"Sir, Senator Harris is here to see you."
Damn, I don't want to see that son-of-a-bitch.
"Send him in, Debra," Bruce said as he hit the intercom button.
What does that bastard want?
Bruce extended his hand but the expression on his face was anything but friendly. "Have a seat, Gary. You want coffee?"
He declined the coffee and sat down.
"What brings you here?" Bruce asked.
"I want to mend some fences with you; find some common ground."
Bruce looked at him, saying nothing.
"I know I can come across as, uh, obnoxious, in committee sometimes."
Bruce smiled at him and nodded his head. "Yeah."
"I've been some checking on your background and we do have some common ground; we both have environmental backgrounds; we both want to do what's best for the country."
Bruce looked at him suspiciously, "Where did you get your information about me?"
"I don't think any of it's a secret; I went online, Googled you."
Bruce shrugged his shoulders. "Okay."
Gary chuckled. "Besides me being obnoxious, and nosy now, what bothers you about the conduct of the committee.
Bruce looked at him firmly and said, "I'm glad you asked. The tone of these hearings and the meetings disturb me. I think we've gotten away from fairness; we seem to be taking sides, more so than just partisan politics. I think we're placing too much emphasis on the environmental side of an issue. And, don't misinterpret this, not just the environmental side, but the radical side of the environmental movement. It doesn't matter what ordinary citizens, the business community or academia say; we discount it."
Gary was watching Bruce closely as he spoke. Continuing, he said, "As you know, I've been an environmentalist all my adult life. I was the State Chairman of the Sierra Club, an organization you endorse. I believe that environmentalism is about helping people and nature live in harmony. I don't see that in our hearings."
Studying Bruce for several seconds, Gary finally said, "I hear what you're saying. Look, I've been an environmentalist since I was old enough to understand the term. And I agree with you, it is about having people and nature living together in harmony. I guess maybe I'm more cynical about the people part and it has to do with growing up in California. I've seen the damage that people can do when they don't care.
"It takes two to make this happen. Nature is going to be nature, not much we can do about her. People are a different story; we can make choices, either good or bad, but choices. I want people to make the right choice. That doesn't always happen."
"I understand what you're saying but I don't think the committee is allowing people to make choices," Bruce said. "We're making the choices for them."
"Well, when you know that people's choices are governed by greed and selfishness, does it make sense to let them have a choice?"
Thinking about what was just said, Bruce hesitated for a few seconds.
A cell phone rang. Gary pulled it off his belt and said, "I've got a sick kid and this is my wife, excuse me for a second."
After a few minutes of listening to what must be strep throat, Bruce wondered when he was going to get around to the real purpose of his visit, talking me into supporting his bill.
Gary ended the call and said, "Sorry about that, my daughter's running a fever and has trouble swallowing; my wife is taking her to the doctor. Now, where were we?"
"We were talking about people not always making the right choices when it comes to the environment."
"Oh yeah. You've got to be able to recognize when greed and selfishness are the driving force. Take businesses, for example. Most CEOs couldn't care less about clean air or drinking water; profits, that's all they're interested in. That's why I have no faith in studies funded by industry."
"Look, Gary, I can understand your cynicism, to a point. You're flat wrong when you say 'most CEOs' though. But now I know why you ignore industry studies. I still don't understand how you can be so dismissive of university studies. The university studies I'm familiar with are independent, no tie-ins. You discount those, too."
"I've been dealing with this for a long time," Gary said. "You don't understand how slick some of these CEOs are. Believe me, they can camouflage their involvement so even the professors aren't aware of it."
"Well, I don't agree with you. There isn't any way that business, no matter how clever they are, can manipulate all of these studies. That's nonsense, and you know it. What's really going on?"
Gary just sat there for a minute, before he said, "I'll level with you. We're the government; we're the parents here. We've got to do what's right for the country. If we're going to err, it will be on the side of the environment."
Bruce shook his head, "I don't like that analogy 'we're the parents here'. Parents, to be effective parents, need to consider all factors in making decisions. We're not doing that."
Gary sighed, "Look, we're on the same team. It's just that you're a moderate and I'm a bit more radical. We both have the same goals. Protecting the environment, making it better."
Bruce shook his head, "The environment is one part of the equation. The other parts deal with people: their right to live; raise their children; own property; make a living; pursue happiness; you know the American dream."
Gary didn't say anything for a few minutes; he just sat there. Finally, he said, "Good point. That's what my bill is about. Removing welfare recipients from the dole, letting them be responsible for themselves. Teach them to become self-sufficient. Give them the property, training, and tools to do the job and let nature take its course."
"You don't have a farming background, do you?"
Gary shook his head. "Not like yours, certainly. But I do own five acres down in the Shenandoah Valley. I have a couple that lives there year round, successfully living off the land. We go down there occasionally, long weekends mainly. They do a remarkable job. They raise all their own food."
