Bravo, Congressman David Obey

M. Carpenter: Betsie Lighthouse in April Sun ~Enlarge

This Wisconsin U.S. Representative has been a strong advocate for the Great Lakes (although he erred on recent air pollution control proposals that would have put the clamps on waste-belching ships plying the Lakes). On the matter of the response of Congressional Great Lakes "champions" who show up for the ribbon cuttings but vote against the bills that make them possible, he is so right.

He's right in another way -- simply comparing raw Great Lakes appropriation numbers from FY 2010 to FY 2011 doesn't have much to do whether the Lakes are better or less protected. Who's spending the dollars? For what? And when?

Read his letter below.