Barack Obama’s Great Lakes proposal is still making its way through the news cycle and now regional Republican Party Chairs have chimed in saying that John McCain is also committed to supporting the Great Lakes – via the Compact.
As we said previously, during the primary campaigns both Obama and McCain signed a pledge to restore the Great Lakes circulated by Rep. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.), Rep. Rham Emanuel (D-Ill.), Vern Ehlers (R-Mich.) and Dan Lipinski (D-Ill). The pledge committed the candidates to appoint a cabinet level official to coordinate parties working on Great Lakes restoration, as well as be an advocate for restoration and “significantly funding it.
Last December, Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle (D) as chair of the Great Lakes Governors Council asked the presidential hopefuls to outline their vision for the Great Lakes. It appears, Barack Obama did so this week. Obama’s $5 billion is certainly a step in the right direction.Meanwhile, republican contender, McCain – the only republican candidate to sign the pledge – has said he will use his talent to work both sides of the aisle to find solutions and he fully supports the Great Lakes Compact.
When President George Bush was running for reelection he set up the Great Lakes Task Force that found we need $20 billion over five years to fully restore the lakes and regenerate the economy. That is less than $5 billion a year – which is about what we spend over two weeks in Iraq regardless of how our domestic economy is doing – and this investment promises a $50 billion return.
This is just the beginning, folks, we need all levels of government in the Great Lakes region to challenge John McCain and Barack Obama to step up and restore the Great Lakes. We have momentum with all the buzz that Obama’s recent proposal has generated and with McCain currently campaigning in the region – go out and make sure they hear us loud and clear. There is no question, this is a red and blue issue and we need a red, white and blue solution.
To read more go to: http://voices.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/09/17/obama_lakes_plan_could_help_wo.html and
http://blog.dispatch.com/politics/2008/09/obama_proposes_great_lakes_pro.shtml
Related posts:
- A Step in the Right Direction
- It is the Economy Stupid, All Over Again!
- McCain Signs Pledge, State Houses Demand Others Follow Suit
- Candidates Respond To Great Lakes Needs
- Nowhere To Go But Up