<![CDATA[Grist - Comment Feed for Colorado Sen. Ken Salazar picked to head Interior Department]]> Grist Comment Feed en Comment #1 by AbigailB http://www.grist.org/article/Transition-talk-Oh-say-Ken-you-see/ Tue, 16 Dec 2008 03:25:31 -0800 http://www.grist.org/article/Transition-talk-Oh-say-Ken-you-see/1 Long time here

Mr. Salazar's family also has been farming and ranching in New Mexico and Colorado for over 400 years. In USA-years, that's ancient.

]]> Long time here

Mr. Salazar's family also has been farming and ranching in New Mexico and Colorado for over 400 years. In USA-years, that's ancient.

]]> Comment #2 by GonzoDon http://www.grist.org/article/Transition-talk-Oh-say-Ken-you-see/ Tue, 16 Dec 2008 04:03:31 -0800 http://www.grist.org/article/Transition-talk-Oh-say-Ken-you-see/2 Good Man

Salazar has been a fairly moderate/conservative senator by Democrat standards, but he is a truly good and decent man who has a deep understanding of the land and water issues that are so important in the western United States.

Moreover, in the context of natural-resource management, I'm not sure if the moderate/conservative label is so applicable.  As noted, he has deep family roots in the West going back to pre-1776, clearly cares about the land in a way that Gale Norton and Dirk Kempthorne wouldn't understand (Gale built a career out of fighting regulations limiting private uses of public lands -- talk about a wolf guarding the henhouse!), and Ken understands agricultural life and knows how to talk credibly with the ag community.  Which is crucial for building consensus solutions in the Interior West.

It ain't a revolutionary appointment, but it's a step in a positive direction.  Plus, this opens up Ken's Senate seat to some other up-and-coming Colorado Dem -- personally, I vote for the young, bright, and almost painfully ethical & hardworking Andrew Romanoff, former (term-limited) Speaker of the House.

]]> Good Man

Salazar has been a fairly moderate/conservative senator by Democrat standards, but he is a truly good and decent man who has a deep understanding of the land and water issues that are so important in the western United States.

Moreover, in the context of natural-resource management, I'm not sure if the moderate/conservative label is so applicable.  As noted, he has deep family roots in the West going back to pre-1776, clearly cares about the land in a way that Gale Norton and Dirk Kempthorne wouldn't understand (Gale built a career out of fighting regulations limiting private uses of public lands -- talk about a wolf guarding the henhouse!), and Ken understands agricultural life and knows how to talk credibly with the ag community.  Which is crucial for building consensus solutions in the Interior West.

It ain't a revolutionary appointment, but it's a step in a positive direction.  Plus, this opens up Ken's Senate seat to some other up-and-coming Colorado Dem -- personally, I vote for the young, bright, and almost painfully ethical & hardworking Andrew Romanoff, former (term-limited) Speaker of the House.

]]> Comment #3 by mtvyfan http://www.grist.org/article/Transition-talk-Oh-say-Ken-you-see/ Tue, 16 Dec 2008 04:22:24 -0800 http://www.grist.org/article/Transition-talk-Oh-say-Ken-you-see/3 Thanks for the info GonzoDon!

I was not really familiar with Mr. Salazar and your background on him seems like he is a good fit.

I really hope President Obama ditches Michael Taylor from his ag team. I am very concerned about Taylor being involved due to his pro-biotech stand, hell he pretty much is responsible for us eating untested and unregulated GMOs in our food system. Talk about the fox guarding the hen house!

I really hope that President Obama picks a FARMER to run the USDA like my Senator Jon Tester, the only organic farmer currently in our Senate. Why President Obama doesn't have Senator Tester on his ag transition guidance panel, I have no idea, but he should be listening to him.

"For as long as space endures, and for as long as living beings remain, until then may I too abide, to dispel the misery of the world." - Shantideva

]]> Thanks for the info GonzoDon!

I was not really familiar with Mr. Salazar and your background on him seems like he is a good fit.

I really hope President Obama ditches Michael Taylor from his ag team. I am very concerned about Taylor being involved due to his pro-biotech stand, hell he pretty much is responsible for us eating untested and unregulated GMOs in our food system. Talk about the fox guarding the hen house!

I really hope that President Obama picks a FARMER to run the USDA like my Senator Jon Tester, the only organic farmer currently in our Senate. Why President Obama doesn't have Senator Tester on his ag transition guidance panel, I have no idea, but he should be listening to him.

"For as long as space endures, and for as long as living beings remain, until then may I too abide, to dispel the misery of the world." - Shantideva

]]> Comment #4 by guade00 http://www.grist.org/article/Transition-talk-Oh-say-Ken-you-see/ Tue, 16 Dec 2008 04:29:43 -0800 http://www.grist.org/article/Transition-talk-Oh-say-Ken-you-see/4 But we won't hold it against him

Let's not trumpet farming and ranching in the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries in Colorado and New Mexico territories (or States) as something to be proud of. It is all too likely that his family's ranches were carved out of insidious allotment and reservation policies in the west designed to destroy or marginalize the original "owners" of the land, the native tribes.  

He seems like on OK guy, though.

]]> But we won't hold it against him

Let's not trumpet farming and ranching in the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries in Colorado and New Mexico territories (or States) as something to be proud of. It is all too likely that his family's ranches were carved out of insidious allotment and reservation policies in the west designed to destroy or marginalize the original "owners" of the land, the native tribes.  

He seems like on OK guy, though.

]]> Comment #5 by jfranke http://www.grist.org/article/Transition-talk-Oh-say-Ken-you-see/ Tue, 16 Dec 2008 19:55:57 -0800 http://www.grist.org/article/Transition-talk-Oh-say-Ken-you-see/5 Now hold on there, pard

The honeymoon's over as far as I'm concerned. Salazar is just a God-awful choice. If after reading the CBD's notice on the appointment below you agree with their assessment, call your Senator and ask them to oppose the appointment.

Statement on Salazar Appointment by the Center for Biological Diversity)

December 16, 2008

Contact Kieran Suckling , executive director, (520) 275-5960

Ken Salazar a Disappointing Choice for Secretary of the Interior

Stronger, More Scientifically-Based Leadership Needed to Fix
Crisis-Plagued Agency

Strong rumors are circulating that President-elect Barack Obama has
selected Sen. Ken Salazar (D-CO) as the new Secretary of the Interior.
As the overseer of the National Park Service, the Bureau of Land
Management, the Mineral Management Services, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, and the Endangered Species Act, the Secretary of the Interior
is most important position in the protection of America's lands, waters,
and endangered species.

The Department of the Interior has been rocked by scandals during the
Bush Administration, most revolving around corrupt bureaucrats
overturning and squelching agency scientists as they attempted to
protect endangered species and natural resources from exploitation by
developers, loggers, and oil and gas development. Just yesterday, the
Interior Department Inspector General issued another in a string of
reports http://wyden.senate.gov/newsroom/record.cfm?id=305942& ...
finding that top Department officials systematically violated laws and
regulations in order to avoid or eliminate environmental protections.

"The Department of the Interior desperately needs a strong, forward
looking, reform-minded Secretary," said Kieran Suckling, executive
director of the Tucson-based Center for Biological Diversity,
"unfortunately, Ken Salazar is not that man. He endorsed George Bush's
selection of Gale Norton as Secretary of Interior, the very woman who
initiated and encouraged the scandals that have rocked the Department of
Interior. Virtually all of the misdeeds described in yesterday's
Inspector General expose occurred during the tenure of the person Ken
Salazar advocated for the position he is now seeking."

While Salazar has promoted some good environmental actions and fought
against off-road vehicle abuse, his overall record is decidedly mixed,
and is especially weak in the arenas most important to the next
Secretary of the Interior: protecting scientific integrity, combating
global warming, reforming energy development and protecting endangered
species. Salazar

- voted against increased fuel efficiency standards for the U.S.
automobile fleet

voted to allow offshore oil drilling along Florida's coast

voted to allow the Army Corps of Engineers to ignore global warming
impacts in their water development projects

voted against the repeal of tax breaks for Exxon-Mobil

voted to support subsidies to ranchers and other users of public
forest and range lands

- Threatened to sue the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service when its
scientists determined the black-tailed prairie dog may be endangered

"Obama's choices for Secretary of Energy and his Climate Change Czar
indicate a determined willingness to take on global warming," said
Suckling. "That team will be weakened by the addition of Ken Salazar
who has fought against federal action on global warming, against higher
fuel efficiency standards, and for increased oil drilling and oil
subsidies."
In addition to his misstep on Norton, Salazar endorsed the elevation of
William Myers III to the federal bench. Myers was a former Interior
Department Solicitor and lobbyist for the ranching industry. Senator
Leahy called him "the most anti-environmental candidate for the bench I
have seen in 37 years in the Senate." Bizarrely, Salazar praised Myers'
"outstanding legal reasoning" regarding endangered species, Indian
affairs, federal lands and water, timber, and fish and wildlife issues.
The American Bar Association rated Meyers as "not qualified." Salazar
later supported Alberto Gonzales for Attorney General, introducing him
at his Senate confirmation hearing.

"One of the most important jobs of the Secretary of the Interior is to
help pick dozens of critically important political appointees to oversee
America's conservation system. His past misjudgments of Norton, Meyers
and Gonzales give us little confidence he will choose wisely in the
future.


















































]]> Now hold on there, pard

The honeymoon's over as far as I'm concerned. Salazar is just a God-awful choice. If after reading the CBD's notice on the appointment below you agree with their assessment, call your Senator and ask them to oppose the appointment.

Statement on Salazar Appointment by the Center for Biological Diversity)

December 16, 2008

Contact Kieran Suckling , executive director, (520) 275-5960

Ken Salazar a Disappointing Choice for Secretary of the Interior

Stronger, More Scientifically-Based Leadership Needed to Fix
Crisis-Plagued Agency

Strong rumors are circulating that President-elect Barack Obama has
selected Sen. Ken Salazar (D-CO) as the new Secretary of the Interior.
As the overseer of the National Park Service, the Bureau of Land
Management, the Mineral Management Services, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, and the Endangered Species Act, the Secretary of the Interior
is most important position in the protection of America's lands, waters,
and endangered species.

The Department of the Interior has been rocked by scandals during the
Bush Administration, most revolving around corrupt bureaucrats
overturning and squelching agency scientists as they attempted to
protect endangered species and natural resources from exploitation by
developers, loggers, and oil and gas development. Just yesterday, the
Interior Department Inspector General issued another in a string of
reports http://wyden.senate.gov/newsroom/record.cfm?id=305942& ...
finding that top Department officials systematically violated laws and
regulations in order to avoid or eliminate environmental protections.

"The Department of the Interior desperately needs a strong, forward
looking, reform-minded Secretary," said Kieran Suckling, executive
director of the Tucson-based Center for Biological Diversity,
"unfortunately, Ken Salazar is not that man. He endorsed George Bush's
selection of Gale Norton as Secretary of Interior, the very woman who
initiated and encouraged the scandals that have rocked the Department of
Interior. Virtually all of the misdeeds described in yesterday's
Inspector General expose occurred during the tenure of the person Ken
Salazar advocated for the position he is now seeking."

While Salazar has promoted some good environmental actions and fought
against off-road vehicle abuse, his overall record is decidedly mixed,
and is especially weak in the arenas most important to the next
Secretary of the Interior: protecting scientific integrity, combating
global warming, reforming energy development and protecting endangered
species. Salazar

- voted against increased fuel efficiency standards for the U.S.
automobile fleet

voted to allow offshore oil drilling along Florida's coast

voted to allow the Army Corps of Engineers to ignore global warming
impacts in their water development projects

voted against the repeal of tax breaks for Exxon-Mobil

voted to support subsidies to ranchers and other users of public
forest and range lands

- Threatened to sue the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service when its
scientists determined the black-tailed prairie dog may be endangered

"Obama's choices for Secretary of Energy and his Climate Change Czar
indicate a determined willingness to take on global warming," said
Suckling. "That team will be weakened by the addition of Ken Salazar
who has fought against federal action on global warming, against higher
fuel efficiency standards, and for increased oil drilling and oil
subsidies."
In addition to his misstep on Norton, Salazar endorsed the elevation of
William Myers III to the federal bench. Myers was a former Interior
Department Solicitor and lobbyist for the ranching industry. Senator
Leahy called him "the most anti-environmental candidate for the bench I
have seen in 37 years in the Senate." Bizarrely, Salazar praised Myers'
"outstanding legal reasoning" regarding endangered species, Indian
affairs, federal lands and water, timber, and fish and wildlife issues.
The American Bar Association rated Meyers as "not qualified." Salazar
later supported Alberto Gonzales for Attorney General, introducing him
at his Senate confirmation hearing.

"One of the most important jobs of the Secretary of the Interior is to
help pick dozens of critically important political appointees to oversee
America's conservation system. His past misjudgments of Norton, Meyers
and Gonzales give us little confidence he will choose wisely in the
future.


















































]]> Comment #6 by tmullins http://www.grist.org/article/Transition-talk-Oh-say-Ken-you-see/ Tue, 16 Dec 2008 23:00:08 -0800 http://www.grist.org/article/Transition-talk-Oh-say-Ken-you-see/6 Appalachia can't stand anymore...

of Presidebt Bush's and THE COAL INDUSTRIES prosperity http://www.wisecountyissues.com we are Third World America

Hannity shut the fuck up !

]]> Appalachia can't stand anymore...

of Presidebt Bush's and THE COAL INDUSTRIES prosperity http://www.wisecountyissues.com we are Third World America

Hannity shut the fuck up !

]]> Comment #7 by usandthem http://www.grist.org/article/Transition-talk-Oh-say-Ken-you-see/ Wed, 17 Dec 2008 02:29:41 -0800 http://www.grist.org/article/Transition-talk-Oh-say-Ken-you-see/7 I remember Meyers III

Thanks so much for all the information in your comments.I remember Meyers.I worked against him for all the damage he could do to the environmental movement and to western lands.I did not know about his closeness and support by Salazar.Thanks for that bit of info.I can see why Salazar would not be a good choice for Sec.of the Interior.
 I am becoming more and more disappointed by Obama's choices for key positions in his cabinet.I am told that he has to use people who are experienced,or more center than right or left.I am trying to believe that,but I see more and more people who are not fit for those positions,in my opinion.They are people who are too close to the debacles of the past administration,or who have supported bush's position,or who have vested interest in their own interests rather than the interest of this country and it's people.Thanks again jfranke.

Why not ask why!?


]]> I remember Meyers III

Thanks so much for all the information in your comments.I remember Meyers.I worked against him for all the damage he could do to the environmental movement and to western lands.I did not know about his closeness and support by Salazar.Thanks for that bit of info.I can see why Salazar would not be a good choice for Sec.of the Interior.
 I am becoming more and more disappointed by Obama's choices for key positions in his cabinet.I am told that he has to use people who are experienced,or more center than right or left.I am trying to believe that,but I see more and more people who are not fit for those positions,in my opinion.They are people who are too close to the debacles of the past administration,or who have supported bush's position,or who have vested interest in their own interests rather than the interest of this country and it's people.Thanks again jfranke.

Why not ask why!?


]]>