ISLAND PRESS, NOVEMBER 2011
In 1995, the Endangered Species Act was in deep political trouble. The House of Representatives was considering a bill that would cut sixteen million dollars from the endangered species activities of the Fish and Wildlife Service and completely abolish the National Biological Service. The speaker of the house, Newt Gingrich, was saying that it made little sense to spend money on species protection because extinction is just “the way life is.” A group of concerned scientists arranged to meet with Gingrich, wishing they could mitigate this potential disaster by reasoning with him about the value of these endangered plants and animals. We scientists often like to think that logic and a solid argument ought to carry the day.
If only it were that simple. If ...
