Arriving at this balance should be an economic and scientific calculation, not a political one. Similarly, the global warming controversy is, at bottom, a scientific question. If it was conclusively proven that humans were causing global warming and that the destruction wrought by this climate change would outweigh the benefits of the human activity responsible for it, no sensible person or politician could oppose drastic ameliorative policies. While the existence of a warming trend may be established, the culpability of human activity remains unclear. In addition to environmental issues that are ultimately matters of scientific and economic calculation, there are those that are essentially humanist.
Every person can appreciate the incredible natural beauty of America's unspoiled national parks.
National treasures such as the Grand Canyon that offer spectacular scenery and abundant wildlife are rightly called priceless. The desire to preserve these places is not rooted in politics or ideology, but in human nature. Indeed, the impulse that what came before us is worth preserving, rather than summarily discarding, is the essence of conservatism. Yet, much progress has been made. While most Americans are comforted that national parks will remain pristine under either political party, fewer Americans realize that most debates about such environmental issues as water and air quality are largely disagreements at the margins.