Former Interior secretary calls out Obama on the environment

[cali]

Bruce Babbitt says Obama has failed to defend against Republican and industry attacks on environmental safeguards.

By Neela Banerjee, Washington Bureau

June 8, 2011
Reporting from Washington—
President Obama has failed to answer Republican attacks on environmental safeguards "forcefully and persuasively" and to articulate his own vision for conserving American wilderness and water, former Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt charged Tuesday.

Babbitt, who served under President Clinton, said in an interview that he would lay out his concerns about the Republican environmental agenda and the Obama administration's response in a speech in Washington on Wednesday.

It's rare for a political figure of Babbitt's stature to reproach publicly a sitting president of his own party. But Obama has faced blunt criticism from old allies on a range of issues after compromising with Republicans who control the House.

Babbitt is giving voice to disappointment among many environmental advocates. Since the midterm elections, the administration has delayed or weakened several regulations bitterly opposed by congressional Republicans and business lobbyists, and given credence to the GOP contention that regulations — especially environmental ones — stifle growth.

<snip>

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-environment-babbitt-20110608,0,3882784.story

[randr]

1. I hope Obama does not find out too late

that there is an opposition party to the Republican/Industrial maddness and that we are still hoping someone will do the right thing.

[InvisibleTouch]

2. He'd go a long way toward endangered species protection...

...if he got rid of that dirtbag Ken Salazar.