I voted for Obama as I have mentioned here before. I put a lot of energy and 
passion into his election in 2008 but after he was elected I kinda took time away from political discussions. I was burnt out, LOL. I avoided following his cabinet appointments to closely because I knew that conservatives would be looking to tear apart his every move. It was as sure as the sun coming up each morning. I wanted to reserve judgment until the man was actually in office and his appointees started making policy decisions.
I was however one of the many that flooded his office with protests when he named Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack for a potential candidate as USDA Secretary of Agriculture. Vilsack is a BIG supporter of Monsanto, genetically engineered crops, and corn and soy-based biofuels (of which I am not a fan). It was apparent that this guy was the food and agriculture industry’s “boy”. So I did notice that and acted…as did many others. I knew I that I wouldn’t agree with every appointment Obama made, which is okay because he represents a diverse country of people…not just people like me. But Vilsack was going too far. It was reminicent of Bush appointing an oil man to direct environmental policy.
I have also noticed with great delight Obama’s appointment of Harvard Law School Professor Cass Sunstein to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs. This position entails coordinating the many different federal agencies, including the EPA, Energy Department, and OSHA. I am really happy with this choice. He knows a lot about economics and government regulation and cost benefit analysis. More interestingly though he is a vegetarian and animal rights activist and thinks animals should be entitled to legal representation in courts. Wow! In a society that overall values animal life very little this is refreshing.
Sunstein co-wrote a book called Animal Rights: Current Debates and New Directions. This is in the description on Amazon:
Cass Sunstein and Martha Nussbaum bring together an all-star cast of contributors to explore the legal and political issues that underlie the campaign for animal rights and the opposition to it. Addressing ethical questions about ownership, protection against unjustified suffering, and the ability of animals to make their own choices free from human control, the authors offer numerous different perspectives on animal rights and animal welfare. They show that whatever one’s ultimate conclusions, the relationship between human beings and nonhuman animals is being fundamentally rethought. This book offers a state-of-the-art treatment of that rethinking.
It looks like a good read. I added it to my wish list.
Of course the headlines are already filled with ridiculous headlines of panic that claim Obama is trying to outlaw meat, hunting, and medical testing. But that is not what Sunstein is about necessarily. He just advocates for more responsible and ethical treatment of animals. Who really can stand up and say those are not good ideals to have?
I wish Sunstein had been appointed Secretary of Agriculture but I can already see from the media blitz why he wasn’t. Here is to hoping he can affect change anyway. :)
