Posted by Page (in Amsterdam)

As an American voter, I have a keen interest in our national election next year. It's another chance for those of us who are concerned about the environment to vote in a president who won't continue to destroy it.

We have two political parties: Republicans (George W. Bush's party) and Democrats. Republicans have an abysmal voting record regarding environmental issues; for the most part, Democrats care much more about the environment and conservation (click here).

So, I was very encouraged to find out the results of a recent poll among US voters regarding whaling. From a 17 April 2007 International Fund for Animal Welfare press release (bold emphasis mine):

New U.S. poll results on attitudes toward whaling show the vast majority of the American public opposes commercial whaling and supports greater protection for whales, while polling data from Japan shows that a sizeable majority of the Japanese public does not support whaling in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary. A national survey of 1,000 registered U.S. voters conducted on behalf of IFAW (International Fund for Animal Welfare - (www.ifaw.org) by Market Strategies, Inc., in late March found:

• 78% oppose commercial whaling
• 78% are concerned about the hunting of whales in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary
• 59% would be more likely to vote for a Presidential candidate who took a firm stand against Japanese whaling
• More than 50% would be willing to stop buying Japanese products to convince the Japanese Government to stop its scientific research whaling

Pretty cool, huh? Now, the presidential election is in November 2008, which is an eternity in politics, but let's all hope that the US voters keep our friends the cetaceans in mind when they go to the polls.

The US has significant influence at the IWC. Click here to take action - send a letter to the White House and encourage the US to use its influence to help stop whaling forever!