Harriet Miers redux?

June 2, 2006

When [tag]Bush[/tag] tapped [tag]Henry Paulson[/tag] to be the next [tag]Treasury[/tag] [tag]Secretary[/tag], the political world seemed to offer a collective cheer. Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), who is not exactly a reliable Bush ally, pledged his full support for the Paulson nomination, saying, “His experience, intelligence, and deep understanding of national and global economic issues make him the best pick America could have hoped for.” The Hill reported that insiders from both parties predicted a “swift” [tag]confirmation[/tag].

But Matt Stoller mentioned on Wednesday that, despite the fairly broad praise, Paulson might “get the [tag]Harriet Miers[/tag] treatment” from some elements of the conservative movement. It turns out Stoller was on to something.

Despite the overwhelming approval of mainstream [tag]Republicans[/tag] and Wall Street insiders of President Bush’s new treasury secretary pick, there is a budding campaign among conservative land-rights activists to find a senator who will place a [tag]hold[/tag] on the [tag]nomination[/tag] of Henry Paulson.

“He’s a lefty Nature Conservancy nut,” says one conservative, outside-the-White House adviser who is part of an effort to lobby western GOP senators to fight the nomination. Of concern to the activists is Paulson’s position as chair of the Nature Conservancy and his move to donate Chilean land owned by Goldman Sachs, which he currently heads, to the organization.

That donation is just one of several complaints land-owner rights groups and those opposed to environmental groups have against Paulson. Among the others: They want him to state at confirmation hearings that he is not a global warming zealot.

It doesn’t help that Paulson’s wife has donated to a number of [tag]Democrats[/tag], including Hillary Clinton’s Senate campaigns. For that matter, Paulson has been accurately described as a “[tag]conservationist[/tag],” which is hardly a welcome description in conservative circles.

Do Paulson’s far-right critics have a legitimate shot at derailing this nomination? Not really. But it’s kind of amusing to see them try to raise a fuss.

Too bad they didn’t do a thing to stop Hayden, he is a serious threat to our future. Who cares about Paulson? Compared to the damage Hayden will provide, he is nothing.

  • “Too bad they didn’t do a thing to stop Hayden, he is a serious threat to our future.”

    The rightwingers are rather short sighted. They fail to realize that the same apparatus that liberals complain about can be used agains THEM. Imagine what rightwingers would say if Prez Hilary Clinton had that power?

    As for Paulson. What’s a matter with giving a damn about the environment? It’s not a left right issue. It’s more of a matter of survival, our collective survival. Don’t these guys get that nature don’t give a fuck about ideology? Don’t matter what your poltiics is, extinct is extinct

    Again with the short sighted right wingers… Sigh.

  • So according to a certain brand of conservatives, burning this planet down to the bedrock is our God given duty?

    I tend to agree with Marilyn that it’s surprising Libertarians won’t oppose Hayden and all his works but will come out against Paulson.

    But hopefully, now that Hayden is at the CIA, he will focus on the rest of the world and stop thinking of new ways to impinge on our Civil Liberties.

  • “He’s a lefty Nature Conservancy nut.”

    Seems most conservatives have forgotten their roots…(no pun intended)

    Also, Froomkin points out, in an interesting Forbes tidbit, that Paulson now gets to divest himself of his $700,000,000 interest in Goldman Sachs tax free assuming he invests it in certain government backed securities. Guess that answers the question why someone like Paulson would take the job.

  • What exactly is the Sec. of Treasury going to do to push radical environmentalism on the Western Land owners? Will he put John Muir on the $100? Threaten to enact insane monitary policy unless clearcutting on Federal land is stopped? Allow the dollar to lose value against the Yen to show them righties whazzup?

    These guys are noodleheads. I am all for this effort however. It can only deepen the divide within the Republicant party.

  • “United we stand.” That’s normal for a divider to employ after he gets his way. Add “divided we fall” and you got it. Got what? The motto of the state of Kentucky. I don’t think that has anything to do with Paulson. Well, Fort Knox is in Kentucky so maybe it does. He’s not supposed to break the news that the gold is missing. If it is we know who took it. Needed it for Iraq.

  • “But…but…God would never just let the world burn up.” That and the other main argument of these people is that “God always provides.” What shit.

    I really really really hope they go after Paulson, Big Time. Because the majority of the public agrees with the kind of relatively moderate positions Paulson has on the environment – he’s pretty mainstream. And the facts are on his side. So let the loonie-toonies be loonie-toonies. Good to remind the public who is who and which is what any chance we have during the next 157 days till we turn the bastards out and send them back to roll in the sawdust and jabber in tongues.

    Please please please, righties, oh please, don’t throw us in that there briar patch!!!

    Personally, as a born 4th-generation westerner, these “land rights” people are the same morons and general failures who first came west because they couldn’t make it anywhere else, and they still can’t make it without the government doing all kinds of things their little conservative hearts don’t like – like provide them with water, without which they’d dry up and blow away. Anything that runs the rural morons off the land in the west is a Good Thing for the country.

  • I hope he does turn out to be a global warming zealot. While I don’t think the treasury secretary can do much substantive about GW, it will be amusing to watch the wingnuts and corporate shills go ballistic.

  • I just hope the intolerant ones are giving the Republicans a nice look at how intolerant they can be. It’s so endearing when they do that.

  • “…as a “conservationist,” which is hardly a welcome description in conservative circles.”

    I love it. “conservatives” are against someone because he wants to “conserve” our environment. The idiots don’t even understand the underpinnings of thier own name.

    Pass the popcorn.

  • But hopefully, now that Hayden is at the CIA, he will focus on the rest of the world and stop thinking of new ways to impinge on our Civil Liberties.

    That seems a little naive to me. What makes you think the CIA is not going to spy on Americans?

    As far as Paulson goes, I assume he was brought in to take care of Bush’s REAL base – the financial markets. The rest of us little peons can slide further into serfdom while Prince Hal manipulates the stock market, only this time from INSIDE the government. Sweet!

  • This anonymous “conservative advisor” doesn’t make any sense. What exactly do conservatives have against the Nature Conservancy? From everything I’ve heard, the Nature Conservancy is a group that does environmentalism the “Republican way”. Specifically, they are a private organization that purchases or receives donated land. As far as I know, they don’t use the government’s power of eminent domain. They’re using free market principles to achieve their goals. What’s the problem?

  • We quit giving to The Nature Conservancy (TNC) a few years back when we learned they weren’t doing what they were when we first joined (ie buying sensitive land), but rather benefitting weathy individuals in land swapping schemes or some such. It p*ssed me off royally. Sorry I don’t have all the particulars stored in my head.

    I read recently that Paulson was the one in charge of TNC when that “change of direction” took place. So the environmentalists aren’t happy with him at all.

    And I just LOVE how Paulson will benefit from sheltering his massive wealth thru tax shelters when he becomes a govt official. NOT.

    Lordy can’t we get some people in DC who will WORK FOR US – all of us, you know, we the taxpayers. The ones who pay their salaries.

  • Please, PLEASE STOP CALLING THEM “CONSERVATIVES”!!!! I don’t give a damn what they call themselves; we don’t have to be co-dependent with their spin and bullshit.

    God DAMN does this annoy me. They are “wingnuts”, or “right-wingers” if you’re feeling charitable or polite. They ARE NOT CONSERVATIVE!

    The don’t “conserve” anything. They are radical right-wing fascist revolutionaries. Let’s just speak plain English, for cryin’ out loud.

  • Actually, the title of this Post reminds me of a lie I forgot to nominate for the Favorite Bush Lies Summer Playoff:

    Harriet Miers is the most qualified person to serve as a Justice of the Supreme Court.

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