Discussion: Bush EPA Chief Slams Trump's Pick As 'Disdainful Of The Agency'

TPM Article Topics
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Bush EPA Chief Slams Trump's Pick As 'Disdainful Of The Agency' Bush EPA Chief Slams Trump's Pick As 'Disdainful Of The Agency' Back to article
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Of course he’s disdainful of the agency. That was the entire point.

“And he’s going to have trouble within the agency if he does convey that kind of disdain to the career staff.”

He’ll likely just tell anyone who isn’t on the team to take a hike.

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As governor of NJ, she gutted out public education by cutting taxes for the wealthy. Governor Horse face is hardly the voice of reason on any issue. Speaking the obvious is not insight.

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I don’t know how I could possibly stress this enough: Trump is a real estate developer. When it comes to the EPA and environmental regulations, IT IS A PERSONAL BLOOD-VENDETTA. I deal with these people all the time doing eminent domain work for people whose land has been taken. Arguing about the highest and best use of a piece of property on which its fair market value must be determined runs us into everything from regulations on contamination to species habitats to waterways licensing. Explaining to a developer client that the environmental characteristics and sometimes severe restrictions on their properties limits development in this context (and no doubt in their normal business context of actually developing properties) drives them INSANE. Telling them they need to pay a separate expert for wetlands, engineering and contamination issues is just the cherry on top of their irrational anger sundae. So make no mistake: Trump is going t gut the EPA like Khal Drogo running amok with his Arakah after too much fermented mare’s milk and a handful of shrooms.

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The first step will be to eliminate civil service protections so that everyone is at-will. Then comes the purge. Then come the toadies and goons.

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[Christine Todd Whitman] was also known as a centrist in Bush's cabinet, reportedly advising him not to reject the Kyoto Protocol, an international environmental agreement (Bush ultimately rejected the deal).

WHITMAN: "Mr. President, what do you think of the Kyoto Accord?’
BUSH: “I prefer the Toyota Camry.”

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This is why you never pay attention to what Trump says: watch what he does, watch who he appoints. He will say anything to anyone at any time for any reason. He has no relationship with, or concern for, the truth. That’s why it’s so infuriating to see the occasional story from a news organization about Trump “softening his views” on any particular topic.

I wish every one of those reporters and editors had a large sign taped to their desks: “Trump is a liar who doesn’t believe a word he says.” Maybe then we could start getting some stories that are based on reality.

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“Now you kids go out and play, there’s nothing wrong with the air out there.”

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Exactly! Trump will lie if, in his view, it gains him an inch or a second. And the gain doesn’t have to be tangible; it could be as minor as a small boost to his insatiable ego from “playing” someone. Constant lies, for any reason. His every utterance should come with one of those “source?” tags that show up on Wikipedia when someone makes an unsubstantiated claim.

During the Bush II admin Karl Rove was fond of saying “perception lags reality” when anyone questioned a particularly brazen piece of political misdirection. He was correct, but the silver lining is perception does eventually catch up, which is a major reason Bush II was historically unpopular towards the end of his term (even before the financial crash). The same will absolutely happen with Trump, provided we keep flagging his bullshit. Perception will catch up.

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I take it back: there is one group of people that is paying attention to what Trump is saying, and profiting from it:

Wall Street guy: Found what led Trump to F-35. CNN mentioned cost
yesterday.They now monitor TV all day 2 short stock Trump might tweet
bout

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Making this pick different from all of his others, how, exactly?

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Sen. McCaskill on Trump Picks:

“I call it the ‘Three G Cabinet’: Goldman, Generals, and Gazillionaires.”

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In order to get out of the nightmare we are currently in, we will need Republicans like Whitman to stand up against Trump. So lay off the petty insults and realize that former adversaries will be strange allies against Trump and his insanity.

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Trump: Its an honor that the worst POTUS in US history thinks my choices are not good. Thanks. Putin is proud.

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“It doesn’t put us in a good place, in my mind,” she said of Pruitt’s relationship with the EPA, which he sued 13 times in five years as attorney general in the Sooner State. “And he’s going to have trouble within the agency if he does convey that kind of disdain to the career staff.”

I’m taking some consolation in the fact that these agencies are staffed with so very many people who’ve spent their lives working to better them, and I’m betting that more than a few aren’t simply going to roll over and let Pepe’s people destroy them. That’s why I think this will be the leakiest administration in American history. It will be one of few ways for agency staff to fight back.

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'Twas a feature, not a bug! Clearly.

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Hike shmike. He can’t legally fire civil servants because of what they believe personally.

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Trump seems to believe that he can do whatever he likes.

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That’s how Scott Walker did it in Wisconsin. If you want to see how federal civil service will look in a few years, see what happened in Wisconsin. Same play book.

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Watch him.