Having successfully shut down an estimated 23,000 American oil drilling jobs off the Gulf Coast, citing possible environmental concerns, the Obama administration is now moving on New England fishermen.
It's rained during much of Obama's latest vacation there. And now the Democratic president is scheduled to be confronted with a flotilla of protesters today off his private estate on the souvenir-laden island of Martha's Vineyard.
"They want to close the fisheries into 'commodities markets' where the government essentially licenses fishermen and then allocates the catch based on a predetermined distribution plan. The 'commodities markets' will kill many fishing-based jobs and essentially turn fishermen into government employees, and they’re not happy about it."
Lubchenco, a former official with the Environmental Defense Fund, has said that her policy goal is to eliminate "a significant fraction of the vessels."
Negotiations between Lubchenco and congressional delegations from New England, an important region within Obama's political base, have broken down.
Read the complete story from The Los Angeles Times.