Op/Ed by R.T. Fitch – Author of “Straight from the Horse’s Heart“
Salazar Takes His Reign of Ineptitude to the High Seas
Interior Secretary Ken Salazar - Captain of a Sinking Ship
The Wild Horse advocates and Environmentalists have been screaming it for the past year and no one has listened, nothing has changed except that conditions have worsened. The Obama Administration’s selection of Ken Salazar to the position of Secretary of the Department of Interior has been in question since the day of his appointment. Muddled in rumors of collusion and ineptitude Salazar, a rancher by trade, has made it his hallmark to bumble and stumble his way through mismanaging his federal agency while ignoring congressional inquiries and public opinion.
The Department’s Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has accelerated their attack on native, American wild horses to the point that over 35,000 are now held in long term pens to which the taxpayer pays a hefty price to maintain. (they cost nothing left alone on their native, congressionally protected soil). Salazar then comes along and suggests a hair brained idea of buying/leasing land in the mid-west to ship all the horses to so that Americans can watch them die after being sterilized. (Great plan; why not save a billion or two and allow them to stay on the land that congress designated to them {ROAM Act} where they have been doing just fine for hundreds of years?)
Now, a drilling rig blows up in the Gulf; it’s inspection record under Salazar’s Mineral Management Service (MMS) is obviously in question and even more death is rained down upon humans, wildlife and the world’s environment. The corruption is so rampant in the MMS, under Salazar’s direction, that it finally embarrasses and pisses off his benefactor, Obama, who declares a total revamping of the entire bureau and announces that heads will roll for the incompetence. So what do they do? They fire the director of the MMS. (Hey, what about the man at the wheel?)
Is anyone paying attention, here? I guess tens of thousands of abused wild horses and their associated deaths didn’t count but now Salazar is killing shrimp, oysters, whales, dolphins, jobs and oh yes, we are losing oil that we need to power his motorcade, heaven forbid.
If any manager, in the private sector, was so totally disengaged from the inner workings of his department’s infrastructure they would be terminated, immediately. Yet, we allow a poor choice to become an even worse choice to bumble, scramble and enable an already corrupt organization to expand and run further out of control while he is asleep at the wheel.
It doesn’t take a degree in psychology to watch this guy during a press conference and realize that he is way out of his league as he stammers and digs for plausible answers; he simply falls flat on his face every time he opens his mouth. Obama, what were you thinking?
So if giving away tens of thousands of acres of your public lands to private interests, while illegally stripping them of native, protected wild horses is not enough to raise your ire, then how about the pollution and destruction of the coral reefs of Florida and all of the beaches up the entire east coast. Is that enough to fire you up?
Call for Salazar’s resignation, there is not a qualified bone in his body, and demand that Obama appoint an engaged and competent candidate to the position of the Secretary of the Interior. It wasn’t enough that Salazar has destroyed our wild west and the heritage that makes America great, he has now taken his campaign of destruction to the high seas and proven that nowhere is wildlife safe while Ken Salazar is at the helm.
Trying to kill off “Cloud, the Stallion of the Rockies” was not enough for him, now he is poisoning little “Nemo”.
This guy has got to go!
” Call Pres. Obama 202-456-1111 and D.C. 202-224-3121 and ask for his resignation, today!”
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Categories: The Force of the Horse
Straight from the Horse's Heart 
Salazar will go down and we will get a new Secretary who will caretake the creatures of the USA water and prairie and desert and mountain. That is my vision!
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No question the derlect needs to go.
The problem is finding someone who has the integrity and who will not play the money game!
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Any ideas who would be a good Secretary of Interior? Seriously, I’m clueless save for one of the Kennedy kids that are active in environmental issues.
Plus, we need to come up with a plan to overhaul the Department; we can’t leave it up to the Department OR the Executive/Legislative Branch…they’ll screw US AND Mother Nature.
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Jon Marvel has the credentials and background and is the only organization(WWP) to take on the BLM and win consistently..he understands managing the land..a big plus..he is not a politian, but a scientist with “attitude”..NO more politians! we need a land manager.
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Great commentary, RT!
Your words need to be sent to “Comments to the Editors” of every newspaper across the country!!
And a Press Release, please!!!
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I just got back from the Western Slope of Colorado. I spent time out on the Sand Wash Wild horse range near Maybell Colorado. I attended the NW RAC (Resource Advisory Committee) meeting in Rangely, near the Piceance Basin, West and East Douglas Creek herd areas. I was the ONLY “public” person at the meeting and everyone was friendly and made me feel welcome during the meeting and I learned alot. I advise and encourage everyone to go out to the ranges, meet the local people, talk with the other stakeholders and users of the PL’s. It’s a whole different world out there and if those wild horses belong to us then we need to be out there taking care of them just as if they were in our own backyard ! Join “Herd Watch” or start your own.
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This administration is the most corrupt we’ve had in my lifetime. The next guy to fill this position will be just as bad. We need to drain the swamp in D.C. and get good people in office and hold their feet to the fire. If they mess up, we get them out too.
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This administration follows the most corrupt and amoral in our history–Bush/Cheney. Cheney’s oil cronies are destroying everything they touch.
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yes, and this administration campaigned and got elected on “change, transparency and openness,” NOT “business as usual in DC,” but that is what we have, isn’t it? in fact, Obama’s record on wildlife so far is WORSE than Bush’s in the same time frame! how awful is that!!!; I just love the language of politics, as in “I misspoke” instead of ” I lied,” as the AG who is running for Senate in some state, tried to explain the fact that he DIDN’T actually serve in ‘Nam.
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Thank you for your voice of reason. Clinton wasn’t any better either. My fear is in haste to oust who we have in our rush to place blame, who have had less than 18 months to attempt to deal with over 10 years of this crap, we may end up throwing the baby out with the bath water.
I’ll be making those calls though – but mine will be “Either ship up, like yesterday, OR ship out!”
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R.T., this is one of your very best articles yet. It needs to be sent out to newspapers and/or as a press release.
Salazar must go. He is at a hearing today. We need to call Obama 202-456-1111 and D.C. 202-224-3121 and ask for his resignation.
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Hear!!! Hear!!!! RT!
I must be feeling your vibes about this issue because much of what you have posted is EXACTLY what I just asked on the “Horses, Government…etc” thread.
Welfare and environmental advocates need to collectively sign on to a joint statement for the complete overhaul of DOI and the resignation of Salazar and start a plan/execute a letter campaign to Federal reps by citizens asking for the same.
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From stories on this morning’s news, the oil plumes are drifting east and will very possibly enter the Carribean Loop Current, which snakes around Key West and up the East Coast. The oil will impact everything in it’s path – above and below the surface. What worries me as much as anything else is we’re heading into hurricane season.
I grew up on the shores of New England and have walked the beaches after hurricanes – skirting mounds of dead and dying sea creatures, seaweed, lobster traps, fishing gear, and volumes of trash that floats on the waves. The storm may have passed, but the cleanup takes days, weeks and sometimes months depending on the severity of the storm. Add oil and tar to that mix and it may take years.
If the filthy mess is driven into estuaries and beaches, generations of sea creatures, including fish and sea turtles, may be lost. The youngsters are fragile and vulnerable enough without adding toxic petroleum to their nurseries. I’m also wondering about impacts to plankton, since it’s the base of the food chain for many sea creatures, and pretty much the exclusive diet of whales.
Ken Salazar has obviously made a mess of the DOI, but he hasn’t done it alone. He has now served “at the pleasure” of two Presidents, and under Congressional oversight. His policies reflect their agendas. I don’t know if Tom Udall (my senator) would be a good choice to replace Salazar, but at least we could remind him of his father’s legacy. Stewart Udall was far from perfect, and I’m sure many wild ones were taken from their home ranges during his tenure, but, overall, I think he was a good steward of our public lands.
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THe Energy committee is meeting today at 11:00 AM with Salazar. Pray he is asked to resign and make those calls .
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Oh you can bet I’ll be making those calls. I just saw the pic of that emaciated foal they had to put down. I’d like to see some heads roll starting with Salazar, and that’s just startin’. Is there someone who would be a good candidate that we could start writing to and get them to express their interest in the position. Obviously Obama is not capable of making a rational choice so we need to guide him.
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Jon Marvel of the Western Watersheds Project..that would make them cringe..He hand his organization have singlehandedly taken on the BLM and won in court..and he know where the bones are buried..
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Or Ron Wyden a senator from oregon..In the bush years he publicly stated the BLM was corrupt and a disgrace.
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I have asked that everyone be fired and hired back only if they can pass a polygraph test-that way we eliminate the pathological liars.
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GOOD ONE!!!!!!
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He’s as impotent as a gelded horse at managing wild life. But it isn’t his job is it? He heads the Bureau of Land Management. Wildlife must have its own agency and not be delegated to some agency that has energy as its top priority. Unfortunately, someday horses will once again be our mane energy source. Why else would we be drilling in mile deep water. Unfortunatly because of one man we may also be out of horses? Wonder if he will pull a plow?
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A great article- yup, when Salazar is on TV for an interview his eyes are constantly shifing side to side, he has SO much to hide. All the press has to do is dig a little to find all the freebies tax money Salazar gave to his buddies.
“If any manager, in the private sector, was so totally disengaged from the inner workings of his department’s infrastructure they would be terminated, immediately.”
Surprised Obama doesn’t notice the BILLIONS of taxpayer dollars squandered by ‘Salazar the boss’
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Amen, great article. Join the fight to save our Wild Horses . . . Join Herd Watch ~ Cloud Foundation . . .
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Do any of you smell hot tar?
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Thank you RT, I am hoping that some real change will come out of this catastrophe in the Gulf of Mexico, when Obama last week stated that he was still behind opening up more offshore drilling, I thought, oh no you won’t, not now, the people in DC MUST get the message that Americans are demanding real change, and the start is with Salazar, if they won’t listen to us, they need to go,
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Louie, I wish I did but after watching most of the Energy committee hearing today I am afraid I don’t Only a very few asked any hard questions and most just kissed up to him while he blamed MMS and said there will be no new permits until a investigation is done. He also promised strict regulations .Yea ,sure but where is the enforcement ?! I did call Senator McConnell’s office and asked for Salazar to be fired and they have had other calls also and left that message at the White House too.
60 minutes had an excellent interview of a survivor.
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Maybe the Washington Post or Fox News could help us to get Salazar out. They brought to light some info of an affair on Indiana GOP Congressman Mark Souder today and he resigned! It might be good news for horse slaughter as he was for slaughter and wouldn’t budge. I’ve been doing the happy dance all day.
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We had an earthquake in San Diego yesterday….or was that just me doing my happy dance LOL
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CBS got BP to release footage of the leak after they said they got the pipe hooked up. They didn’t want to release the footage.
It is still gushing like a volcano!! tar is now washing up on florida. Salazar must go, there are hundreds of news stories that need comments. please everyone grasp this opportunity for media coverage.
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Yes, the pipe is only funnelling about 40% of the oil, they say they can stop it completely, and will never use it again, because that’s “the right thing to do,” even though BP has NOT ruled out drilling elswhere in this oil reservoir, they are INSANE!!!!! IF they can totally plug the thing up, then why haven’t they done it!! Because they were still hoping to salvage some of the oil from this well, that is my opinion,
I watched World News Tonite’s coverage of the hearings today, Salazar is trying to focus attention on the agency(MMS???) that is directly responsible for this disaster, HOWEVER, HE is in charge, and HE MUST GO!!!!!!!! NOW!!! TODAY, TONIGHT, No more drilling, sustainable energy research, BP begone!!!! I won’t buy any of their products,
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Didn’t Obama get on TV and say how ridiculous it was that BP and all the other skeeves were pointing the finger at each other? And he was mad about it. Isn’t that exactly what his boy Ken is doing? Guess that doesn’t make him mad??? It does me.
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As far as who should replace Salazar, Raul Grijalva (Congressman from AZ) should have been appointed in the first place–Salazar was named for political payback (CO going Democratic instead of going Republican as usual). Grijalva is pro-wild horse and actually cares about the land–Jon Marvel agrees with this. Maybe we should be mounting a campaign to get Grijalva in to replace Salazar.
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That’s what I’ve been thinking Nancy. He was the top thought in my mind and I know how disappointed we all were when they not only looked elsewhere but went straight to the ranch. GRRR
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Hold him in the pens at Fallon or Calico, then cut his balls off without any medication, sanitation or follow up care… i would enjoy a video of this…chances are the mustangs would comfort this fool – in his misery and suffering… (can we chase him with gun toting helicopter for a enough miles that he starts to breath blood from his nose…too???)
I would like him to live ONE day in the life of any of the animals he has tortured…and murdered. just one day is all it would take to make him a changed man, that is HOW EVIL the daily practices are from this one deranged, evil, dark, cold man!
Cant we do anything to FIRE his ass and put him in Jail????? He has illegally sent to slaughter THOUSANDS of wild mustangs that were supposedly protected under US Law (remember a little thing in 1971 called THE ROAM ACT) which makes it a punishable crime to capture and send a wild mustang or wild burro to slaughter…
So with that alone he should be serving massively multiple life terms in prison…
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With this oil leak, everyone can see what happens when the ‘good ‘ol boy’ wink,party and nod gang gets away with squandering taxpayer money and public lands for so many years.
Replacing one man is not going to do it, there are so very many groups, so firmly entrenched for many years.
For the wild horses, getting rid of the Burns law that allows BLM to give mustangs free to the meatman would be a good start. Does everyone know that the QH assoc. hired Burns to lobby for them?
I think by now Pres. Obama sees how he was snookered and remains on the outside of the good ‘ol boy network. It’s much more than just replacing Salazar with another. The Pres. needs to do a house cleaning and cut-out things like Burns’ law, sweetheart deals with cattle ranchers,deals with oil businesses, Halaburton deals… somehow he has to stop the squandering and bleed-out of Americas taxes to these groups who have killed the Gulf, killed off real natural selection wild horses and are working hard (for 10 years now) to make america into a 3rd world country..rich or poor only.
Wish the Pres. would do a few things he doesn’t need to ask anyone to do! make the Gulf into a national park..make the wild horses into ‘Native wildlife’ . Then at least we can watch the good-ol boys scramble back into their caves.
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Congress makes good laws, it even empowers citizens to bring suits against the government or any company guilty of environmental crimes because Congress realized government is often bought. The Federal Courts are to uphold the law but corporations and corrupt individuals seem to escape the judiciary. I have a 20 year Federal lawsuit against a major toxic polluter in New York that dumps oil, and toxins into Long Island Sound. Because of the well connected corporation the courts are not willing to prosecute the company fearing repercussions from its might. The coal miners, stock market debacle, the Gulf oil spill and our Wild Mustangs are all protected by law but the law is as impotent as a gelded Mustangs because our Courts protect capital. We need a judicial system willing to prosecute law violators regardless of their political ties and if corporations are treated as people in court they must pay as people. CEO’s are often as detestable as terrorists and if their company knowingly harms people, the environment or wild life must be prosecuted accordingly. The share holders must be financially liable.
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The ‘good old boys are so corrupt they are the domestic terrorists of today. They protect their own and the public can’t do much about it.
wish so wish the Pres. would just bypass that corrupy pile of good old boys and do something he has the power to do today, himself!! Make the Gulf a national park like the grand canyon was made a national park. Make the wild horses a native wildlife, like the eagles are.
Those good old boys will never allow anyone to tilt their power, not even the Pres.
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Are you familiar with the CEO of FLOR carpet tiles and his booK? I think you would like him. There are a few good guys out there. I wish all the horse industies would all read his book.
And yes, too many of our elected officials and their appointees, and too many corporations are terrorists. That is an excellent analogy and I will use it often.
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Wikepedia has its flaws and errors, but like the government, it is only as good as those citizens that participate. The following is from Wikepedia article Minerals Management Service:
“…MMS was created in 1982….The Project On Government Oversight (POGO) alleges that MMS has suffered from a systemic revolving door problem between the Department of Interior and the oil and gas industries. Thirteen months after departing as MMS director, Bush appointee Randall Luthi became president of the National Oceans Industries Association (NOIA) whose mission is to “to secure reliable access and a favorable regulatory and economic environment for the companies that develop the nation’s valuable offshore energy resources in an environmentally responsible manner.”[29] Luthi succeeded Tom Fry, who was MMS director under the Clinton administration. Luthi and Fry represented precisely the industries their agency was tasked with being a watchdog over…”
It goes on to list, line by line, MMS role in 2010 BP Oil Spill, including – . ” …MMS’s failure to suggest other “fail-safe” mechanisms after a 2004 report raised questions about the reliability of the electrical remote-control devices…” and “…MMS routinely overruled its staff biologists and engineers who raised concerns about the safety and the environmental impact of drilling proposals in the Gulf and in Alaska…”
The topper is, of course, that BP, along with hundreds of others under Salazar, were, and continue today to be given permits without any oversight. WITHOUT OVERSIGHT – SOUND FAMILIAR?
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Hi Roxy,
Haven’t replied to you directly for ages. Been reading your comments though, and have saved many for future reference.
Re: the “fail safe” mechanism. I believe it was designed and constructed by Halliburton, very possibly by their Brown & Root division. I worked at the Alief, TX, B&R headquarters, and, after witnessing their “expertise” in design, drafting (I managed their drafting reproduction department for two years), and project oversight, I wouldn’t hire them to build my front steps. Believe me, their projects are often more “fail” than “safe”. Their real talent lies in cost overruns.
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Just heard – If I understaood, Salazar testified today that there will be no more permits issued for ocean drilling, or was it just for in the Gulf? I’ll try to catch that on the news tonight.
And is that a valid statement regarding the situation, being that MMS has those loop holes so drilling could start up without permits? Would Salazar be that stupid and think no one will notice that?
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And I just received THIS action alert from NWF:
Federal courts just gave Shell Oil the go-ahead to begin drilling in critical polar bear habitat off the coast of Alaska in the Beaufort and Chukchi seas.
Send a message to U.S. Interior Secretary Salazar demanding a halt to this dangerous drilling operation.
The BP oil disaster should have sent our leaders the message that drilling in or near wildlife habitats can have devastating results, but it doesn’t appear to be so.
Help hold our leaders accountable to protecting this critical polar bear habitat.
What alternate universe is Salazar and the rest of DC living in????
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He doesn’t care and won’t listen!!
Halt, President Obama! Order Salazar to HALT dangerous drilling operations NOW!! this has got to stop!!!
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I have a sinking horrible feeling that Salazar will continue doing whatever his blackened heart desires. Be that of genociding our horses cos Obama wants them gone, letting our whales to be hunted and slaughtered, ruining and raping our beloved earth by drilling and drilling on any piece of land that hasn’t yet been violated…ALL FOR THE GREED OF MONEY!!!! I either heard it on tv, or I read it in a newsletter, that Obama and Salazar were “old friends” from their Senate days…..It’s my fear that Obama will somehow “protect” Salazar and he (Salazar) will just contine doing Obama’s bidding for him. I hope to God I am wrong.
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Salazar must go. They fired a woman (Birnbaum) that Salazar had put in place specifically because she was supposed to NOT have experience – for “fresh eyes”. PEER described this “fresh eyes” business in a May 20 Post.
I think too, having ineptitude at every level is what they want – so then Industry can get away with whatever it wants.
The comment related to the Piceance – THAT Basin will be drilled to pieces for the profit of Salazar’s buddies in Colorado – and the oil will be moved through one Pipeiine into another – the infamous RUBY pipeline through Calico. Ruby, that just happens to be based in Colorado …
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Everything is dying around the globe. Starfish, Bats, Fish, Blackbirds. Ken Salazars actions are a personal attack on my right to live. He is destroying our countries delicate eco systems species by species. Apparently he has not seen the latest reports on BEEs 4 Bees Species dying off at alarming rates due to LOSS OF HABITAT. Protect WIld Horses, Polar Bears, Endangered Wolves, Wild Cats, Burros and Bison. I am sure there is more to the list. We will pay the consequences of Ken Salazars actions.
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