The West Coast is on fire. Our smoky sky reminds me of cities in China and India. I’m grateful I don’t live there, and I’m grateful for U.S. clean air standards.

Regulations and the agencies which enforce them set the United States apart in the World. EPA standards protect human health and the environment. The FAA ensures we have the safest aerospace system in the world. The CDC mission is to protect America from health, safety and security threats. The list goes on.

These agencies and the regulations they enforce aren’t perfect by any means, but they’re part of what makes the U.S. special.

My love for the U.S. is not just because I was born here. My appreciation for our country comes also from my travels in Asia, Europe, Peru, Mexico, and Canada. Having seen conditions elsewhere, I’ve been thinking about what makes America great.

Greatness is not appointing a former coal lobbyist to EPA Administrator or rolling back environmental rules.

Greatness is not ignoring the broad consensus of the scientific community regarding climate change.

Greatness is when we appreciate the agencies that keep our country safe and healthy, and we respect the expertise of non-partisan scientists.

Greatness is not sporting a red hat and a bellicose attitude, nor is it spouting divisive rhetoric which fails to distinguish extremists on the left and right from the majority of voters.

Greatness is recognizing we have more in common than not, and that most of us want to live in a safe and healthy environment.

At night when I look up to find Cassiopeia and Ursa Major, they shine dimly, barely visible through the smoky atmosphere. A bit like our future.

This November, remember the smoke, remember what makes America great, and cast your vote for science and a brighter, clearer future.

Thomas Schmidt
PORT TOWNSEND