Friday Melange

The California Majority Report just reported that the DCCC has finally added Jerry McNerney (along with Charlie Brown and Francine Busby) to its “Red To Blue” campaign:

According to the DCCC web site, the "Red to Blue" program is designed to provide financial and structural aid to the strongest Democratic candidates across the country.

But what it really means is national money and staff. Great news for the Dem congressional hopefuls.

A hat tip to Hank Shaw for posting about this indictment of Richard Pombo from none other than Field & Stream. Their conservation editor-at-large just wrote a piece entitled Is Richard Pombo (R-CA) the "Darth Vader of the Environment?"

It sounded like hyperbole when green groups started calling Rep. Richard “Dick” Pombo (R- CA) the “Darth Vader of the Environment.” But as they say in Texas “it ain’t braggin if you can do it”, and Pombo has shown he can – and will – do it to sportsmen and the environment at every turn.

As chair of the House Resources Committee Pombo pushed to allow road building in the Tongass National Forest, sell national parks to private industry, eliminate the moratorium on selling federal lands to mining companies, remove regulations that force energy companies to respect wetlands and wildlife values on public lands, weaken the Endangered Species Act, and rewrite the National Environmental Policy Act so industry would have a more profitable time on public lands at the expense of fish, wildlife, and sportsmen. No wonder real estate developers have paid almost $250,000 into his campaign chest over the years (Center for Responsive Politics.)

In the same vein, Dump Dick Pombo has put up an original song with the following story line:

Former northern Californian Dusty Horwitt has been writing songs since the 20th century, taking his acoustic guitar ballads to both the East and West Coasts. Dusty was inspired to create this song about Dick Pombo after Pombo's attempt last year to sell off the public's forest, high country, and desert lands to developers. Says Dusty:

"Like a varmint from the Old West, Pombo will keep coming back to try to sell off our land until we chase him off for good."

Drum Major Institute has an informative post about the effect of the bankruptcy bill that took effect last year. DMI cites a Wall Street Journal article reporting that credit card companies and the debt collection industry have been making money hand-over-fist as the “distressed debt” trade is booming — unfortunately, these businesses are profiting on the backs of ordinary citizens who find “many creditors knocking at their door when the chips are down, usually as the result of a life-changing event like a divorce or job loss.” Of course, Richard Pombo voted in support of the bankruptcy bill which penalizes the most vulnerable constituents in his district and enriches the special interests.


Finally, I have to make an apology. In last Sunday’s post about Pombo’s War on the Constitution, I referred to an episode of the CNN series Broken Government that will focus on the assault on the courts by both the Executive and Congressional branches, which will apparently feature Richard Pombo. I said that the episode would air on Thursday evening, but, actually, “Judges on Trial” is set to air on Saturday at 8:00 p.m. (re-shown at 11:00). I’m sorry for the mistake, but if you tuned in last night, you saw an excellent episode about how the Bush Administration, with the full support of the Republican-led Congress, has pushed for executive powers never imagined by the framers of the Constitution. Tonight’s focus is on Republicans betraying their conservative philosophy by spending like drunken sailors — and borrowing to fund it all.

Tags: CA-11, Jerry McNerney, Richard Pombo, DCCC, Red to Blue, Field & Stream, bankruptcy bill, Broken Government