Why does Ken Salazar still have a job?

[autorank]

That one is easy to answer. Because President Obama hasn't fired him and Salazar refuses to resign in shame. (Image)

The real question is what is so wrong with President Obama that he keeps Ken Salazar on as Secretary of the Interior?

Salazar should have given Obama a strong heads up about the major risks of offshore drilling before any policy change was made. He should have done a thorough review of the Department of the Interior with some serious attention to the problem agency key to exploration and drilling permits. The department's Minerals Management Service (MMS) has a long rap sheet as a problem agency. Salazar knew this.

So why is this guy still around?

[polichick]

1. Same reason he was chosen in the first place - to carry out...

...the president's agenda.

[autorank]

2. Yep - It's all about The Money Party

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0709/S00549.htm

[polichick]

8. Exactly - thanks for the link! nt

[eomer]

34. Thanks Michael -- well said. n/t

[NightWatcher]

6. just like Rahm,Tim Geithner at the Fed, and the rest of the Admin

[polichick]

10. True - and didn't we all feel sick when they were chosen? It was clear...

...that we'd been fooled again.

[bobbolink]

3. Why did he have a job to begin with? Because the party handpicked and selected him.

Those of us who saw what he was and worked for Mike Miles saw all the dirtiness firsthand.

The Democratic Party of Colorado needs a good come-uppance! :grr:

[autorank]

4. Environmental groups warned about this guy

Last week, more than 150 environmental groups signed a letter to President-elect Obama asking him to appoint Representative Raul Grijalva of Arizona. They like Grijalva's ultra-green credentials and his outspoken criticism of the Bush administration and its Interior Department. So it was a surprise to people like Kieran Suckling of the Center for Biological Diversity when Colorado Senator Ken Salazar's name emerged as the likely nominee.

Mr. KIERAN SUCKLING (Policy Director, Center for Biological Diversity): Ken Salazar is very closely tied to ranching and mining and very traditional, old-time, Western extraction industries. And that's why I'm very concerned about this choice, because we were promised that an Obama presidency would bring change. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=98348261

[autorank]

9. 2 recs in 2 minutes - 2 unrecs right after Salazar should be fired

[bobbolink]

12. Thank you for reminding me..... I now go back to hit the rec button.

I would really like to see these unrec #()%U#U*#(_@#$$(*!!! be wrecked!

[Catherina]

25. I was going to recommend anyway but rec'd in solidarity too

You can't go around saying the emperor has no clothes and expect the court jesters to be amused.

[The Troubadour]

16. Agreed...

It's hard to deny that he has been an absolute disaster -- a
disaster many predicted right out of the gate. 

[librechik]

5. Get used to it--that's the kind of Democrat Obama loves and is.

weak, compromised, obeisant to RW power, terrified of populism, and dedicated to corporate triangulation.

:puke:

[polichick]

13. Yes - faux Democrats. Con men and women. nt

[Individualist]

23. +1

[Beringia]

7. A compromise choice

He is not good on animal rights (wildlife) issues, so I think the gun lobby liked him.

[Boudica the Lyoness]

15. He hates mustangs

Soon as Obama picked him my joy at having a Democrat in the White House fizzled out.

[Big Blue Marble]

17. And wolves.

He unleashed the hunters in the western states to start killing the indangered wolves as soon as he got in office.

[Boudica the Lyoness]

20. Bloody hell

And Obama is okay with this???!!!!

[Big Blue Marble]

24. Apparently, as many environmental groups

attempted to stop it. I know I emailed the Whitehouse and never had a response. Salazar declared the wolves were no longer
endangered and the states opened hunting seasons. The governor of Idaho said he wanted to kill the first one.

[villager]

11. Why was a cattle rancher ever *offered* the job in Interior? It's a "vision"

...better suited to the innate resource exploitiveness of the GOP, rather than an alleged Democratic agent of "change..."

[autorank]

21. That's certainly true for this rancher

And he had a record, a clear one; and there were serious warnings but, hey, "they" won and they are
going to have their way with mother nature. There was a response and we're just getting started --
4,000 drilling operations.



It's like the lottery. Pick a number and guess which one will blow next.

[amborin]

14. Salazar had an established pro-corporate, anti-environment record

[autorank]

22. I guess they got their man

[Catherina]

26. Who better to further corporate interests then? n/t

[ladjf]

18. Another good question. nt

[muffin1]

19. K&R n/t

[indepat]

27. The same reason that Senator Stevens' conviction was overturned all the while

Don Sigleman might be left to rot in jail: something fishy is going on and the smell is fastly becoming unbearable. :P

[autorank]

31. And who argued to keep Siegelman in jail? => KAGAN!!!

Yep, she wasn't forced to do it, she was just assigned the case which means the United States government took that position. Wonder who that could be? Not us of course.

She's going to be a justice. I suppose her direct involvement in massive, premeditated injustice should be good job training.

[PufPuf23]

28. Salazar should never had been hired.

The Federal officials in the paper trail for the Categorical Exclusions for deep water drilling under NEPA should all be prosecuted.

Manslaughter should be considered.

Wildfire arsonists have been convicted of murder when people died.

People have been jailed and professionals have lost careers and licenses by knowingly violating the Endangered Species Act.

[lib2DaBone]

29. Heck Of a Job Brownie.....

He has a job because he is CONNECTED. He's a player.... Elite Wealthy Oligarch.

[JoeyT]

30. Because he's a member of the ruling class.

Apparently no matter who gets elected now they pick everyone out of the same pack of assholes.

[Wilms]

32. k&r n/t

[Ichingcarpenter]

33. He introduced Alberto Gonzales for Attorney General for the Republicans

A 'democrat' who introduced Alberto for the Repugs!!!!!!!!!

He also fought against higher cafe standards for cars and trucks
and got money from Exxon because of it.

At least he's not in the Senate..... but geez get rid of him

[Jeffersons Ghost]

35. K&R

[tavalon]

36. Because this administration doesn't believe in accountability

any more than the last one did.

Oh, wait, was that a rhetorical question?

[Karmadillo]

37. Posted in wrong place.

nt

[mod mom]

38. because the oil/banking cartel selects our leaders?

:shrug:

Have you read Russ Baker's "Family of Secrets?" If not worth a read.

[autorank]

39. That's correct for $800!

No but I'm living it;) It sounds like it's worth a look. I'll check it out.

Thanks.

[QC]

40. Yer doin' a heckuva job, Sally. n/t

[uponit7771]

41. Can you name someone who was more competent to lead the organization? TIA

[autorank]

42. Any one with excellent management skills who had trained with

or trained under the philosophy of Garrett Hardin
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garrett_Hardin