On the same weekend that a disabled Georgia Trump voter expressed shock over massive cuts to the Meals on Wheels program by President Donald Trump, a GOP Pennsylvania Congressman blamed God for the pollution of Chesapeake Bay. Citing the nitrates and phosphates that are created by the forests, Rep. Scott Perry, (R, Pa.), stated on Saturday that God is "one of the violators," (The Huffington Post, 3/21/17). Perry clarified that only those who "believe in God" and are "spiritual" can blame God for the Chesapeake Bay's pollution. Perry did not state who atheists or non-spiritual people are to blame.
A stronger EPA
Perry's statement blaming God for the pollution of Chesapeake Bay was in answer to a question In Red Lion, Pennsylvania on whether or not he felt that the United States needs a stronger EPA (Environmental Protection Agency). Instead of directly answering the question, Perry chose to state that some of the "violators" were left out. That was when Perry went into his diatribe blaming God for the pollution because of the naturally occurring nitrates and phosphates in the forests along the Chesapeake Bay.
Trump and his EPA Secretary Scott Pruitt have been waging a war of words against the EPA since Inauguration Day. The Trump Administration has expressed its intentions to dismantle the federal agency, reduce its power and effectiveness, and, most of all, rescind thousands of regulations aimed at protecting the air, the waterways, and the drinking water throughout the United States.
Many of the positions taken by Trump and Pruitt on the dismantling and deregulation of the EPA are unpopular, which may explain why Perry did not answer the reporter's question on whether or not he supports the EPA. However, it appears that Perry may have created a controversy of his own with his statement blaming God for the pollution of the Chesapeake Bay.
Of course, Perry is in good company with GOP House Speaker Ryan who also made an unpopular statement a little over a week ago. Ryan stated that he was "encouraged" by the prospect of 24 million Americans losing their health care.
Word of caution
One word of caution to Congressman Perry: Most people consider the forests a blessing from God.
And so blaming a blessing for the pollution of a bay may not go over very well politically. Those mysterious nitrates and phosphates just may arise at the polls at election time. We have separation of church and state in this country, phosphates or not.
