BrainStream: I was listening to NPR's

I was listening to NPR's Morning Edition on the way to work and heard that the head of the National Forest Service had stepped down. Mike Dombeck's job was actually protected from the new Bush administration but when it became apparent Dubya wanted to "change" how the Forest Service does business (i.e. open thousands of acres of national forest to logging as well as new oil, gas and mining operations), Dombeck opted to step down and retire.

I have mixed feelings about this. On the one hand I wish Dombeck stayed in his position and fought the administration publicly. But of course this would have been impossible without him becoming a major scape-goat. On the other hand, I hope that Dombeck's very public resignation sends a message to both the Bush administration and to the public - reminding them how the new administration appears to have little concern for the environment and who's every statement lately seems to be reversing environmental policy in favor of big business and high polluting energy generating organizations.

Further proof of this comes today as Bush refuses to put price caps on energy. While I agree that forcing people to pay for what electricity, gas etc that they use, I feel that Californians are being completely shafted. I'll have to look around but I believe the power generating companies are selling power to the utilities at something like 200-400% profit. Unbelievable.

[BrainStream] (Permanent link to this entry)