Friedman on the Environment

I have always admired Thomas Friedman (author of "The World Is Flat") and often read his column in the NY Times. His column from September 3, 2008, was excellent. Here is my short synopsis of "And Then There Was One" --

Friedman writes to an audience of "back-to-school" college students who may be voting for the first time and where there is no bigger issue than the environment. He says that at one time he thought that we would have two "green" candidates for president, but "that view is no longer operative --" due to the following:

• Sarah Palin wants to drill in ANWR
• She doesn't believe that people played any part in climate change
• McCain didn't vote on 8 bills to extend tax credits for wind/solar power
• He supports lowering the gas tax ("a reckless giveaway")
• He misleads people to think that drilling now = lower gas prices now

Friedman quotes Carl Pope of the Sierra Club: "Back in June, the 

Republican Party had a round-up. One of the unbranded cattle -- 

a wizened old maverick name John McCain -- finally got roped. 

Then they branded him with a big 'Lazy O' -- George Bush's brand, 

where the O stands for oil. No more maverick."