Misleader Home A Daily Chronicle of Bush Administration Distortion
Photo: Collage of President Bush and White House
Navigation: Who We Are Navigation: Special Reports Navigation: Ask the Experts Navigation: Feedback Navigation: Donate Navigation: Tell a Friend Navigation: Contact Us




A Daily Chronicle of Bush Administration Distortion October 20, 2003

     

Ads Promoted Bush's "Clear Skies" to Hispanics But Did Not Disclose Extra Risk for Hispanics



The discontinued ad campaign that promoted President Bush's Clear Skies initiative to the Hispanic community, a sought-after group of voters, omitted key information about air pollution that is particularly adverse to Hispanics living in California.1

Contrary to the message in the ads that Clear Skies would "create purer air, better health and a more brilliant future in the United States"2 the initiative, in fact, would allow U. S. power plants to discharge additional amounts of sulfur dioxide, mercury, and nitrogen oxides than permitted under the existing Clear Air Act. Sulfur dioxide and the other pollutants are associated with diseases such as emphysema and asthma that disproportionately afflict Hispanics and other minority populations.3

In California, the large percentage of the state's 11 million Latino residents4 who live in the Central Valley and to the south already must breathe the state's most polluted air.5

The targeting of the ads to the Latino community had clear political overtones. As one GOP pollster said, "You have a president from Texas, with political advisers who wake up every day trying to get 40% of the Latino vote."6

The ad campaign was cancelled amid allegations it may have violated a law that prohibits federal agencies from spending money for "publicity or propaganda purposes" on legislation pending before Congress.7

Sources:
  1. Natural Resources Defense Council, September 2003.
  2. EPA's press release, 9/29/03.
  3. Proposed Changes to the Clean Air Act: Implications for Environmental Justice and Economic Assessments, authors Sylvia Brandt, Nick Netzer presented at Twenty-Fifth Annual Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management Research Conference 6-8 November, 2003 - Washington DC.
  4. "Census 2000 Paints Statistical Portrait of the Nation's Hispanic Population", U.S. State Department, 5/10/01.
  5. Natural Resources Defense Council, September 2003.
  6. Latin Lesson, The Hispanic voting bloc is diverse and growing -- and may have enough clout to place one of their own in the Oval Office. By Contributing Editors Cokie Roberts and Steven V. Roberts.
  7. EPA Defends Ads for Bush Proposal, Associated Press Online, 10/15/03.



Misleader Archive