The Goat blog by High Country News has an interesting post regarding the impact of the election on the Department of the Interior. This federal agency holds considerable political sway in the western United States, and a significant impact on the domestic role of the geospatial industry.
It’s good to see that McCain has current chief Dirk Kempthorne on his short list, and Obama likes Brian Schweitzer, the current governor of Montana. Both gentlemen have spoken at the ESRI User Conference, and clearly understand the purpose and utility of geospatial tools. Either would be a good pick from the perspective of an industry that has had a tough time educating executives in this post in the past.
The environmental impact of the two picks is another matter. The Bush administration’s record on environmental issues has been problematic and even scandalous. The outcome of the election may prove critical for both the environment and the prospects of the geospatial industry.
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But Rob Inglis’s point was that Dirk Kempthorne is more of the same: more scandal, more cronyism, more environment sacrificed. Allard would be a disaster.