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

[philinmedford]

What's next? Is he going to choose Gates because "we've made great progress in Iraq'?

[TocinoHumano]

Funny you should mention it.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/us_elections/article4232070.ece

[JBS]

Funny hunh?

Then why ain't I laughin'?

[goldenshaman]

So the Obama people can't recognize a war criminal when they see one.

If Obama doesn't pull the plug on day one then not only will he inherit the problem of running the war, he wall also inherit the status of war criminal.

[Bertha40869]

Some of you are really sad. Obama's entire campaign has been based on the notion that he can unite ALL. If this guy thinks he can help, who are we to judge? Seems to me that most Democrats aren't interested in unity. Most Democrats just want things their way. We don't sound any better than the Rethuglicans.

[goldenshaman]

The Rethugs are nothing but criminals. Most of us are much better than them.

[poeticjustice4all]

When the junior Senator promised change I didn't think he was talking about his own positions. And what was the big complaint about Clinton . . . the candidate with far more years experience and far more political savvy? She was too much the politician! Oh, and she was too far to the right!

Hmmm. Well the B-Rock star isn't the only flop to flip this summer.

Where are all those juiced up college kids, weary republican switch-o-crats and indignant independents? Where are all those excited throngs of believers who were fainting at the mere sound of this man's voice? Where's the Obama bump? (And I'm not talking about Michell's hand signals.)

[rosal]

Still bitter? Drama won't get you anywhere.

[ckfan]

Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. First Burnett, then Hillary.

Obama '08

[olivia]

Better yet, turn your enemies into your friends. O so far is turning out to be good at that.

[TocinoHumano]

And he seems to be getting rather good at turning friends into enemies too.

[StarkRavingNakedEmperor]

You are completely out of your mind! What would this do? Make it so that Obama is constantly having to watch his back and deal with sabotage and competition from within!

[goldenshaman]

Millions on White Horses


During the past 8 years mainstream Democrats like Barack Obama have not been
leading the charge against the many evils perpetrated by the Bush Regime.

Most of the big names in Democratic politics, with the notable exception of
Dennis Kucinich, have been AWOL from the struggle.

Rather than leading us with brilliant examples of courage and principle,
they have failed us time and time again.

Left to our own devices, many of us have learned to fend for ourselves in the
battle for liberty and decency.

By ones, by tens, by hundreds, by thousands, and by millions we have stood up
and spoken the truth that we see while our supposed leaders have stood aside
for reasons they have not adequately explained.

Many of us are feeling betrayed and defrauded once again as we watch the
Obama campaign morph into a bland pander machine that spouts carefully
crafted evasions rather than the hard truths we live every day.

We, the faceless and formerly powerless, are not waiting for anyone to lead us anywhere.

We are going where we want to go, with or without those who presume to represent us.

You can tie us up in a neat media bundle called netroots and try to dismiss us,
but you may find that you cannot win without us.

[POINT84]

didnt really understand the point of your post

[goldenshaman]

There are many people who have fought the good fight these last 8 years, and most of the big-name Dems sat on the sidelines when they weren't playing for the other team.

What the media calls "netroots" are a bunch of politically aware, outspoken people who are not passively waiting for Obama to lead us to the promised land, because it ain't gonna happen.

Unfortunately, at the present he doesn't seem to be leading us anywhere on the war, health care, or globalism.

We are not going to shut up. We will continue to advocate our positions and the Dems should probably pay attention.

[missionimpossible]

Sounds pointless to me, point84.

[rosal]

I guess you didn't get the memo: Operation Chaos is over. It was a total failure. You might as well get on the train, or you are going to be left behind.

[TocinoHumano]

No, Op Chaos was a rousing success. The Republicans wanted to run against Obama.

[goldenshaman]

This has nothing to do with Operation Chaos.

This has everything to do with people who have put their hearts and souls into pushing back against the Bushies these past 8 years.

We will continue to push for our positions, and we are not happy with the corporatization of the Obama campaign.

You don't win by running to the pundit's or pollsters image of "the center."

You win by divining where the real center is at and making a strong appeal.

I would say that the real center of gravity is not where the tired old Democratic pro's think it is.

[MRb1000]

Yeah there are millions of white horses but you only can ride one. If can not go, then get of the toilet.

Obama is the Democratic nominee!

So what is your problem and what is your point.

[goldenshaman]

The point is that there is a whole "army" of people on white horses these days, and we are a force to be reckoned with.

We are the barbarians at the gate, and all the tired old crooked pols in DC have their best days behind them.

[gotalife]

Horrible judgement.

The delegates should switch at the convention.

[MPeter]

The guy is trying to tell the nation that they need to vote Obama. He is puttiong his money where his hope and dreams are. He sees in Obama what we all see in him, HOPE; CHANGE.

[Deaninphilly]

I play the lottery with my money and hope I win too. So what's your point?

Change isn't made on hope and dreams, it's done by people who actually do something. That was the first problem in and of itself.

[goldenshaman]

He is a simple opportunist looking for his next paycheck.

[GnitenGoodLk]

yup

[gotalife]

Burnett’s shameful record includes:

– Promoting arsenic in drinking water. Working with American Enterprise Institute scholar Robert Hahn in 2000 and 2001, Burnett wrote a series of papers arguing that the Environmental Protection Agency should let economic costs trump scientific recommendations when setting regulatory health standards. Burnett argued that an arsenic standard proposed in the waning days of the Clinton Administration “cannot be justified on economic grounds.” The Bush administration eventually adopted the Clinton standard after outcry followed its original announcement to abandon it.

– Overruling soot health standards at behest of industry. Fine particle matter — soot — kills more people than any other form of air pollution. On July 12, 2006, Johnson, Burnett, and two other EPA officials met with 15 top industry lobbyists. Two months later, Administrator Johnson issued a standard forty percent above the recommendation of staff scientists, the independent Clean Air Scientific Advisory Council, and the American Medical Association, leaving 77 million Americans at medical risk.

– Climate contempt. Following the Supreme Court mandate to take action on global warming pollution, Jason Burnett “worked on EPA’s controversial decision to deny a California petition seeking to regulate cars and trucks for climate change.” S. William Becker, executive director of the National Association of Clean Air Agencies, described the decision as “legally and technically unjustified and indefensible.”

Yup.

[AJTheReverb]

And the haters never stop. A clear signal that he is doing something right.

[Deaninphilly]

Now that is change I can believe in!

It has become quite apparent that he is a shim sham hoodster who will tell you anything to get elected. Can't wait to see what else he's come to a decision on.

[davidinaustin]

Umm.. I don't see anywhere that Obama has asked for this guy's support. He's given money and is going to campaign for him, just like many other private citizens who you may feel equally don't deserve to associate with Obama.

[olivia]

You're a phony. This event means nothing to you.

Here's what you said on June 25:

"The delegates should switch Clinton. Period. posted 06/25/2008 at 23:24:31"

[gotalife]

I think o is the phoney and it is not too late .

A simple google search on this bushie:

http://thinkprogress.org/wonkroom/2008/0 5/07/burnett-yoo-of-epa/

WTF?

I think he will flip flop on Iraq.

[LiberalBuzz]

Obama campaign.

TWO WORDS FOR YOU

TROJAN HORSE.

Be careful about taking ANYONE from that administration.

[Lisette]

LiberalBuzz----I agree with you, I was thinking the same thing.

[olivia]

If O turns out to be Dennis Kucinich once he gains the presidency...

[JBS]

Dennis Kucinich already has that job.

[goldenshaman]

Why did that guy ever go to work for them if he thought that everything they did was wrong?

More raw ambition overcoming conscience?

[KQuarksSuperKollider]

So 0bama living up to his promise to be post partisan is now a bad thing?

[abeattie]

When you lie down with dogs, you get fleas.

What do you get when you lie down with Bushies?

[al]

More lies!

[TocinoHumano]

Demonically possessed.

[WesleyDumont]

crabs?

[POINT84]

hahaha

[GnitenGoodLk]

Mole

[DoTheMath]

Good for Burnett. It's not too late to do the right thing.

[nirek]

Sounds like me , I agree it's never too late to do the right thing. So maybe we should continue with impeachment proceedings.

[TocinoHumano]

You need an opposition party to do that. There isn't one.

[gotalife]

Google him.

[TocinoHumano]

I did. Here's what I found at "Think Progress":

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

With friends like this...

[Lisette]

leopards don't change their spots

[Titonwan]

This just gets better and better. What next, Karl Rove?

[gotalife]

Tom DeLay.

[TocinoHumano]

Well, Rush Limbaugh did his part with "Operation Chaos" and that "endorsement" of Clinton. The Republicans got EXACTLY the Democratic nominee they wanted to run against. Nobody does racist campaigns like the GOP and they are going to have a field day with this one.

[Shake-A-Spear]

How could a bright guy have gotten involved wth Bush in the first place -- except maybe as a tutor enlisted to teach him to read and say "nuclear" correctly.

[springsm]

Seems to me that he was working for the EPA and found that bush was not a believer in science and finally had an awakening...or maybe just looking for a new job. But I bet not.

[KQuarksSuperKollider]

He did not get involved with Boosh he was trying to do something for the country in spite of Boosh, big difference.

[LiberTLover]

Rove and Co. tricke...er..foole...um...lied.... oh..persuaded a lot of people that Bush would make a great commander in chief. Now this team is working for McCrankypants. The DNC need to blanket the country with ads that say..."Remember the people that made the ads and wrote the speeches that got Bush elected? They're baaaackkkk...and running McCain's campaign. Do you want a Bush third term?"

[hannitysux]

Sounds like a guy just looking for a job...

[2008thankyou]

Yep a job with the right man.

[BigSid]

Exactly!

[Eoin45]

You can always be counted on fo a cynical comment. You're part of the problem.

[Troubledwawa]

Way to go Mr. Burnett...

Thank you for your efforts in trying to save the planet.

[TheHandyman]

I am a skeptic so I want an answer to this question, how long was this guy at the EPA? If he was a holdover from the Clinton administration, why did it take him so long to figure out that nothing was going to happen at the EPA under Der Shrub? Is he nothing more than a slow learner like Scotty? Is he just moving on to a better job?

Or if he was appointed to his job at the EPA by Der Shrub, why did he go to work for someone who has made it so clear that he does not believe in anything the EPA does? Again, why did it take so long to realize that nothing was going to happen?

How does his joining Obama change anything given Burnett's questionable qualifications. I still see absolutely no reason to vote for anyone other than Nader/Gonzales. Burnett sounds too much like an oppotunist and Obama is too busy trying to say or do anything to get elected to make me believe that the change he keeps touting is anything more than just smoke and mirrors!

[SeaBoatbuilder]

Here's a reason not to vote for Nader: he's a spoiler. Had Nader's votes in 2000 gone to Gore, then "Der Shrub" would be baseball commissioner, our military would have 4,000+ more members, and Iraq would still be a largely secular nation with a population several hundred thousand greater than it is now. Seems like a fairly compelling reason to me.

[LiberTLover]

Please don't forget the 30,000 maimed who would be whole and the 12,000 Iraq vets last year alone that committed suicide because they got no help dealing with the psychological scars they sufferred.

[benedict15]

Not to mention that the baseball doping scandal would be even more corrupt than it is now. Of course, Nader never really cared about organized baseball.

[cleffnote]

Can you say Bushama?

[Eoin45]

" I still see absolutely no reason to vote for anyone other than Nader/Gonzales." Then maybe you can answer this: If Nader is truly interested in public service why has he never run for an office he could actually win, such as assemblyman or congressman? Could it be he's afraid he'd actually have to be judged on his performance in office, something he's quite quick to do with others? Also, what are his qualifications? He's never held any public office elected or appointed. Would you hire someone who's never even come close to performing the job for which they're applying?