While I have written much about Trump as a disaster for humans, he is no less a disaster for nonhuman animals. Some might argue that his denial of climate change is more or less the end of us, so his other horrifying plans for humans may be a moot point. They may be right. We have a short time before reaching the point of no return and what he may do in terms of policy and action is only going to bring us closer to or beyond that point unless there is some way to stop him. Trump’s appointments, hateful policies, indifference, and ignorance/denial around climate change are going to hasten the extinction of many animals on the brink and kill millions more used in animal agriculture or in the way of animal agriculture.
Trump has a host of villains lined up for EPA and Energy including energy lobbyists and venture capitalists who have made a fortune plundering the environment including Mike Catanzaro (lobbyist), Robert Grady (venture capitalist partner in Gryphon Investors), Harold Hamm (Oklahoma big time fracker), and Larry Nichols (Devon Energy).
Hamm and Grady are also on the list for interior secretary with the addition of Forrest Lucas (Lucas Oil), Jan Brewer (former Arizona governor), and of course, Sarah Palin. Imagining the devastation that any one of these people will do is terrifying.
Grady is remembered for his plundering of pension investments of state workers in New Jersey (under Christie).
Harold “earthquake starter” Hamm is a major fracker responsible for considerable devastation in Oklahoma (and other places).
Remember, Forrest Lucas is the guy who spent thousands defending puppy mills.
Jan Brewer is well known for signing Arizona’s “Support Our Law Enforcement and Safe Neighbors Act.” Her qualification for running the agency is an associate’s degree in radiology.
Sarah Palin’s bloodlust needs no introduction. She would be happy to give away our national parks to cattle ranchers and drive wolves, coyotes, foxes, and others to extinction, which of course, would affect raptors and hundreds of other species.
If we can get more terrifying, let’s take a look at Trump’s possible agriculture team. Think unfathomable deregulation. Imagine Sam Brownback or Rick Perry in this position. It may happen. No restrictions on hunting. No restrictions on factory farming. More canned trophy hunts. No restrictions on cruelty of any kind.
We will see how this all plays out over the next couple of months, but it does not look good for animals. Even if you do not give a shit about nonhuman animals, at least take a moment to ponder the connections. An administration packed full of greedy evangelicals who see the earth as God’s gift for them to pillage is going to affect all of us. All of us will drown in that swamp Trump promised to drain.
© Chris Taylor