> 'Obama appoints climate denialist and proud homophobe to 'fix' Gulf oil
> spill disaster'
> And do either of these beliefs interfere with his ability to deal with the
> Gulf oil spill disaster?
>
No, they don't. But it's still a really stupid political move given the O admin's purported concern for its gay and environmental constituencies.
>
> (BP, it should be said, was the oil firm that made great play of its
> commitment to determination to go 'Beyond Petroleum', and promote
> alternative energy sources - which did not seem to prevent them doing the
> dirty deed.)
>
Like you, and Doug, I'm sure I never believed the hype from BP (any more than I believe Chevron cares oh-so-very-much about prairie dogs, etc.)
>
> But, of course, the real story - as others here have pointed out - is that
all of this comes from Reagan-Bush-Clinton-Bush policies - largely continued
by Obama - to collaborate with and trust rather than regulate and discipline
(to whatever limited extent emerged under Nixon-Ford-Carter) the petroleum,
mining, forest products and grazing industries.