In Bush’s ideal America, all things have a price tag. So, it’s not important to put competent people in positions of authority. What’s important is that they are loyal, compliant and keep the political contributors happy and they country be damned.

Therefore, it should come at no surprise that Bush is pushing an executive order to allow him greater sway in the policy-making of the Environmental Protection Agency and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. We should, also, not be surprised read things like the following:

Business groups welcomed the executive order, saying it had the potential to reduce what they saw as the burden of federal regulations. This burden is of great concern to many groups, including small businesses, that have given strong political and financial backing to Mr. Bush.

Consumer, labor and environmental groups denounced the executive order, saying it gave too much control to the White House and would hinder agencies’ efforts to protect the public.

…

Besides placing political appointees in charge of rule making, Mr. Bush said agencies must give the White House an opportunity to review “any significant guidance documents” before they are issued.

…

Representative Henry A. Waxman, Democrat of California and chairman of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, said: “The executive order allows the political staff at the White House to dictate decisions on health and safety issues, even if the government’s own impartial experts disagree. This is a terrible way to govern, but great news for special interests.”

In the end, this means poorer air/water quality for Americans and poorer working conditions so that Bush’s rich buddies can profit even more. What this also means is that the President has no problem putting a price tag on the health, and maybe lives, of us and our children.

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