Progressive Democrat Issue 102: BUSH ADMINISTRATION CRONY CAPITALISM: Gale Norton Joins Shell Oil

Gale Norton: Shilling for Shell

This is how the Bush Administration works: if you spend some time helping destroy government regulations from within, you will be rewarded with a nice, cushy industry job which will allow you to help industry exploit the crony capitalism Bush engages in.

Gale Norton was a protégé of James Watt, the Reagan Interior Secretary who said publicly that we need to use up all our resources because the second coming is at hand. She had ties with the Chlorine Chemical Council, National Coal Council, Chemical Manufacturers Association, and the National Mining Association, all of whom relied on her to help escape environmental laws. As a lawyer, she argued that many industries had a "right to pollute." Coming with this "qualification," Norton was appointed by Bush as Sec. of the Interior. In this position she not only pushed as hard as possible for all industries to have a right to pollute as much as they wanted, but she also violated treaties with Native Americans to divert water they had treaty rights to.

Gale Norton resigned as Interior Secretary in 2006. Now, Gale Norton has been hired by Shell Oil.

Think about this: someone who Bush appointed as caretaker of America's environment is not hired by Shell Oil. This is TYPICAL of right wing America. It isn't about doing a good job, it's about greed and corruption. It isn't about government as a responsible shepherd, but rather misusing government to help cronies and benefit the richest CEOs. It isn't even about America, it is about corporate profits and looting the American economy. This is just one more example of the kind of crony capitalism that Bush favors which uses government to subvert the market economy and benefit buddies of high placed Republicans.