Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Bush? Me.

I know what I believe. I will continue to articulate what I believe and what I believe -- I believe what I believe is right. ~Bush --Rome, Italy, July 22, 2001

I just read an article by someone saying that George Bush was one of our greatest Presidents. Well, I support freedom of speech, and you can't really support free speech unless you support someone's right to say something you strongly disagree with, so I feel I've passed the test.

I considered writing a comment to that article, but I am afraid I would be too confrontational and that it would be a waste of time. I'm sure he and others feel the same way about me and my opinions. I can't imagine why anyone would admire the Presidency of George W. Bush, but I accept that some do.

There is an almost endless list of acts by this President that make him a nominee for worst US President in history, but what Bush is doing now, in the waining days of his Presidency give us a perfect yet brief example of what a stinker this man really is:

As the Bush President is winding down the White House staff is working hard, fast, and furious to enact a wide array of federal regulations, that will weaken those government regulations that exist (or existed) to protect US consumers as well as the environment.

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If this were a dictatorship, it'd be a heck of a lot easier, just so long as I'm the dictator. ~ Bush --Washington, D.C., Dec. 19, 2000

Even after taking a black eye for deregulating the financial industries that lead to our current economic crisis, in spite of the fact that there is an almost universal recognition that we should have beefed up our regulations, not deregulated, nevertheless, these current deregulatory acts are among the most controversial deregulatory steps of the Bush era and could be difficult for his successor to undo.

What specific deregulations is Bush cutting loose? Consider just a few as follows:

a)Bush is easing or lifting constraints on private industry, including power plants, mines and farms.
b)Bush is removing obstacles to some commercial ocean-fishing activities.
c)Bush is easing controls on emissions of pollutants that contribute to global warming.
d)Bush is relaxing drinking-water standards.
e)Bush is lifting a key restriction on mountaintop coal mining.

f)Bush is enacting new standards for preventing or containing oil spills
g)Bush is signing new rules governing employees who take family- and medical-related leaves.
h)Bush is a simplified process for settling real estate transactions.

From what I can find out, Bush is in the process of deregulating as 90 new regulations and at least nine of them are considered to have an economic impact on tax payers because these nine deregulated areas impose costs that are estimated to exceed $100 million annually.

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I'm the commander -- see, I don't need to explain -- I do not need to explain why I say things. That's the interesting thing about being president. --as quoted in Bob Woodward's Bush at War

Bush is doing these things now because timing is everything, and by doing these things now they are making it extremely difficult for the new President to undo what Bush will have done. The law allows for a grace period after regulations are done, and if the new President takes steps within 30 days of the changes, these changes could be undone. That is why Bush is acting now, and as quickly as possible. He wants to have it all completed before his last 30 days making his deregulatory changes almost impossible to undo.