House of Representative Speaker Nancy Pelosi is speaking in China about climate change.  She is calling for sweeping change across the world.  Pelosi has stated that a safe environment is a human right.
 
“…looking out for the needs of the poor in terms of climate change and healthy environment … are a human right”
 
It has been a long time since I have heard a more absurd statement.  It is also very troubling that so many things are all of a sudden a human right and not a privilege.  Politicians across the globe are clamoring for the right to food, right to work, right to health care, right to education, and many other things.  Pelosi is fundamentally wrong in her belief that a healthy environment is a human right.
 

The first flaw in Pelosi’s statement is simply the interpretation of what healthy is.  Who decides what is healthy and more importantly why do they get to make that decision?  Additionally, what is healthy for one person is not necessarily what is healthy for another.  It is absurd to think the government has the right and/or the means to provide a healthy environment for everybody.  If anything, a healthy environment is a human privilege; it has to be worked for, sacrifices have to made, it is not free nor should it be.
 
The House Speaker was specifically talking about the environment and global climate change.  What is fundamentally at stake, is further government regulation.  Now everybody agrees that reducing pollution is a good thing.  The mechanism used to reduce the pollution however is very important.  What appears to be happening is that politicians are jumping on the green bandwagon.  While global warming and green initiatives are main stream and are a fad with the younger generation, politicians will support them.  Politicians will push through these initiatives, but at the same time place their own regulations to further expand their political power and influence.
 
It is important that clean technology be researched and developed.  It should be developed because all of humanity will benefit from it.  It will be progress, for the benefit of the world.  It is another stepping stone in the scientific achievement of humanity.  It should be heralded as the next logical step to providing ourselves and our children with a better life.
 
It should not be masked as a human right.  It is not.  It would be a disservice to everybody who make decisions and sacrifices for a better environment to treat is as such.
 
Currently Pelosi is reeling from constant attack from the GOP and has started a fight with the CIA by calling them liars.  Calls for a truth commissions centering on the speaker are being called for.  Public opinion polls show a continual drop in support for the speaker.  Making a trip to a foreign country and calling on fundamental change to support this ‘new’ human right is quite a convenient distraction from the ‘unhealthy’ environment she faces at home.