How Bad has Dubya Been? So Bad That GOP Apointed Officials are Now Joing Team Obama
July 6, 2008
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What would you say if I were to tell you that earlier this week a senior ranking Bush Administration official had resigned from his position, opting not for retirement, but rather to work for Barack Obama’s Presidential campaign? You may think I was crazy, and you would be right in your initial reaction – but I’ve got news for you – a Bush administration official did in fact resign from his position so he could become an aid to Senator Obama.
Jason Burnett was a senior ranking appointed official with the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency), however Burnett surprised many when he decided to resign from his post citing conflicts of interest between the current administration, and their (for lack of a better term) ambivalence in regards to any further progress in protecting the environment:
“A high-ranking political appointee resigned from the Environmental Protection Agency after concluding there was no more progress to be made on greenhouse gases under the Bush administration.
Jason Burnett, associate deputy administrator for about a year before his resignation took effect June 9, was the principal adviser on climate change issues to agency chief Stephen Johnson. He helped developed the EPA’s response to last year’s Supreme Court ruling that the agency had the authority to regulate carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.”
“Burnett, a policy adviser at EPA who returned when Johnson appointed him associate deputy administrator, said he came back “to work through those challenges. We made as much progress as this administration wanted and when it became clear to me that no more progress could be made I decided it was time for me to move on,” Burnett said. “The choice this administration has made is to leave those challenges to the next.”
The above article comes from an AP release back on June the 25th, and at the time of it’s publication I don’t think anyone, including those closest to Burnett knew what his plans were for the future – and I am certain they didn’t expect him do what he subsequently did – Join team Obama:
“Jason Burnett has made a lot of news lately, criticizing the Bush administration for rejecting California’s request for a federal waiver that would have allowed the state to enforce greenhouse gas restrictions.
Burnett, until recently the associate deputy administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, testified last month before a congressional panel about the possible White House role in overruling the EPA staff’s recommendation of the waiver. Since then, Burnett has given numerous interviews on the issue.
Now Burnett is talking with his checkbook, too. After submitting his resignation last month, he donated $3,600 to Democrat Barack Obama’s presidential campaign. That came on top of a $1,000 contribution he made to Obama before rejoining the EPA last year.
A Stanford-trained economist and a Democrat, Burnett, 31, said in an interview that he was moving back to Northern California to campaign for Obama and Rep. Sam Farr (D-Carmel).
He said he was counting on them to support stepped-up efforts to curb greenhouse gases.
“Climate change endangers health and welfare,” Burnett said. “The EPA is required to use existing law to reduce greenhouse gases. The sooner we begin addressing it in earnest, the better off we’ll be.”
Ouch. If this is not just another slap in the face to Bush and company then I don’t know what is. Remeber this is not the first time a former employee under this Administration has stepped forward and been highly critical of George W. Bush.
Just last month former White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan not only came out and acknowledged that President Bush had in fact (with the help of those around him) “sold” the Iraq War to the American people via a slew of mis truths, foggy rhetoric, and some flat out lies, but he published a book chronicling the deceit as well as testified in front of Congress regarding this Administrations endless “tap dance” (and that is seriously putting it very politely) around the truth.
It is becoming more and more clear just how toxic Bush has made the Republican brand in this country. Thanks to his eight long years of trampling civil liberties, lying through that smug little smile of his, and systematically weakening our great country it’s really no surprise that the GOP wants absolutely nothing to do with him.
Today, there occurred many new blog. But how many blog with good content like your blog thanks to the social context of good internet.