Environmental Extremists

John Stossel writes in Real Clear Politics about the fanatacism of some environmental activists:

Thousands of lynx live in North America, but since environmental officials weren't sure whether there were any in the Gifford Pinchot and Wenatchee National Forests in southern Washington state, they commissioned a million-dollar study to find out. ...

For their study in Washington state, government biologists nailed pieces of carpet soaked with catnip onto trees, hoping a lynx would rub up against them and leave some fur -- evidence of the lynx's existence in this particular area. Sure enough, when biologists sent carpet samples to a lab, they came back positive for hairs from a Canada lynx.

That may sound like good evidence that there were Canada lynx in the area, but actually, the regulators went to a zoo, got hair samples from captive lynx, and sent those hairs to the lab to be tested.

The pity is that many environmental concerns are sensible, as are many activists.   But in this area, as in many others, extremists seem to capture the agenda.   And this extremism takes two forms.   One is the use of dishonest or violent tactics.   The other is a refusal to accept that appropriate environmental policies should balance costs and benefits.    As Stossel writes,

Years ago, when ranchers and farmers told me that our government's environmental regulatory agencies had been captured by fanatics so hostile to the idea of private property that they'd use the endangered-species law to drive just about every landowner off his land, I thought they were overwrought. Then I learned the story of the lynx.

Comments

[Mike Huben]

Typical right-wing echo chamber here, reciting debunked propaganda.

Will Stossel Endorse Phony "Lynxgate" Story?

You'd think somebody with Mr. Miron's credentials would be able to do his research and present credible information.

[Mike Huben]

The sad thing is that much of what passes for conservative and libertarian argument consists of uncritically accepted recitation of propaganda that can easily be debunked.

Google 'Stossel lynx', and the first hit is the story above.

I've caught David Friedman in similar blunders.

[Stargeezer]

For the first time I agree with Mike Huben. Stossel is the champion of the "Anecdote equals universal Truth" school of journalism.

Stargeezer

[Tim Lambert]

Mind you, this part of Miron's post is accurate and applies to Stossel:

But in this area, as in many others, extremists seem to capture the agenda. And this extremism takes two forms. One is the use of dishonest or violent tactics.

[Mike Huben]

Hi, Tim!

I was surprised to see you respond to this one: I thought this was an obscure blog.

Then I had the evil suspicion that Miron might also be citing people like Stephen Milloy, formerly of CATO. A google search came out clean (good for Miron!) However, I came across your criticism of Miron's gun control work when cited by the infamous "Mary Rosh", and so that explains why you might have noticed.

[Clever Leftist]

I agree with Lambert, Stossel uses violent tactics. So many of us noble leftists have been violently murdered by Stossel that it almost makes me a believer in the death penalty.

[Mike Huben]

To the extent that Stossel's propaganda has enabled libertarian ideas of neglect, yes you can consider many to have been murdered by him.

But it's a much more direct argument that he's just plain dishonest.