Protecting the Future

There's a strike going on in New York City of the Transit Workers Union. As a result there currently is no public mass transit in operation in the city. Of the negotiating points, one sticks out in my mind; the union doesn't want the retirement age to increase for future hires. A noble cause to be sure, just not very well thought out. If in the future the city finds out that it cannot attract new transportation workers, then they can and will change the compensation plan.

This is in stark contrast to the decision to drill or not in Alaska's wildlife refuge. You see here also protecting the future is a consideration. The difference however is that once destroyed, nature cannot be restored. Once the spills have rendered plants and wildlife extinct or irreparably damaged, it is gone forever. Thank God so far smarter heads prevailed as the Senate denied Bush his top energy priority. In keeping with my "no negativity" promise through Christmas I will refrain from name calling, but will point out that this "measure" was put into a defense spending bill that also included money for troop support and hurricane victims by Senator Ted Stevens. His hope was to "blackmail" fellow Senators into voting for his oil drilling measure or have them risk the backlash of NOT voting in favor of troop spending and aid too hurricane victims. I'll let you call him names, and I hope its not dasher or dancer or prancer or vixen. Santa Claus he ain't either.
It just amazes me that the path which IS alterable back to its original position, if necessary, we try to protect, yet that which once changed is forever gone we discount as unimportant.