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with the other side. Such attitudes are shaped by the environment. Take those same two people who disagree on grazing rights and swap states in which to live and grow up in and you'd still have two people who disagreed but they'd be on opposite sides than before.
Even differences in attitudes should be overcome by the betterment of all. But because of our political polarization that never happens now. Back in TR's day the Republicans were the majority party and life was different. Theodore Roosevelt created a vast number of parks and national monuments, forests and protected areas. Roosevelt had the political clout to do it, Republicans controlled nearly everything and Americans were looking towards the betterment of everyone.
Franklin D. Roosevelt was perhaps the last president with the same type of political muscle and following to formulate an environmental policy standard for the entire country, however, he never had a chance to exercise that option, first having to deal with moving the country out of a depression and then fighting a world war.
Unfortunately, our environmental template will have to be made piecemeal, a patchwork of appeased constituencies in order to get parochial politicians elected. Oil drilling here, no drilling there. Heavy mercury content in water here, very little there. Clear skies here, hazy skies there. That is the way of a polarized society.
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