Obama's pick for Secretary of Commerce is unacceptable.John Bryson may have private sector business experience, but that may not be good enough. Bryson is on record as saying that Waxman-Markey was "moderate, but acceptable." You'll remember Waxman-Markey bill as the cap and trade legislation that attempted to regulate every aspect of your life with regard to energy and promised to make energy bills skyrocket.
If Bryson thought THAT bill was "moderate," I shudder to think what he would find more acceptable.
As Mark Tapscott points out, there were quite a few Senate Democrats who were on record against cap and trade, so this ought to make for an interesting Senate confirmation.
Senator David Vitter issued a statement yesterday calling the nomination "deeply disturbing":
“Louisiana's greatest jobs challenge is restarting drilling in the Gulf. So President Obama nominates someone as his jobs secretary who co-founded the group that files more baseless lawsuits against drilling than any other. This is deeply, deeply disturbing,”
The company to which Vitter refers is The National Resources Defense Council founded in 1970 by John Bryson, John Adams, and Gus Speth, among other activists. The group has, over the years, filed hundreds of lawsuits...
* To stop a new coal-fired power plant in Michigan
* Against the Army Corps of Engineers in Kansas to halt construction of a BNSF (Burlington Northern Santa Fe) intermodal facility because:
“The thousands of trucks expected to move in and out of that rail yard every day will produce toxic diesel fumes that could pose serious health problems for the surrounding communities, including increased rates of asthma, respiratory disease and cancer. The Army Corps has a responsibility to protect people from these health impacts.”
* Against a Kentucky coal company for violations against the Clean Water Act.
* Against the FDA for chemicals found in anti-bacterial soaps.
* Against International Paper for violations of the Clean Water Act.
* Against the EPA over pesticides that damage honeybees.
* Against "backyard drilling" in Los Angeles
* Against MMS for the use of seismic surveys in the Gulf which "disrupts marine life."
* The group has promised to file suit over new drilling permits in the Gulf of Mexico.
* Against Ken Salazar for approving permits for oil and gas activity in the Gulf that fails to protect whales and other mammals in the Gulf of Mexico.
Here is Bryson himself advocating major reduction in carbon and applauding California's approach to carbon emissions.
And here he, in 2009, discusses climate change and federal climate change legislation.
The man is clearly anti-business and is a totally unacceptable candidate for Secretary of Commerce.
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There was a proposed coal-fired power plant that was supposed to be built in E. Ely, NV not too long ago.
It was supposed to provide jobs in White Pine Co. for not only construction of the plant, but re-opening the dormant Nevada Northern railway. Of course, since it involved coal (even 'clean' coal from Wyoming's Powder River basin) that plan was shelved in advance of the Waxman-Markey bill.
Wonder if either Harry Reid or Bryson's group played a role in that...
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