Bracewell and Giuliani
Head of the Environmental Strategies Group at Bracewell and Giuliani; former Assistant Administrator for Air and Radiation at the EPA (2001-2005)
PROFILE
Jeffrey Holmstead
Guest
FROM Jeffrey Holmstead
To the Point
Changing the Game on Climate Change To get around Congress, President Obama will use executive power granted by the US Supreme Court to limit carbon emissions from power plants nationwide. The electricity industry and some business leaders are already counting casualties from what they call a "war on coal." Many environmentalists say it's about time. Others warn that the EPA's new regulations may be too little too late. Is the US finally taking world leadership against global warming? Is China watching what happens before the next climate summit in 2015?
To the Point
Bush, the Midnight Regulator In the last hours of his presidency, John Adams appointed what came to be known as "midnight judges." Jimmy Carter invented "midnight regulations." Every subsequent outgoing president has tried to perpetuate his policies by last-minute rules the next president has a hard time getting rid of. Bill Clinton strengthened environmental protections and locked up federal lands from development. George Bush complained about it, as every president does, but now Bush is doing the same thing. Based on the lessons learned eight years ago, he may be doing it more effectively, which means that Barack Obama will face a harder time making "change." We find out why.
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President Trump: US to withdraw from the Paris Climate Accord Trump says he was elected to serve Pittsburgh, not Paris.
To the Point
Who's to blame for the opioid crisis? Some of the lawyers who took on Big Tobacco are now going after Big Pharma. It’s all about the deadly epidemic of opioid use. Are the drug companies to blame? What about the users? Later, on today’s Talking Point: making sense of Britain’s upset election.
To the Point
Janesville and the American Dream Janesville, Wisconsin is the hometown of Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan. But he couldn’t prevent the closing of the General Motors factory after 100 years. On this Memorial Day rebroadcast of To the Point, we hear what’s happened to what once was a model of American middle-class unity.
To the Point
Is the threat from Russia missing from the Russia meddling probe? There's much being made about the Trump administration's possible ties with Russia. But the bottom line is Russia's effort to influence American democracy. Do the President and his aides care enough to take action before voters go back to the polls?