( - promoted by OrangeClouds115)
cross-posted in slightly different form at Bleeding Heartland
Please tell me this is someone's idea of a joke.
I already worry that as president, Barack Obama would do too little to rein in the excesses of corporate power in Washington.
Now Politico reports that Obama's vetting team is floating the name of Ann Veneman, who was Agriculture Secretary during George W. Bush's first term, with members of Congress.
I can't understand what Veneman could possibly have going for her. She's executive director of UNICEF now, but who cares? When she was in the cabinet, she didn't promote sustainable agriculture or sensible health protections.
As the Organic Consumers Association reported when Bush appointed her, Veneman had a long history of standing with corporate interests. When she left Bush's cabinet, her "vision and commitment" won praise from the American Meat Institute. Politico notes:
The low-profile Republican was close to food and agriculture industries but clashed with farm-state Democrats and environmentalists during her tenure, which lasted from 2001 to 2004.
Maybe Veneman is being mentioned to throw journalists off the scent, or to trick progressives into feeling relieved if Obama chooses a corporate Democrat who's not "that bad."
It bothers me that Obama would even allow his team to consider someone like Veneman, even as a diversion. I want the next administration to make CAFOs pay for the harm they cause.
UPDATE: The Nation explains why Veneman would be "a uniquely awful choice" for Obama.
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