Despite our complaints about Salazar’s views, the GOP has taken unprecedented steps to oppose Salazar’s repeal of Bush’s policies for opposite reasons-

I can’t think of any other Administration where the minority party has tried so hard and been so successful preventing a new President from filling the positions in a government department. Rather than build allies among conservation groups to help in these battles, however, Salazar has pursued his own anti-conservation policies. Time to rethink?

If Reid is successful blocking the filibuster, an irony will be to make Obama even more reliant on his often troublesome views. High noon in Salazar showdown. A key Senate vote on his top aide at Interior is set for today amid high partisan tensions. By Michael Riley. The Denver Post

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Update. Reid fails to overcome Republican filibuster by 3 votes. Sixty votes are needed to invoke closure — kill a filibuster. New York Times. The vote was 57-39.

Hayes is said to be an environmental lawyer, but there seems to be a question as to how much he worked to protect it versus get corporate lobbyists access in his position during the Clinton Administration.

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About The Author

Ralph Maughan

Dr. Ralph Maughan is professor emeritus of political science at Idaho State University. He was a Western Watersheds Project Board Member off and on for many years, and was also its President for several years. For a long time he produced Ralph Maughan's Wolf Report. He was a founder of the Greater Yellowstone Coalition. He and Jackie Johnson Maughan wrote three editions of "Hiking Idaho." He also wrote "Beyond the Tetons" and "Backpacking Wyoming's Teton and Washakie Wilderness." He created and is the administrator of The Wildlife News.

5 Responses to With almost none of Obama's Interior nominees confirmed and in office, Harry Reid decides to take on a Republican filibuster so to seat Salazar's number two position

  1. Rick Hammel says:

    Perhaps Salazar should take note as to what is happening. With good people, whom we can rely on, may be able to get past the filibuster.

    Rick

  2. Don Riley says:

    Kennedy, Kerry & Mukulski were absent. Reid says they will be there next week. That gives him 61 and he can call for a new vote because he voted no in order to preserve the call for that new vote.

    Don

  3. JB says:

    The Republicans left in the Senate are really taking this “Party of No” stuff seriously! 😉

  4. mikarooni says:

    Given Salazar’s background and actions so far, this whole situation should be a clear lesson on the effectiveness of compromise, collaboration, and, frankly, appeasement. Obama could have gone ahead and nominated Grijalva and gotten this much cooperation.

  5. Milkarooni,

    I think you are absolutely right. How could a Grijalva nomination have done worse? Plus, conservation groups would be actively helping push the nominations rather than sitting and watching events.

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‎"At some point we must draw a line across the ground of our home and our being, drive a spear into the land and say to the bulldozers, earthmovers, government and corporations, “thus far and no further.” If we do not, we shall later feel, instead of pride, the regret of Thoreau, that good but overly-bookish man, who wrote, near the end of his life, “If I repent of anything it is likely to be my good behaviour."

~ Edward Abbey

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