We the people of the United States of America declare in an open letter to President Clinton, to the House and Senate and to the Democratic and Republican parties that we expect as Americans certain inalienable rights, among them the right to breath clean air, the right to drink clean water, the right to live in a toxic free environment and the right to visit and enjoy our national parks and public lands with our forests alive and standing. The Contract on America is not only an assault on the environment, it is an assault on women, children, the elderly, taxpayers and working Americans. We expect our government to represent the majority, to represent people, not corporate or other special interests. We should not need to pass new laws to protect and preserve the rights the constitution has already given us. This is our country, you are our trustees and our elected representatives. Exhibit leadership with wisdom and neutrality. Do not put yourself above the law as it is a poor example to all Americans. Show us through your actions that you care about the future of our country and that, like all Americans, you wish to leave something for those who come after us. We are more than tired of political rhetoric and posturing.
President Clinton, you have said in several public statements that you would not set the dangerous and undemocratic precedent of suspending environmental laws for any reason and backed it up with your first veto. Yet now we understand another pre-negotiated rescission bill will land on your desk by this week. This bill is a perfect example of dysfunctional democracy. If you sign this bill into law you will betray America with the subsidized corporate destruction of our national forests and critical watersheds. Not only will you lose the financial support and votes of the environmental and other communities, but you will lose any semblance of credibility and leadership that the American public sees in you. We think it is appalling that Congress has already passed, and the President might sign, laws that attempt to suspend and bypass due process. If Senators Gorton, Hatfield, Packwood, Craig, and Stevens want to cut down our national forests, and make a present of them to the timber industry, do it openly, do not try to do it through some alleged forest health crisis, and do not allow industry lawyers and lobbyists to re-write the law at the expense of the American people. Legislation concerning the national interests should have open hearings and debate with good representation from all sides and real public input.
If you as our government cannot, or will not provide us with our inalienable rights and responsible representation, and if you continue to rob us of our national heritage, it will be our duty to replace you with a government whose intent is to represent that majority, not just corporate interests.
We are outraged and ashamed by the actions of the house and the Senate and we are sending you the strongest possible message: do your job by representing the people for in the long run it is we the people who will be in the voting booths.
