OT, but JK should be pissed about this

[MH1]

http://act.credoaction.com/campaign/drop_pesticide_pusher/?r=4988&id=6559-896506-L76bivx

Unless these folks are way off base about this nomination, it's either a real screw-up by Obama or very, very sadly telling.

President Obama just nominated Islam Siddiqui, a top official from CropLife -- the pesticide industry's powerful trade group -- as America's chief agricultural negotiator for international trade. If confirmed by the Senate, Siddiqui, who has spent the last several years of his career fighting various restrictions and bans on environmentally hazardous pesticides, would bring that inappropriately aggressive stance on broadening pesticide use to the White House and influence trade negotiations with Europe and the developing world.

President Obama's restrictions on lobbyists in government would definitely be undermined by Siddiqui even though he is not technically a current registered lobbyist. Siddiqui's record at CropLife shows why he should not be the chief agriculture negotiator. He labored to minimize restrictions on pesticides in NAFTA. He advocated for pesticides as a treatment for bee colony collapse disorder despite the fact that pesticides have been implicated as a leading cause of bee deaths. And worst of all, during Siddiqui's tenure CropLife succeeded in exempting US farmers from a worldwide ban on the antifungal methyl bromide, a potent ozone depleter.

Siddiqui's defenders in the White House point to his work implementing the original organic label at the USDA in 1998 as an indication of his "commitment" to sustainable agriculture. However, under Siddiqui the USDA attempted to weaken -- some have argued kill -- the original organic standards by overriding guidelines proposed by the organic advisory board. The USDA organic label as proposed by Siddiqui's office would have allowed the use of sewage sludge, irradiation, GMOs, and even some synthetic pesticides. Thankfully, a public outcry convinced the USDA to reverse the decision.

I'm thinking maybe some of you folks who live in MA might want to contact both your Senators? I just can't believe JK would support this guy, and maybe - I know he is REALLY busy with higher-profile stuff - maybe he could influence Obama to find a better nominee? (Maybe Teresa would be an even better approach route ... I could see her going thru the roof about this ... her Women and the Environment Conference is very involved in the pesticide issue)

Or maybe there's another side to the story. Your thoughts? (I am also going to post this elsewhere if I get a chance .. it's possible there's a bad rap being given here. It seems incomprehensible.)

[MBS]

1. Wow, this sounds awful.

If you hear anything more, let us know. I can't imagine a good side to this, but then again, I don't know anything about this guy or his history beyond what you just told us. It's incomprehensible to me, too..I've never felt that Obama has a gut understanding of/commitment to environmental and conservation issues, but he's at least made some excellent appointments in these areas: I would have hoped that at least his staff at USDA or Energy or NOAA or Interior could have prevented something like this.

[sandnsea]

2. He's from the Clinton Era

Massive resume, http://muslimmedianetwork.com/mmn/?p=4613

Maybe his appointment has something to do with the expansion of collaboration projects in the ME.

http://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=115900&WT.mc_id=USNSF_51

[BlueIris]

3. Thanks for bringing that here. It's...not good news. nt