President Obama’s new staff adviser, senior progressive strategist John Podesta, is a key player in an initiative seeking more government regulation of the oceans and the ceding of U.S. oceans to United Nations-based international law.
That background could inform Podesta’s agenda in the White House, where he is to serve for one year as a “counselor” to the president. The New York Times reported he will focus on executive orders and so-called climate change issues along with Obamacare.
Podesta, a former chief of staff to President Bill Clinton, is founder of the highly influential Center for American Progress.
He is also a member of the Joint Ocean Commission Initiative, which seeks to ratify U.S. laws and regulations governing the seas.
“I am delighted to be joining the Global Ocean Commission, which I see as one of the most dynamic initiatives developing commonsense ways to manage fully 45 percent of the globe that remains common property, outside any national jurisdiction,” said Podesta when he joined the commission.
