paige Wolf


Search the Site


Paige’s Books

Spit The Out book cover
The Budget Activist book cover: border=

As Seen In