Jason Burnett, Bush Official Who Just Resigned, To Aid Obama

Until last month, Jason Burnett was a high-ranking political appointee at the Environmental Protection Agency. But "after concluding there was no more progress to be made on greenhouse gases under the Bush administration," he resigned.

The AP reported recently:

[Burnett] 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.

But work on the issue was put on hold in December after Congress passed legislation enacting tougher automobile mileage requirements. Johnson has acknowledged that the next administration probably will have to decide whether carbon dioxide endangers public health as a greenhouse gas. The EPA is expected soon to issue a draft finding for public comment.

"I think that most people who have studied the Clean Air Act recognize the challenges posed by the Supreme Court case, but the nation is best served by confronting those challenges, not trying to delay the inevitable," Burnett said in an interview.

Now Burnett is trying a new path to reducing the threat of global warming: aiding Barack Obama.

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."

Comments

[leftoflennon]

Come on in....the water is fine.

[joebaggadonuts]

Hmmm.

They teach in Law School that you advocate for your client, regardless of your personal feelings about the client. Burnett was advocating for the Bushies against The People at the EPA, helping to turn that agency into an Environmentalist imPalement Agency. Who was his real client? Who will be his real client if he is accepted into the Obama team?

http://thinkprogress.org/wonkroom/2008/05/07/burnett-yoo-of-epa/

[ohiodem250]

Can someone tell goldenshaman 1) this guy is not a Republican 2) that they are an idiot.

[shelobo]

Most people don't even relize that SOME federal buildings in Washington use Coal mixed with other fules for it's energy.Attempts over the years to drop coal from the fuel mix at the federal fuel plant have been blocked by coal-state Sens. Robert C. Byrd (D-W.Va.) and Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.).Which is understandable as both those states are Coal mining states,peoples JOBS depend on coal mining.Even tho Coal is used in capital buildings,the Capitol Power Plant has not produced a watt of electricity since 1952; the Capitol complex buys its power from Pepco. Instead, the plant generates steam and chilled water to heat and cool the Capitol, the Supreme Court, the Library of Congress and 19 other structures. Coal accounts for 49 percent of its output; the rest is generated by natural gas and oil.The EPA like so many goverment arms of the federal goverment fails at times to do it's job properly .If anyone can ever figuire out WHY so many federal committes don't seem to communicate with one another ,maybe ,just maybe American Taxpayers might know the truth .

[jeffreydj]

Just goes to show you, Senators such as Byrd and McConnell oughta go back and visit their home states occasionally. Jobs in coal-ming in these states have gone down the crapper. Yes, there are some deep-shaft operations still in existence, but the fastest-growing version of modern coal-ming is mountaintop-removal, which requires only a tiny skeleton crew to undertake. Oh sure, there is plenty of coal still being torn out of KY and WV, but the required jobs are vanishing.

The bribes, er, sorry, the campaign contributions from Peabody Coal Co. are still hefty enough, though, so when you see a Byrd or a McConnell go to bat for the coal industry, the miners are the furthest item from their minds.

[teacupsnpots]

Hope it helps

[FirstShirt]

Webb changed parties to go with a party whose time has come. Why not this guy? In fact, Obama may be changing parties right now.

[MrZrule]

Jason resigned to work to get Democrats elected. I'm grateful.

"red states - blue states - United States"

In case you missed it, Senator Obama has been saying for years he wants to work with everyone. He's progressive not Progressive. I trust him to lead, not follow an ideological map. There is no map of the future.

[JennyJay]

TOO LATE Jason Burnett - you should have jumped that sinking ship a long time ago. Now you can go down with it.

[mollyjackson]

This is the CHANGE we have been promised! Looks like Obama will be Bush's third term!

Obama/Sharpton 08

[iamFrank]

Action is louder than words! I just see another politician trying to buy their way on to a ticket or in to someone’s good graces.
If Mr. Burnett wants to have environmental change so bad, how come we don’t see him advocating this from the top of the hill or read about his great conviction to press environmental concerns and EPA issues to the letter of the law?
The lawmakers in government are just giving us appeasements instead of doing their jobs. This should have been addressed THIRTY YEARS AGO with the first oil embargo. But no, we choose to keep electing such candy ass lawmakers that are more concerned with big business then the welfare of this country.

[shelobo]

I don't think Obama should have hired Burnett.Back in 2005 he disagreed with a ruling concerning mercury !Known as the 'Clean Air Mercury Rule' aimed at coal-fired power plants.Studies done in 2000 showed one thing ,the EPA had a different view.The Mercury Rule, is aimed at coal-fired power plants, the nation's largest remaining unregulated source of mercury emissions. According to EPA, the rule will decrease mercury in two phases, eventually capping national mercury emissions at 15 tons by 2018. Power plants currently emit about 48 tons of mercury annually. However, public health and environmental advocates argue that EPA's mercury rule violates the 1990 Clean Air Act, ignores the science on mercury hazards and allows industry to pollute beyond the 2018 deadline.Mercury is a highly toxic pollutant linked to cardiovascular disease and developmental problems in fetuses and children, putting them at risk of brain damage and learning disabilities,BUT, COAL mines have a lot of voters !Obama best RETHINK this choice .Burnett isn't a politican but he tends go along with certian http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/503122icle/503122

[DKLA]

FRANK IS RIGHT, I was aware in the late 1970's & our elected officials have failed us.
RE-ELECT NOBODY FOR AT LEAST 25 YEARS!! we must flush the system & deplete the "special(corporate) interests at every election cycle.

[IvanJokiq]

NON BAD - VILLAIN, UNMIXED with GOOD. More.
Text in the Greek Language.
ΟΥΔΕΝ ΚΑΚΟΝ, ΑΜΙΓΕΣ ΚΑΛΟΥ.

Ο Θεός Δημιουργός μας δίνει καθημερινά ευκαιρίες να διακρίνουμε ότι ο άγριος – εξοντωτικός ανταγωνισμός και το συνειδητό ή υποσυνείδητο γνωστικό καλό και η πνευματική μόρφωση, (εξαρτάτε από την ποιοτική συσσώρευση στα επίπεδα της νοημοσύνης – σφαιρικής αντίληψης, μεταβολισμού, επεξεργασίας, προσαρμογής και επικοινωνίας), τρέφουν με τον τρόπο τους την αρμονία του καλού και του κακού.
Δεν αποκλείεται (όσο ουτοπικά να φαίνεται) να έρθουν καιροί, όταν οι άνθρωποι της πρώτης γραμμής, όπως Κλίντον, Μπλερ, Μπους, κτλ., να βλέπουν έξω από την σκακιέρα εκτελεστική, τις κακές πλευρές των εαυτών τους και να μετανιώνουν.
Σίγουρα, δύσκολα θα είναι να τους πιστεύουν, αλλά κανένας δεν γνωρίζει τι προφυλάξει ο Θεός, προσωπικά για τον καθένα στον κόσμο.
*
Αυτογνωσία και αυτορρύθμιση.

Ζούμε σε μια εποχή που η παγκόσμια κρίση κάνουν να καλπάζουν οι τιμές σε αγορές όπως:
1. πετρελαϊκά,
2. αγαθών,
3. χάλυβα,
4. κατασκευαστική,
5. αυτοκινητικών κτλ.

Τι έγραφα το τελευταίο;
Αυτοκινητική βιομηχανία.

Με α/ τις τιμές υψηλές – φούσκα στις αγορές πετρελαϊκές και άλλα που συνδέονται αποσύρονται, β/ με την νομισματική πολιτική της Ευρωπαϊκής Κεντρικής Τράπεζας – ΕΚΤ και κόσμο,...

Συνεχίζεται…
Code © 060708, 070708.

[Flagal]

is that a message for arriana?

[FirstShirt]

I love it when you speak Greek.

[goldenshaman]

This is not the time to bring the R's into the fold.

This is the time to put that party out of business.

[JamieStarr]

Perhaps you should read the article instead of just the headline.

"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's a D. not an R.

[DevilAdvocate]

exactly.. the person is a Dem but just cares about global warming....and had to work with the right, now he's coming back to his real base.

[knighthowl]

He is a Democrat. Read the article. But I agree about putting the Rs out of business.

[barackobama4prez]

just shows how nervous people are about reaching across the aisle....even though he didn't in this case. The parties just don't trust each other.

[DKLA]

Maybe Quantanamo will house the NeoCons next? After the televised War-crimes trials??
Ahhhh, hopeful thinking.....

[AnotherTry]

Why would a democratic nominee need to attract republican voters? What's wrong with the 85 million Americans who are eligible to vote but don't year after year? When will a candidate start facing that fact and give up on the squishy middle idiots who can't figure out which party should run the country?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=di2RFTrtRTY

[DGregory]

i dont know if your basing that comment on this topic, but burnett is a democrat

[TheNuff]

Clearly many people here only look at the pictures.

[Flagal]

shouldnt the president appeal to all? this is america, is it not?

[barackobama4prez]

what if it brought republicans into the democratic fold? sometimes it takes a special kinda candidate to be able to do that. again, O is not like other politicians. He can work with all kinds of people.

[whizkid]

Refresh please.

[SeanGardner]

Bravo Mr. Burnett.

You see exactly what's coming: an opportunity to reverse the damage of the Bush years.

From global warming, to deforestation, to sustainable living, to emvironmental racism, you know that Barack Obama is the best hope we have of setting this country on a great course.

Congrats on making a great choice. Like you, I've given money to him, and, like you, I can't wait until he is sworn in on the back side of The Capitol in Washington DC.

Much success to you Mr. Burnett.

[RnR]

Jason Burnett, referred to in this article as the "John Yoo of the EPA"

http://thinkprogress.org/wonkroom/2008/05/07/burnett-yoo-of-epa

Change we can believe in.