Did senators answer query on environment?

By The News-Sentinel's editorial staff · The News-Sentinel

In this mention

A WBIR-TV town meeting featuring eight Republican freshmen senators included a pointed question from veterinarian Stephen Smith of the Foundation for Global Sustainability about Republican hostility toward environmental protection, citing EPA cuts and threats to endangered species. The forum ended before substantive discussion could occur, with Sen. Rod Grams offering a generic response about government accountability that drew applause from the largely Republican audience.

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Did senators
answer query
on environment?

WBIR-TV tried hard to prevent a
town meeting featuring eight Republican
freshmen senators from becoming, as
one citizen put it, a "Republican
infomercial."
The station chose questioners from
the audience who didn't throw softballs,
and the hardest pitch came from
veterinarian Stephen Smith, co-founder
of the Foundation for Global
Sustainability (and infomercial
quipster).
Pointing to EPA cuts, corporate
mining of forests and threats to
endangered species, he asked why
Republicans are "overtly hostile to
protecting the natural environment."
A bland comment from U.S. Sen. Rod
Grams of Minnesota — "What we want
is accountability for the money
government is spending" — brought
extended applause and wild cheers from
the largely Republican crowd.
But the remnant of Democrats piped
up when the shouting died down. "After
they log 'em, you'll miss 'em!" one man
rejoined from the back of the room.
"Answer the question!" yelled another.
Alas, the forum was ending, and the
discussion didn't go much further.