OVERDUE – AT 11:51 A.M.  ET:  One thing about President Trump – he's actually doing what he said he'd do.   From the Washington Examiner: 

President Trump is seeking to slash the number of workers at the Environmental Protection Agency by at least half, leaving it significantly gutted as the administration mulls further cuts, the former head of Trump's EPA transition team said Friday.

"Let's aim for half and see how it works out, and then maybe we'll want to go further," Myron Ebell said now that he has returned to his position as director of the Center for Energy and Environment at the Competitive Enterprise Institute. Ebell left the Trump transition team a week ago.

Ebell told the Associated Press that Trump is likely to seek significant reductions in the agency's 15,000-person work force. Slashing half of the work force would leave 7,500 at the agency, which would dramatically reduce its capacity to move out regulations quickly.

COMMENT:  The EPA has grown in size over the years, and its regulations are famously burdensome, without necessarily improving the environment. 

We should protect the environment, and this nation's record is actually good, but there is a balance between environmental protection and economic vitality.  I think Trump is striving to achieve that balance, and he might just do it.

Under Obama, the enviro-nuts seemed to have outsized influence.

January 28, 2017