Environment bill really just politics

The environment has been a pretty hot-button issue lately. The time to respond to global warming is now.

But for Mark Kirk, the time for the environment is re-election time.

In his years before facing a serious challenger, Kirk voted with the Bush Administration 90 percent of the time and in 2005 voted twice to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for drilling.

Kirk got his first wake-up call from Dan Seals in 2006.

Worried he might get booted out like the rest of the GOP, Kirk authored the "Clean Up Lake Michigan Act."

It has a great sounding title, but what you won't hear is that it died in committee like every other bill Kirk has authored.

Having escaped that round of GOP losses, Kirk sank back in his seat in Congress and voted for tax breaks for oil companies and to weaken the Clean Air and Water Acts.

Now he is trying to be a "moderate" Republican by voting with the Bush Administration only 88 percent of the time.

Uh-Oh! Looks like re-election time again!

Time for another popular environmental bill to keep me in office. I'll call it the "Apollo Energy Independence Act." My district will love this one.

Sorry Mark, I care about the environment, but I'm not going to fall for that old game.

Dan Seals has supported launching an Apollo Initiative for years. Come November, I'll be voting for Seals, a candidate who genuinely cares about environmental issues when it counts.

Dan Weber

Arlington Heights