:Last week President Bush nominated the Governor of Idaho; Dirk Kempthorne as the Secretary of the Interior. A post that is responsible for America's wildlife refuges, National Park System and millions of acres of public land. An appointment long coming, Dirk has been rumored for several Bush Administration posts over the past couple of years, most notably; head of the EPA.
By golly, that trip Governor Kempthorne invited President Bush on to Idaho's own Tamarack Resort must have sealed the deal. Cause wouldn't ya know it, first position to come open since said trip, and Kempthorne gets the nod.
Now, I know what some of you are saying; "heh, he's from Idaho ain't he?", "maybe he'll be like Andrus (`nother Idaho Gov. who served as Sec. of the Interior)", or better yet; "he's got decent hair for an old fogey (paid for with a
bounced check mind you)". Hell, even some Senate Democrats have already been
saying the same thing:
Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), the ranking Democrat on the Energy and Natural Resources Committee -- the committee what will handle Kempthorne's nomination -- said, "As a Westerner, former Senator and current Governor, [Gov. Kempthorne] certainly understands the issues managed by the Interior Department. I would, expect that Dirk would be confirmed."
Or, how about this:
A Western Democrat, Sen. Maria Cantwell of Washington, also welcomed the choice, saying Kempthorne "understands the Northwest and a lot of Interior issues." She said he had "stood up to the administration" over nuclear waste cleanup.
Gee Senator Cantwell, you think you could look into the guy a little bit before you go a head and pass him on to the full Senate? Just cause you're from Idaho doesn't mean you give a rats ass about the environment. Something about Texan oil barons comes to mind, when I figure it out I'll let ya know.
So just what kind of Governor was Dirk Kempthorne? What magic mirror can we use in order to see just how he may function as Secretary of the Interior?
Shall we order up some gems and take a gander? I say, yes, let's do.
These nuggets of information come way of Think Progress:
During Kempthorne's four-and-a-half-year tenure as governor, Idaho's pristine air has gotten dirtier, more rivers have been polluted, fewer polluters have been inspected and more toxins have contaminated the air, water and land, according to a Knight Ridder analysis of Idaho pollution data from EPA and state records.
Hey! Hey! You don't say? Oh, no, do go on:
Kempthorne has very close ties to the same industries he would oversee in the Interior Department. In his last reelection campaign, he raised $86,000 "from timber, mining and energy industries" that wanted greater access to national forests in his state:
"Two of Kempthorne's top three donors for the 2002 campaign were the Coeur D'Alene Mines Corp., which gave $13,922, and the Potlatch Corp., a forest products company, which gave $12,034, according to the non-partisan Institute on Money in State Politics."
Hmmm? I insist please continue:
(via The Sierra Club)
"President Bush nominated someone who has consistently opposed protecting public health and public lands," said Carl Pope, Executive Director of the Sierra Club. "American families deserve an Interior Secretary who actually values our natural heritage. America deserves someone who will promote safe energy policies that protect sensitive lands and wildlife habitat, instead of giving over our public lands to developers and the oil and gas companies."
Governor Kempthorne has a history of:
Supporting drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
Opposing the protection of 60 million acres of wild forests
Working to weaken the Endangered Species Act and Safe Drinking Water Act
Well, that can be it can it? Well, since you asked, the League of Conservation Voters decided to weigh in on the subject too.
Their comment was simply this:
"During his career in Congress, Governor Kempthorne earned a paltry 1% lifetime LCV score. Enough said."
Does this have you concerned? Just a little bit? Come on, I know some of you are thinking - "Secretary of the Interior, does that even mean anything?" Well, yes, it just so happens to mean a lot. America's lands are under attack by corporations who want nothing more than to get their bulldozers fired up and start work on pulverizing anything that is rooted in the ground. Kempthorne, I have no doubt will be giving them the keys; he has done nothing to make me think otherwise...
Well, here is an idea while I got you at your keyboard. Write some letters to the editor get on the phone and get a hold of your local representatives and voice your concern. Tell them that Dirk Kempthorne wasn't good for Idaho and he sure won't be good for America.
In fact go here, from there you can email all of the members of the Senate Committee On Energy and Natural Resources, the committee who will most likely move to confirm Kempthorne as one more nodding head on President Bush's Cabinet.
One last thought, just keep this image in your mind when you are thinking about who is going to be the next Secretary of the Interior:
this went up at Bring It On, and Liberal Idaho.org