They seem to be a bunch of solid B students. None of them are on the cutting edge of environmental thinking. None of them are risk takers or trail blazers. Instead they are competent functionaries. They also benefit from lowered expectations on the part of an environmental movement that has been traumatized by eight years of hacks, ideolouges, and former industry lobbyists setting policy.  

Come to think of it, I am glad that the best and brightest of the environmental movement have not been tapped. We will need the talent out in the hinterlands as we both support and oppose the initiatives of the new administration.

So I am not hyperventilating about any of the choices. We have to keep the initiatives coming from the grassroots, from local governments and NGOs. As Obama himself said, that is where change comes from.  

Randy Cunningham
Cleveland, OH

Randy Cunningham

I confess I don't understand the tendency to look down on bureaucratic competence. Sure there are lots of people out there who are more brilliant, who speak and write better, who are more inspiring or innovative in policy development.

But these people are being tapped to run large organizations, and all the brilliance in the world won't get you bupkis unless you know how to get sh*t done. This is what screwed up Clinton's transition -- he got a bunch of bright A students who proceeded to botch the workaday process of putting together and shepherding legislation. Obama is opting instead for experienced managers.

Competence is change we can believe in.

grist.org

neuter EPA by putting in someone with a track record of rolling over

(and let's see those awe-inspiring asst administrator choices -- wait for it)

Interior to a mining/utility shill

B*ngaman's "no near term caps" crowd given every chokepoint on the appt process (staff level)

there is an agenda -- not some divining rod looking for competence

in a year, you will see more clearly.  unfortunately

( online marketing degrees , online journalism degree and online sociology degree )