When I step into the polling booth, I base my vote on a host of issues related to the records (and promises) of those vying for political office. But most important to me is what a candidate has done or is willing to do to protect the environment.
Perhaps the biggest environmental issues in this year's election concern energy and global warming. All the more reason that voters need to know where their candidates for Congress stand on these important matters. Short of bird-dogging their campaign stops and shouting questions, how best to do that?
Simple, just visit this great website: CandidAnswers.org. In about a minute, with just a couple of clicks, you can email your candidates urging them to answer five key questions on the most critical environmental challenges facing our nation today.
This new site -- sponsored by NRDC Action Fund and a bi-partisan group of national environmental organizations -- is the first-ever online survey that allows users to directly ask their candidates for Congress to explain their stance on energy and climate policies. And for those who do answer, the site serves as an online voter guide allowing voters to compare the candidates' positions side-by-side.
Of course, getting the candidates to complete the survey is a challenge in-and-of-itself.
So far, with the exception of roughly 200 candidates lacking valid email contact information, all of the other 1280 candidates across the country contending for national office have received emails from constituents asking them to state their views on a set of straightforward, balanced questions. Specifically, these questions cover the climate crisis, renewable energy, auto fuel-economy, nuclear power, and transportation.
To date, less than 200 have obliged!
Of those who have shared their views, 46 are Democrats and 35 are Republicans -- meaning a whopping 106 are third-party challengers (typically Libertarian, Independent or Green party candidates). Shockingly, only 6 incumbents from both major political parties have thus far bothered to respond to repeated requests to answer the questions.
That's where you come in. Exercise your right-to-know by flexing some political muscle -- just take a quick moment to visit CandidAnswers.org right now.
You ask, they answer!
And if they don't, then ask them again...and again...and get your friends to join you. The more people who participate, the less likely that those running for Congress will be willing to hide their environmental positions from voters.
Now, more than ever, we need candid answers from those we entrust with the power to determine the path of our environmental future. At this time, in this election, you can help make that happen.