The Wolves Are At the Door of the White House

Literally:

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar's decision to stick with a controversial Bush administration move that took gray wolves off the endangered species list in most of the northern Rockies reflects the independent streak that has defined his career. But it has alienated key Obama administration allies, including environmentalists and some lawmakers on Capitol Hill.

Salazar's March 6 decision surprised environmental leaders as well as some of the administration's traditional opponents, and it provoked a protest letter from 10 senior House Democrats as well as a literal howl of delight from Idaho Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter (R).

While the White House declined to comment on Salazar's move, it has clearly caused a headache for the administration. Lawmakers have called senior Obama aides to question the decision, environmental groups have filed a Freedom of Information Act request to probe the decision-making process, and experts inside and outside the administration predict that the issue will end up in court.

Instead of celebrating this as a great victory for the Endangered Species Act since the wolves are no long endangered, the wacky enviros are freaking out. Their real goal is not saving animals, but getting animals on the list so they can control the humans in areas where the animals live. By de-listing a critter, they lose that control.

Good for Ken Salazar.