A hundred turn out to support Drakes Bay Oyster Farm against th Obama shutdown threat

People from all across the political spectrum gathered at the Oakland Courthouse last Friday to support Drakes Bay Oyster Farm in it battle against U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar:

(Src: Facebook)

(Src: Facebook)

Based on allegedly faulty science, Salazar has ordered Drakes Bay to close.  Such a closure will cause 31 employees, many of whom are Hispanic, to lose their jobs.  It would also cause Point Reyes to lose one of its popular tourist destinations.  Further, many environmentalist claim that oysters are good for the environment, and that Drakes Bay is run in a "sustainable" and environmentally-friendly manner.

In the hearing, Drakes Bay asked U.S. District Court Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers to temporarily halt Salazar's closure order while the legal questions are resolved.  Appearing to side with the Obama Administration, the judge, an Obama nominee, asked at one point: "How can the court overturn a discretionary decision of the secretary not to act?"  The decision is expected in a matter of weeks.

In the national scene, Drakes Bay Oyster Company may seem like a small issue.  In the midst of one of the country's longest running economic slowdowns, however, it is emblematic of the Obama administrations wanton destruction of jobs.