Trump Picks Top Climate Skeptic to Lead EPA Transition

[Norm Lenhart]

Needs to go beyond who's the head of an agency, though that's a good start. The EPA makes regs without any science whatsoever. What 'science' they do try to prop us as the excuse is one sided and only feeds the predetermined conclusion.

Worse is the incestuous collusion with the enviro groups. They sue the EPA to get a judge to sign off on new regs, then sit down with the EPA to write those regs. Unethical and in my book illegal conflict of interest, and that's just one of many issue of how these departments put out regs that we have to pay for and deal with.

Laws need to be passed completely reforming the rule making system by clamping down on agencies, and require strict procedures before their regs can past muster.

If Trump will allow the division heads to take cases where judges overrule them to the supreme court, the problem ends because the left will start double checking their privlege before the chineese barge of frivilous suits due to costs. They won't be getting govt payback.. But to date, Bush and Obama both have refused to do so.

If he appoints a good interior/EPA team then much of this mess can get sorted.

[Wingnut]

Ah come on we hadn't even gotten to the bean jokes yet...

Women never appreciate the nuances of a good windwood section joke!

[dfwgator]

Yes.

What you're talking about here is the unaccountable (because not "official") fourth branch of government, the permanent bureaucracy, which is in effect a second legislative branch.

[massadvj]

+1,000,000 on your Avatar.  Just sayin'.

I thank you, and Uncle Milty thanks you.

[r9etb]

If he appoints a good interior/EPA team then much of this mess can get sorted.

Perhaps.  As it stands, though, there is a strong alliance between EPA regulators and activist groups that must be dealt with; apparently in many cases the activist groups are called upon to dictate the fundamentals of environmental regulation.  See, e.g., https://epafacts.com/new-report-highlights-revolving-door-between-epa-and-green-activist-groups/

Nothing will change in DC unless and until the regulatory machinery can be made subject to actual accountability.

[r9etb]

Women never appreciate the nuances of a good windwood section joke!

If God hadn't meant for farts to be funny, he'd never have invented elevators.

[Norm Lenhart]

Perhaps.  As it stands, though, there is a strong alliance between EPA regulators and activist groups that must be dealt with; apparently in many cases the activist groups are called upon to dictate the fundamentals of environmental regulation.  See, e.g., https://epafacts.com/new-report-highlights-revolving-door-between-epa-and-green-activist-groups/

Nothing will change in DC unless and until the regulatory machinery can be made subject to actual accountability.

Thats what I mean by team. Not just the heads. You are absolutely right. The departments basically have to be gutted or better yet, eliminated. The link to philanthropics and activists groups must be severed totally.

[Norm Lenhart]

Perhaps.  As it stands, though, there is a strong alliance between EPA regulators and activist groups that must be dealt with; apparently in many cases the activist groups are called upon to dictate the fundamentals of environmental regulation.  See, e.g., https://epafacts.com/new-report-highlights-revolving-door-between-epa-and-green-activist-groups/

Nothing will change in DC unless and until the regulatory machinery can be made subject to actual accountability.

Just as a side note, I spent several years as the Senior Ed of the then largest off-road website. We were heavily involved with fighting the Sierra Club and their ilk along with Blue Ribbon Coalition and several others. I understand the EPA/Interior problem very well. And it is massively worse today than in 2000.

[Emjay]

I understand the tyranny and the power of the global warming nuts.  I just don't understand how anyone was ever convinced of this fantasy.

I guess people were desperate for someone/something to blame.

Every time my son hits me with it, I remind him that he is personally responsible because he ran a large yacht on Lake Texoma for several years. 

[dfwgator]

I understand the tyranny and the power of the global warming nuts.  I just don't understand how anyone was ever convinced of this fantasy.
 

Tell a lie often enough, people will believe it.

[r9etb]

I understand the EPA/Interior problem very well. And it is massively worse today than in 2000.

It's because of something that has been called "The Colorado Machine" model of political organizing (http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2014/10/colorado-udall-hickenlooper-senate-democracy-alliance), which is itself a natural follow-on to what Democrats have been doing since the 60s.

[Norm Lenhart]

I understand the tyranny and the power of the global warming nuts.  I just don't understand how anyone was ever convinced of this fantasy.

I guess people were desperate for someone/something to blame.

Every time my son hits me with it, I remind him that he is personally responsible because he ran a large yacht on Lake Texoma for several years.

The short version of the very long story is that Liberals took control of education. They then had the means to indoctrinate generations. Once they took power in Washington, they were able to indoctrinate as they pleased and did, without anyone to stop them.

The media is an arm of the left. It went along willingly.

together they simply socially engineered the issue. Kids were taught eco worship and they grew up believing it. Most did not have principled parents to teach them the truth and as kids do, they ostracize anyone not like them. So there was peer pressure added into the mix.

In the end you had 2 full generations steeped in eco propaganda from home, school and social/friends. They believe it because they simply do not know anything else. Their while life has been filled with it.

Itwould be like me telling you that homosexuality was the natural order when you know it is not. Your whole life you have known it. So it would be hard to make you believe me. Thats what they face. They were taught one thing they 'know with all their being'. and to not believe it is just crazy for them.

[dfwgator]

The short version of the very long story is that Liberals took control of education. They then had the means to indoctrinate generations. Once they took power in Washington, they were able to indoctrinate as they pleased and did, without anyone to stop them.

The media is an arm of the left. It went along willingly.

together they simply socially engineered the issue. Kids were taught eco worship and they grew up believing it. Most did not have principled parents to teach them the truth and as kids do, they ostracize anyone not like them. So there was peer pressure added into the mix.

In the end you had 2 full generations steeped in eco propaganda from home, school and social/friends. They believe it because they simply do not know anything else. Their while life has been filled with it.

Itwould be like me telling you that homosexuality was the natural order when you know it is not. Your whole life you have known it. So it would be hard to make you believe me. Thats what they face. They were taught one thing they 'know with all their being'. and to not believe it is just crazy for them.

“Give me just one generation of youth, and I'll transform the whole world.” - Lenin

[Norm Lenhart]

“Give me just one generation of youth, and I'll transform the whole world.” - Lenin

Exactly. And they have employed it time and again.

[Smokin Joe]

This alone demonstrates the absurdity of NEVERTRUMP.  Would Hillary have done such a thing?  Trump may not be ideological, but he is a businessman with a keen sense of who his customers are and what they want.  If that is the case, it is good enough for me.

Oh does it, now?

I recall:

"The EPA should ensure that biofuel … blend levels match the statutory level set by Congress under the [renewable fuel standard],” Trump said.
http://www.governorsbiofuelscoalition.org/?p=15941
From the article, dated January 19, 2016:
Quote

    Donald Trump said Tuesday that federal regulators should increase the amount of ethanol blended into the nation’s gasoline supply.

I recall, during the Iowa campaign, Trump said he would look to increase the Renewable fuels mandate (that's ethanol) and "use the EPA to the fullest extent of the law to enforce it."

That was deal-breaker number one for me.

I am thrilled to see he has no apparent intent of following that 'Climate Change' dictated policy, but that wasn't what he said. Hiring a scientist for the transition team is nice, but he isn't even sworn in yet. So put your pecker away and let's see what he does. His willingness to double down on existing environmental policy during the campaign was a key factor in my stance against him (too).

[r9etb]

Exactly. And they have employed it time and again.

Fortunately, or unfortunately, reality has a way of catching up with such things.  Happened to the Russians under communism; gonna happen to us, too.

[Norm Lenhart]

Fortunately, or unfortunately, reality has a way of catching up with such things.  Happened to the Russians under communism; gonna happen to us, too.

History does have a maddening tendency to repeat.  Eventually they will have it blow up in their faces if for no other reason than entropy but it won't take that long. Lies always fall apart. And there is way too much truth to be denied forever on Green issues.

[musiclady]

Mystery!!  I feel your pain.

Trump just did something we all like and we're still hell bent on sticking it to each other.

There was an instigator to the problem.  He needs to be ignored.

As for this choice, one good decision...... possibly.

I will be a skeptic for a very long time, and never will agree with having an amoral man in the WH, but I'm not going to gripe about decisions I agree with.

[r9etb]

As for this choice, one good decision...... possibly.

Assuming he's even confirmed, he's almost certain to get the James Watt treatement (showing my age here...).  The effectiveness of putting a heretic at the head of a religious organization is always open to question.

[musiclady]

This alone demonstrates the absurdity of NEVERTRUMP.  Would Hillary have done such a thing?  Trump may not be ideological, but he is a businessman with a keen sense of who his customers are and what they want.  If that is the case, it is good enough for me.

No decision is "absurd" if integrity and character are more important to you than politics, and supporting someone devoid of both is not an option.  Purely politically, perhaps NT was "absurd," but in the scheme of eternity, the most rational decision, and one I will never, ever regret.

That said, I'm still glad that Hillary isn't going to be President.

[musiclady]

Assuming he's even confirmed, he's almost certain to get the James Watt treatement (showing my age here...).  The effectiveness of putting a heretic at the head of a religious organization is always open to question.

The religious left may well behead the choice of a climate change skeptic who opposes their deeply held theology.

It will be interesting to see what happens here.

[Smokin Joe]

History does have a maddening tendency to repeat.  Eventually they will have it blow up in their faces if for no other reason than entropy but it won't take that long. Lies always fall apart. And there is way too much truth to be denied forever on Green issues.

Hopefully, this will be the beginning of the end of the nouveau Lysenkoism that has gripped policy in America by the short hairs, and we can get rid of those jerks down by Cannonball (ND).

[Rivergirl]

Lots of talkie talk.  Let's see who is actually nominated and just who gets confirmed by the senate.

[Norm Lenhart]

Hopefully, this will be the beginning of the end of the nouveau Lysenkoism that has gripped policy in America by the short hairs, and we can get rid of those jerks down by Cannonball (ND).

Simple solution. Said it for years. Oil is a national security issue. Thats not remotely arguable. Oil infrastructure is obviously a NatSec issue as well. Same for any energy.

Put the guard on site, arm them and treat protestors as jihadi terrorists the second they violate the law or in any way interfere with the country's national security.

[r9etb]

nouveau Lysenkoism

Exactly.