You can’t judge any news or opinion source by a single piece. Further, two people looking at the same piece will reach different conclusions — we all have our filters.
That said, today’s Albuquerque Journal tilts a bit to the right (“in my opinion” should always be implied). When the first individual cited is Steve Pearce, we might be suspicious. When the only other individual cited is Richard Pombo, alarms should be blaring. Pombo is not just one of those extremists who blame the Endangered Species Act for every evil short of terrorism; he’s also a member of the Starve the Beast Club. It remains to be seen if he is just a fanatic or, like his colleage Duke Cunningham, a corporate extortionist. When someone like Pombo speaks of “reform,” be very afraid (and vigilant). When local media endorses him as the voice of reason, well, … I just have no way to finish that sentence.
As the Journal carries water for the Radical Right on this, the editorial assumes a passionless tone — you have to trust them, because they’re so reasonable (note: passion isn’t evil and serial killers are passionless). And yet, slander worthy of John Dimdahl slips in:
Environmentalists worry that incentives, such as paying ranchers to maintain habitat for the lesser prairie chicken, would bankrupt federal agencies. Oddly, the potential for bankrupting stockmen and small logging operations by putting the burden on them never seemed to be much of a worry— perhaps more of a goal. And the Endangered Species Act often seemed a tool to realize that goal as much as to protect disappearing flora and fauna. [from ABQjournal: Political Minefield No Haven for Species]
Yup, tree huggers LIVE to bankrupt others — it’s our GOAL. And the ESA is our tool. mjh