WILMOT, S.D. -- "Follow the money" political realities play an unconscionable role as auto emissions increase birth defects dramatically.
Cigarette smoke's mutagenic impacts on fetuses are well known, yet our medical community gives a pass to auto emissions' nearly identical toxins by merely "suspecting" environmental causes for our ever-increasing numbers of low-birth-weight babies, for California's sevenfold autism increase, for 10 percent of our children having serious birth defects surface by age 5 and for being tied with Malta for second-worst infant mortality rate among developed nations.
Can anyone estimate the number of abortions or later occurring cancers caused by auto emissions' mutagenic attacks on embryo DNA?
At least the Chinese government has confessed that auto and coal emissions caused the country's number of cases of birth defects to soar.
"Despite the evidence, European governments are blocking debate on measures to counter health dangers from petroleum emissions," writes a French reporter.
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'Follow the money'
U.S. politicians' unconscionable "follow the money" political behaviors also partner with oil interests to mask petroleum's links to birth defects and cancers.
Because petroleum emissions are nearly identical to cigarette smoke and smog problems worsen every year, it should not surprise anyone that birth defect numbers are soaring. Science revealed long ago that incomplete combustion of complex hydrocarbons such as cigarettes, wood and gasoline produce nearly identical combustion products including benzene and other carcinogens-mutagens. Swedish lab analysis found that air toxins inside automobiles during traffic and air toxins inside cigarette smoke-filled rooms are "strikingly similar."
The Environmental Protection Agency estimates gasoline emissions alone are responsible for 90 percent of U.S. air pollution's health risks: Surprised? Cap-and-trade legislation that does not "follow the money" will support safer fuels and conservation technologies to slash gasoline's market share and its maiming of our children. Safer propane, natural gas, electricity and blender pumps ethanol do not produce emissions similar to cigarette smoke.
Editor's Note: Swayze farms in Wilmot, S.D.
