Talk about burying the lead, it appears that Secretary of Interior Ken Salazar would back efforts to gut the Endangered Species Act.
Ken Salazar met with the governors of Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming yesterday and, while Wyoming remains intransigent on the wolf issue, he appears to have sent the message that he supports a legislative gutting of the ESA.
“If Interior officials can’t reach an agreement with Wyoming, Schweitzer said Salazar had pledged to back Idaho and Montana in their efforts before Congress.”
Governors seek ‘road map’ for N. Rockies wolves
Associated Press in the Washington Post
Comments
Why does Salazar still have a job? Why do Bush loyalists sill hold 7 of the 8 top USFWS posts?
Obama has been better than Bush on the environment, but that’s not saying much.
1. “Yes We Can”
2. “Change” versus “More of the Same”
3. “Vote for Change”
4. “Change We Can Believe In”
5. “Our Time for Change”
6. “It’s about Time. It’s about Change”
7. “Stand for Change”
8. “Organize for Change”
9. “We are the change we’ve been looking for. Change can’t happen without you.”
10. “I’m asking you to believe. Not just in my ability to bring about real change in Washington . I’m asking you to believe in yours.”
11. “A leader who can deliver change”
12. “Change in America doesn’t start from the top down. It starts from the bottom up.”
All quotes from the Obama campaign
Mike,
I agree with you, but in general (I’m talking non-wildlife policy now) Obama treads a similar path. He is weak, and he doesn’t understand political bargaining. He either seems to lack information about many things or is too easily influenced by his advisors.
The fundamental is this, you don’t give up things in advance of negotiations. You do that as necessary during negotiations so you can win some things from the other side.
Bill Clinton saw his party get tromped in the first mid-term election (1994). Clinton learned and prospered the more the Republicans threw things at him. Even impeachment rebounded to his advantage.
I see no evidence that Obama is capable of performing this way.
Will Democrats realize they need a different candidate in 2012? They need to see it quickly and get started.
“Will Democrats realize they need a different candidate in 2012? They need to see it quickly and get started.”
I’m reluctantly coming to the same conclusion. Reluctantly, because I’m afraid a nasty primary fight will guarantee the victory of somebody even worse on the Republican side. (Palin, anyone?) Nevertheless, we desperately need somebody with a backbone in the White House.
Ralph, I’m many years removed from my US history studies, do you know off hand if any sitting president that ran for re-election has lost his party’s nomination?
Maska, I think folks over play Palin, she is really not that well liked and I don’t think would make it past the first couple of primaries.
++He is weak, and he doesn’t understand political bargaining. He either seems to lack information about many things or is too easily influenced by his advisors.
The fundamental is this, you don’t give up things in advance of negotiations. You do that as necessary during negotiations so you can win some things from the other side. ++
I agree. I don’t get it. I guess looking back, Salazar was the big hint.
I think Obama needs to find new advisors, fast. He’s even beeing laughed at by the left.
Ralph – Your complaints of the weakness and political bargaining are addressed here:
[youtube=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyRn5904_rU”]
When you have the good natured Rachel Maddow (a liberal) trashing you, and you’re a democratic president, you’re doing something very, very wrong. I think you’ll enjoy that. She covers exactly what you’re talking about.
Just imagine if Palin did win, what would that mean for wildlife and the environment. Scary to think about. There were a few polls out and most americans feel Palin isn’t qualified to be president. The dems should have dumped Pelosi and not let her back in. Pelosi has been one of the big reasons for the democrat’s downfall I believe. A lot of americans do not like Pelosi at all. You’re right, there has to be another democrat that runs in 2010 other than Obama. I just don’t see Obama being elected again, but who knows, if his only competition is the likes of Palin, Romney, Trump, etc, he might have a decent chance of being re-elected, who knows.
2012
Pelosi is disliked because the GOP spent $70 million on negative campaigning and she’s a member of congress. I can tell you her approval is no worse than Bohners. Congress always has horrible ratings. Pelosi was pretty strong as house leader and health care would not have passed without her. I’m glad to see she’s still around. Her new mission is to block Obama as he seems to be moving right of center.
Ken Salazar has been undermining the ESA since the beginning of his political career … it (and his robust support for ‘fast-track’ offshore drilling) was why the man was chosen for Interior … He’s doing his job the way Obama & his cronies want it done …
Democrats might do well to nominate another candidate, but will that happen ? Never … ‘Spineless’ trickles up and down and the Democratic party is broken …
Enviro’s have no political candidate in the absence of a third party.
I feel dirty for having pulled that lever for Obama. You should too.
““If Interior officials can’t reach an agreement with Wyoming, Schweitzer said Salazar had pledged to back Idaho and Montana in their efforts before Congress.””
As usual, this is screwed up. The statement should be: “If Wyoming officials can’t reach an agreement with Interior, etc etc”
Just a thought here. Knowing the generally pathetic state of both Interior, Agriculture, Energy Departments (just to name a few). And, given that things are unlikely to “change” in the foreseeable future at least, can we dispense with the pictures of Salazar? I have plenty of copies for my political dartboard…..Just a thought
Salazar needs to ride off into the sunset, hat and all, and join his brother. Unbelievable. Could the man bend over any further for the Govs on this one?
Time to call and pressure the so called liberal Dems like Udall and Bennet..and tell them time to pay attention to the folks that put them there, or find another job. Enviro voters need to tell them to put up or shut up.
If Wyoming isn’t forced to drop its adamance about having a free fire zone for wolves apart from the Yellowstone buffer zone, this ‘ road map’ is a dead end.
Please note that Wyo’s Guv elect Matt Mead was also sitting in here, and he like the outgoing Freudenthal was also formerly a US Attorney. Those two pinstripers may believe they actually have yellow tree frog poison tipped legal arrows in their quiver in justifying Wyoming’s dual status Predator-trophy bipolar disorder about state wolf management.
Why don’t we just send Wyoming bac to the doghouse without its supper, and eviscerate Salazar instead of the ESA ?
I think it’s time for Obama to stand up and make it clear that the ESA will nut be gutted in his watch.
Only if there is a cost to him and the party politically..he and his campaign have started already; Axelrod is in the field organizing..he needs to hear from enviro groups on this..If they succeed in carving out a political exception for wolves, it is the start of the end of the ESA. And the whole country has a stake in that, not just the West.
Tempting…
Salazar and his stupid hat have to go. What is it with those hats anyway? Does he think he looks good in it- he looks like a fool. Email the interior dept @
interior_news@ios.doi.gov
Now I lost any hope I had for the Environment coming from
this administration a long long time ago!!! They have
shown just how many times that they are just the minons
of the Big Bankers and the Military Industrial Complex as
how many other past presidents including Bush. One thing
many people have forgotten is how much this Democrat
Administration refused to even consider the Wilderness Bills
that would designate how many millions of acres as
wilderness in the Northern Rockies and in Southern Utah.
All I can say for Ken Salazar is Good Grief!!!
Good for you Kayla. I hope to see you at Rabbitstick in September. Regards from Lanie
Now is not the time to wring our hands. The ESA, which was passed in order to avoid politcizing endangered species, is itself endangered now. And, we are burning daylight. I ask each & every one of you to FAX, email, or telephone some environmentally-oriented Congressional legislators & ask them to help block these bills. If anyone knows particularly good Congressional people for this purpose, please let me know how to contact them, & I will pass it on.
Amen Ken, “We The People” need to stand up and make our voices heard before its to late for wolves and all wildlife. I am composing a letter to Salazar tonight. Also will write Colorado’s Senators Udall & Bennett.
Can Ken ! I would love to see this all over the US. He is on the same level as Watts was. The article is so full of misinformation. What if any other wild animal was to be held to the 300 number for the same area? 300 elk? 300 deer? 300 bears? etc. I live in WY and voted for Obama, am very disappointed w/so much he has not done and I agree 2012 needs a new candidate or someone like Palin will be in power. Ken Salazar is a special interests appointee, Obama should be ashamed of him and can him. I believe ranchers need to accept a nature tax, the cost of doing business in the real world and practice some animal husbandry for a change. Subsidizing rich ranchers will someday come to an end, but probably not in my lifetime. I suggest a study be done to see what the avg income of the cry baby ranchers in the wolf area is, and ask why they aren’t taking care of their animals. Or better yet, lets take eminent domain and make the wolf area large and get rid of the livestock in the area. Any rancher near Yellowstone could sell off a few acres and retire and remove cattle from the big bad wolf risk that they are so afraid of. Or, they could raise bison and have an animal that can do a bit better with wolves in the same area.
http://www.ktvq.com/news/montana-governor-cautiously-optimistic-about-new-wolf-management-strategy/
When I saw Bush on TV the last 4 years of his presidency, I would get angry for what he was doing to this country…. I have felt the same way for Salazar ever since his appointment by Obama.
so Bush gets blamed for what went on during his watch but you seem to be letting Obummer off the hook. He is in fact ultimately responsible for what Salazar does.
Where do you get that from? I think all of us who thought Obama would bring change to the usual pattern of appointments to Interior, USDA, BLM, etc. have said here we are deeply disappointed in the selections and their priorities and decisions since they were appointed and confirmed.
As for Bush…c’mon, you really are going to assert that Obama is WORSE than that incompetent? I have yet to hear Bush take any responsibility for this mess he created with economy; he continues to shill for his memoirs that are, at best, an attempt to revise history to treat him and his decisions more gently.
And Yeah, we hold Bush responsible for his appointments, and his decisions..like Iraq, tax cuts for the wealthiest of folks, that misguided Medicaid prescription plan…and so on. Worst President in the history of the country–that will be his legacy, as much as he would like to avoid it.
Do I think Obama is worse, no he’s the same, a politician who happens to be incompetent in different areas. And Bush has been gone for two years,continuing to keep bringing him up and comparing him to Obama is pointless and tiresome.
I never said I was letting Obama off the hook. Actually the fact that he appt Salazar is case in point that if I can’t stand him, I likely don’t have high regards for who hired him…
I think what Obama has done is worse than Bush.
Bush did not seek my vote, there was no dinner, no light jazz, no wine, no pillow-talk … no pretense that my interest was or would be served. Bush was married to Industry, he didn’t flirt with me and he was openly celebrating his union with Industry.
Obama sought my vote … there was dinner, light jazz, wine, his words were sweet … he played me a song on his guitar and his promises were grandiose … He spoke about the injustice … he used the word “science” … He trashed Bush & the Industry that Bush went home to every night …
It’s been awhile since that honey-moon period in our relationship … Now, I’m not so certain what Obama is doing is capitulation to R’s anymore … I don’t think it’s just that he’s weak … I think he fooled us into believing he was on our side – and so we projected our ideals onto him … and after the evening commenced, we’re lying in bed … alone, the light jazz isn’t so rich or warm … we were so enamored by that self-projected ideal that we lay there wondering where he went … We pick up the phone, dial his number, a woman picks up … “Who is this ? … is President Obama there ?” we ask … “No” … the woman says … “this is Mrs. Obama, the President’s wife” …
Every once in awhile the Obama administration shoots us a glance … a wink … an implicit suggestion that maybe we’re the one he loves … and that his marriage to Industry is just necessary for now ~ it’s tactical, maybe we even convince ourselves that it’s practical ~ but he’ll surely leave it soon ! a memo here, a memo there … but each flirtation is vague and uncertain … there’s not really a whole lot of enforceability … we don’t see much changing on the ground …
By now … it’s pretty clear that Obama has no interest in leaving his happy marriage to Industry … This Administration is carrying her water … with the Gulf – MORE than Bush ever could … … his administration is actively undermining the ESA … and with other Administrative issues in no discernible way different than Bush … he’s not just passively allowing some other phantom force to do so – he’s actively kicking the crooks his discretionary power.
But perhaps on other agenda items he is better than the alternative … Seems like it to me … but for my part, the fact is, I’m not as intimately familiar with those other issues and agenda items … if the Administration is strumming the chords of the rule-making process anything like with Natural Resource policy … then it may be the right note — but as a matter of practical enforceability ~ on the ground … it’s out of tune …
and so dealing with Interior/Ag bureaucrats every day, being familiar with this branch of his administration, I think that it’s our duty to honestly characterize what is taking place here … we got stiffed ~ worked ~ deceived ~ and what there is ~ is cheap …
In both administration’s we’ve been under assault. In this one there is the bitter pang of deceit and abandonment.
I just could never shake my personal opinion about Obama that he is just an ambitious man who wanted power, and to be loved an respected by people. Regardless of what he has said or what people claimed he would be during the campaign, he has never struck me as a man who is fervent in his beliefs, even regarding social issues. It still makes me laugh to hear Glenn Schmuck talk about how secretly radical Obama is……….
People liked the Barack Obama they had pictured in their own minds, not the Barack Obama that was really out there making decisions in public office, IMO.
Sorry Jon I misunderstood your post. I thought since you blamed Bush you should blame Obama as well, not one of his underlings. I’m glad your not letting him off the hook. It’s the “old buck stops here adage”.
Damn Brian that’s some pretty heavy shit. I like it though, it’s spot on.
See, I have a problem with Brian’s analogy. Analogies all break down at some point. This one has enough flaws to fill a dumpster.
The question I have to ask is, if not Obama then who, Hillary? There is a real bed time honeymoon nightmare. Brian also assumes there was mutual attraction during the courting. Maybe not so much as his “starry eyed” gaze at something better then McCain set up a false set of expectations. And, maybe the marriage will smooth out over time, after everybody gets to know each other a little better.
Maybe if Obama had come into the Presidency with fewer problems – all on the front burner demanding immediate attention – environmental issues would have gotten higher priority.
As it is, holding on to the middle ground is hard enough and this mid-term election result was an awakening proof of that. If Salazar were to be replaced with someone further left you can bet what little middle ground that is held in the West will slide to the right even more. I know some of you don’t believe that, but I bet the D survival machine already has that small margin factored in, and will try to protect it from being eroded away even further.
If Salazar seeks to change the ESA, as the reports out of the Denver wolf meeting suggest (not confirmed of course), I bet it will be a pretty small tweak.
“Hillary,There is a real bed time honeymoon nightmare.”
One could take that a couple of ways, neither which are a pleasant thought. 🙂
WM,
this is exactly the problem with Democrats … they appoint whack-job right wing ESA saboteurs with a ‘D’ behind their name like Salazar to positions of power ~ people whose records swing right of many Republicans …
and people like you get to call them “moderate” and it’s all about meeting with the good-ol’-boy govs of WY, ID, & MT and back-tracking from there …
“Don’t go too liberal … liberal bogey bogey liberal !!! boo … ”
What’s “moderate” about wholesale usurpation of NEPA across the board across tens of thousands of acres of public lands ?
What’s moderate about legislating that the off-shore oil industry ought just self-regulate ?
What’s “middle-of-the-road” about an active campaign – starting in Colorado – to undermine the Endangered Species Act ?
HA ! yeah … that’s what the ESA needs .. more “pretty small tweaks” from “moderates” like Salazar … little “tweaks” which unleash blood-lusting Idaho and Wyoming legislatures on wolves — turning a restored population of wolves into 300 – 500 disrupted individuals spread who-knows how across a western public landscape that belongs to all of us …
+Maybe if Obama had come into the Presidency with fewer problems – all on the front burner demanding immediate attention – environmental issues would have gotten higher priority+
I have to agree with you there WM. Know a few Independents and Republicans that were relieved to see Bush leave office but then again, when was the last time we had a President (and administration) that had the ability to please everyone? 🙂
http://howlcolorado.org/2010/12/01/wolf-advocates-need-to-howl-against-salazars-plan/
The response from HOWLColorado.
I have found my spokesman. Of course, he’s since passed, and was I am told, quite a corrupt man – but at least he got it as far as the ESA is concerned ;P
Another reason to not like the Obama administration.
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6B10FD20101202