Obama Drives Hollywood to Despair

It started with Matt Damon. In March, the actor expressed his disappointment on CNN about how Barack Obama was running things, particularly in regards to education. The latter did not waste a minute answering back that he had just seen “The Adjustment Bureau,” based on the novel by Philip K. Dick, and that he too was disappointed with Damon’s performance.

But the Oscar winner was one of the most committed celebrities backing the candidate in 2008. The fact that he went public on his disappointment is indicative of the feeling in Hollywood. Barbara Streisand had already criticized the president for not having abolished the rule preventing gays from serving in the military earlier.

And now, Robert Redford, Hollywood idol and icon of the environmental movement, voices his discontent in a very public opinion column in the Huffington Post. Things have gotten serious, and Obama would do well to listen to the Sundance man.

What angered Redford was the White House backing down on the bill for stricter controls of CO2 emissions, under pressure from the lobbies. Title of the actor’s column: “Is the Obama administration putting corporate profits above public health?”

Redford blames Barack Obama for three decisions that he considers contrary to the public interest and solely in the interests of a small number of polluting industries: the authorization for Shell to drill off the coast of Alaska, while regulations on oil drilling have not changed despite the Gulf of Mexico disaster last year; the likely authorization for the construction of the pipeline that will bring crude oil from Canada to the refineries in Texas; and finally, the limitation of CO2 emissions.

What irritates the actor is the hypocrisy of the polluters: These measures that are harmful to the environment are good for employment. They will not create any jobs if these measures are implemented. “That’s nonsense,” storms Robert Redford. “This isn’t about jobs; it’s about profits.” According to the very serious, non-partisan Office of Budget Management, environmental regulations have generated an economic benefit of $655 billion over 10 years, while the cost for businesses was $62 billion.

If a liberal like Redford, who was one of the most ardent supporters of the Democratic Party for over 30 years, abandons Obama, then 44th should start to worry about an election that could be judged on a handful of votes, like in 2000.