Political Quotes

“Mr. President, Chicagoans were asked in a recent poll to identify the one asset in the city of Chicago that meant the most to them. The overwhelming vote was for Lake Michigan--not surprising. Lake Michigan is the primary source of drinking water for more than 10 million people--not just in my State of Illinois but in Wisconsin, Indiana, and Michigan. It supports a multibillion-dollar fishing industry that is important to local economies. And it is beautiful. It is a recreational asset for swimming, kayaking, boating, or just taking a walk along the beach. It is a gorgeous lake. I always look forward to getting up to Chicago. We have a condo that overlooks Lake Michigan that I consider to be a great place to sit and just look at this beautiful lake and what happens on it, whether I am drinking a cup of coffee in the morning with my wife or a glass of wine in the evening. But, unfortunately, the health of our great Lake Michigan is threatened every summer when a coal-burning ferry boat dumps tons of coal ash into the lake every day, all summer long. Meet the S.S. Badger. Many people have fond memories of this boat, the S.S. Badger, steaming from its homeport of Ludington, MI, to Manitowac, WI, every summer. But they need to be reminded of one thing: The S.S. Badger is the last coal-fired ferry in the United States, and there is a reason it is the last one.…”