Pierce: Florida Man Defends the Ocean, Causing Confusion Among His Fellow Republicans

[babylonsister]

http://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/a15050707/trump-drilling-regulations/

Florida Man Defends the Ocean, Causing Confusion Among His Fellow Republicans
"Drill baby drill," meet "Seal baby seal."
By Charles P. Pierce
Jan 10, 2018


The hilarity brought to their jobs by All The Best People hired by the president* to run environmental policy continues apace. Last week, the administration* announced that it was pretty much open season on drilling for oil and gas of the seacoasts of the United States, including Alaska. The governors of coastal states—Republican and Democratic, reasonable and crazy—were unanimous in opposition. (The only exception, human bowling jacket Paul LePage of Maine, because he’s Paul LePage.)

One of the loudest of these was Rick Scott of Florida, whose hair would have been on fire if he had hair. Governor Bat Boy reminded the administration* that fishing and tourism were rather important to Florida’s economy and that the ocean was rather vital in both regards. (Sometimes, you have to explain things very slowly to these people.) Remarkably, into the breach stepped Interior Secretary Ryan (The Gulfstream Cowboy) Zinke. From Reuters:

“I support the governor’s position that Florida is unique and its coasts are heavily reliant on tourism as an economic driver,” Zinke said in a statement. “As a result of discussion with Governor (Rick) Scott and his leadership, I am removing Florida from consideration for any new oil and gas platforms.”

They really aren’t even trying very hard any more. There isn’t a single state with a seacoast that isn’t “heavily reliant of tourism as an economic driver.” (A point that California Attorney General Xavier Becerra made clear to Zinke on the electric Twitter machine.)

Link to tweet

Scott didn’t do any “leadership” that all the other governors didn’t do. But Scott is a Republican. He has designs on a Senate seat, and he’s the governor of a state that’s vital in every presidential election and, as far as we can determine, Zinke can at least read a basic map. Also, as we probably needn’t remind anyone, Florida is where the president* keeps Emoluments Ranch. But Zinke may have walked the administration* right into an equal-protection cause of action.

Oceana, an environmental lobby group, said it was pleased that Zinke had removed Florida from areas open to drilling.“Such a quick reversal begs the question: Will the Trump administration give equal consideration to all the other coastal Governors from both parties who overwhelmingly reject this radical offshore drilling plan?” Oceana campaign director Diane Hoskins said in a statement. On Twitter, several governors, attorneys general and lawmakers representing coastal states asked Zinke to extend the exemption for Florida to their coastal waters. The governors of New York and Oregon and the attorneys general of Maryland and California were among those who called on Zinke to ban offshore drilling.Environmental groups Greenpeace and the League of Conservation Voters called the move to protect Florida a political ploy meant to bolster the governor who is reportedly planning to run for an open U.S. Senate seat.“President Trump has directed me to rebuild our offshore oil and gas program in a manner that supports our national energy policy and also takes into consideration the local and state voice,” Zinke said in Tuesday’s statement.

"The local voice." Apparently, Zinke is not fluent in the strange dialects they speak in places like Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Delaware. He needs a Rosetta Stone that translates things into Democrat.

[malaise]

1. Did you just hear him boasting about his great love for the environment?

He is effin' sick.

[babylonsister]

2. No, but I've

come to the conclusion if he's talkin', he's lyin'. I am pretty much always right, too.

[malaise]

3. The clips will be all over cable in a few minutes

You have to see it

[lapfog_1]

4. This is all part of a plot to break up the US

The recent tax plan punished blue states.

This off shore drilling policy THAT EXEMPTS FLORIDA is also meant to punish blue states.

They will find any issue that punishes blue states (especially the coastal states) and push it.

They do this to make it more likely that Blue States (especially the west coast) leave the US.

Who benefits?

Republicans would continue to be in power with the loss of the blue states...

and, drumroll, RUSSIA.

Which is why the move to either to have California leave the union or the effort to split the state into pieces (with some part solidly red) are funded out of Moscow.

[genxlib]

5. Pierce is a national treasure

He really has a way with words.

My only complaint is regarding the clip from the article. The Senate seat isn't open. Nelson is running for re-election and Scott wants to boot him.

He abused the State for 7 years but now in the last 6 months he has become champion of the people.

Hurricane Irma was like a 3 week advertisement for him. He took credit for everything that anybody did.

[mr_lebowski]

6. It does NOT 'beg the question' ...

"It invites the question ..."
Or
"The obvious question that should be asked is ..."

It does not "beg the question".



Sorry, pet peeve.

Also ... Fuck Ryan Zinke. He's such a dick.

[Motley13]

7. While I'm very happy with the decision

It does smell though

Mar a Lago is on the coast

Rick Scott is running for senator & this will help him with all those people that forget he is a medicare fraudster.