As part of a personal accuracy-in-labeling campaign last summer (posts here and here), I rechristened the Environmental Protection Agency the Business Destruction Agency.  Sadly, I missed the mark by a Roman mile.  A more precise description capturing the Obama EPA's enforcement ethos would be "Business Crucifixion Agency."  Think I jest?  Here, courtesy of Oklahoma Senator Jim Inhofe, I give you EPA Region VI Administrator Al Armendariz speaking in 2010.

Comments:


David Nordmark
Joined
Nov '10
David Nordmark

I think this man is emblematic, much like the president himself, of the over-educated know nothing elites that currently run Washington. I don't think he has any idea that it is ultimately private industry which ultimately pays his salary and creates the prosperity that Americans have (until recently) become accustomed to. I would like to see more from Romney on regulation and what can be done to reign in guys like this. Oil production in the US was rising constantly till the EPA was created in 1970, after which it started to decline. Coincidence? I don't think so.

US oil production
Kervinlee
Joined
May '10
Kervinlee

Imagine the power this little twerp has over a once-free people's lives.

It's time to begin the task of dismantling these authoritarian administrative unaccountable agencies and departments.

Keith Preston
Joined
May '10
Keith Preston

Boy, does this make you want to spend 8 years purging our government of his kind...

Pseudodionysius
Joined
Sep '10
Pseudodionysius

So Pompous Pilates and his EPA Yoga Mat soldiers take it upon themselves to create their own ultra vires form of punitive damages, completely outside the checks and balances of republican democracy?

Well, he got the Roman Empire part right, because he wasn't thinking of Rome's democratic phase was he?

DocJay
Joined
Jul '11
DocJay

The old west had methods of dealing with such people.  I am astounded that we live in a world where people like him sleep soundly and unafraid.

Mama Toad
Joined
Feb '11
Mama Toad
DocJay: The old west had methods of dealing with such people.  I am astounded that we live in a world where people like him sleep soundly and unafraid. · 6 minutes ago

There you go. "We're Americans, and we prefer not to be 'pacified' by your imperious methods."

Ross C
Joined
Sep '10
Ross Conatser

Beyond the "I rule you" attitude, I even hate his grasp of the history.  Does he really think there was a Turkey much less "little turkish towns" in Asia minor during the Roman expansion?

Misthiocracy
Joined
Aug '10
Misthiocracy

Is this man aware that Rome collapsed?

CJRun
Joined
Dec '10
CJRun

This, I promise you, is exemplary of what I see all the time amongst the regulators and the environmentalist organization staffs.  In the 80s, there were always a few, rare, types such as this, but everybody knew about them and worked around them.  Now they are the rule and you need to look people in the eyes to possibly find sane partners for moving forward.

I had an interesting discussion in a hallway, after a meeting in my state senate, last year.  My antagonist, a man I know and respect, is the head of one of the biggest environmetal groups, a person I know to understand math and physics.  He and I chatted about energy issues and I asked him, "What are we actually going to do to get energy to our people and our businesses, if we don't pursue responsible energy development"?  His answer, a direct quote, "We are just going to have to adjust people's attitudes".

He did not mean that we had to educate the public about responsible energy development.  He meant we had to adjust people's visions about that to which they could aspire, where they could live, how they could live.

George Savage

You remember Arnold Schwarzenegger?  The Governator gifted California with an economically devastating carbon dioxide cap-and-trade system that even its most ardent supporters acknowledge cannot have any impact on global climate.

I never realized that Ahnold used to work for EPA.  See for yourself and compare to Mr. Armendariz above.

Edited on April 27, 2012 at 12:43am
Fake John Galt
Joined
Jul '11
Fake John Galt

It is not just the EPA, this is the basically philosophy of much of the those in government anymore. The exception is that they do not make an example of random law breakers, they make an example of people with the opposite political point of view that have any minor violation.

kylez
Joined
Sep '10
kylez

I suppose crucifixion would actually be unpopular with his crowd since the crosses were made of wood.

Pseudodionysius
Joined
Sep '10
Pseudodionysius
kylez: I suppose crucifixion would actually be unpopular with his crowd since the crosses were made of wood. · 24 minutes ago

Not to mention the lack of windfarm propeller blades to kill any birds that happen to fly by.

Edited on April 27, 2012 at 3:03am
Misthiocracy
Joined
Aug '10
Misthiocracy
kylez: I suppose crucifixion would actually be unpopular with his crowd since the crosses were made of wood. · 53 minutes ago

Would the religious connotation violate the establishment clause, or is it ok since it's a secular Roman practice?

Chris Campion
Joined
Jul '11
Chris Campion

So let me get this straight - a federalized Nazi wants to make examples of businesses and people so the rest will fall into line?

I wonder what his take is on gun control, and the value of an "example" made of someone defending their home with a gun.  I wonder if he believes in that power of deterrence, too.

Of course, asking Mssr. CrapWeasel for his take on consistencies surrounding the law is pointless when he works for a lawless agency.

wilber forge
Joined
Oct '10
wilber forge

Considering the addition of Arnold for flavor and the arrogance of the EPA noted here desreve something other than a mere rap on the knuckles come election time.

In short, for as much as tar and feathers would make many feel better. Just how does the message get across ?

TeamAmerica
Joined
Oct '10
TeamAmerica

The video is no longer accessible due to a copyright claim. You can still find it on Youtube, though.

Edited on April 27, 2012 at 8:39am
CoolHand
Joined
Dec '10
CoolHand

Gotta love YouTube.  They're always Johnny on the Spot with the Censor! button when it makes their guys look bad.

Did someone grab a copy before it went down?

Put it up on LiveLeak if you did, they usually leave pretty much anything up.

CoolHand
Joined
Dec '10
CoolHand

I've got a copy of the video if anyone needs it.

What I don't have is a LiveLeak account.

Message me if you want a copy or if you'd like to upload it somewhere less censor happy.

Nobody can stop the Signal.

Edited on April 27, 2012 at 11:08am
David Carroll
Joined
Jun '10
David Carroll

This guy will never get fired by the Obama administration.  His philosophy meshes exactly with the Chicago Way.


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