Bush on the Environment: Wrong, and Proud of it, Until the Very End
Perhaps no single moment best encapsulated Bush's (dismal) record on the environment than his final meeting at the G8 summit. Fists pumping defiantly into the air -- much to the surprise (and, one can assume, consternation) of his fellow world leaders -- Bush gleefully proclaimed: "Goodbye from the world's biggest polluter." While many have dismissed this comment as a poorly conceived joke, I can't think of a more frank, emblematic statement from a president who still refuses to acknowledge the severity of global climate change.
Granted, Bush has hardly been the chief obstructionist in his administration when it comes to climate change talks and regulation. That dubious honor certainly goes to Mr. "conservation-is-a-personal-virtue" Cheney, whose influence has only seemed to grow during the Bush presidency's final months (of course, one could argue that it has always been at its peak). Yet, whether it be through his early and consistent opposition to the Kyoto Protocol and other emission targets or his renewed embrace of offshore drilling (alongside his good friend, John McSame), the Decider has pulled out all the stops to ensure "science" doesn't get in the way of his shenanigans or those of his friends from the oil industry.
As he did on most of his early (somewhat commendable) 2000 campaign promises, Bush quickly reversed his pledge to regulate carbon dioxide as an air pollutant and ditched all efforts to give even a remote semblance of governing from the middle (remember that "compassionate" conservative talk?) by booting all independent-minded bureaucrats in favor of his ideological, incompetent cronies. Predictably, that resulted in years of censored climate science research, little to no progress on the issues of conservation and alternative energy and, of course, giveaways galore to the already uber-profitable fossil fuel industry.
Despite some signs of optimism from other G8 leaders -- several of which claimed the Hokkaido summit was a clear "breakthrough" -- there is little doubt that any substantive talks over emission cuts will have to wait until the next president takes office. The fact that world leaders and the press consider Bush's "consideration" of (very) modest emission cuts a sign of clear progress is depressing enough; the fact that they might actually believe him is a whole other story.
Back in the U.S., where we've already born witness to some fairly reprehensible actions on the part of his administration, we've only seen a continuation of the Bush "take no prisoners" approach to greenhouse gas regulation. Though by no means a surprise, his administration's stewardship on the environment arguably hit a new low (and that's saying a lot) when it was revealed that the White House Office of Management and Budget simply refused to open an email sent to it by the EPA outlining the health consequences of climate change. Or take the Vice President's (successful) attempts to remove the sections of CDC director Julie Gerberding's Senate testimony alleging a link between climate change and human health.
It was especially fitting that the EPA's final action on climate change was... to take no action. Thumbing their collective noses at a recent Supreme Court decision which directed the federal government to regulate carbon dioxide under the Clean Air Act, the administration, led in this instance by EPA head (and Bush lapdog) Stephen Johnson, said it would seek public comment over the next few months before taking any meaningful action (i.e. pass the buck down to the next guy).
You know things are bad when even loyal surrogates feel the need to speak out in favor of greenhouse gas regulation on the pages of The Washington Post. Or when staunch supporters like California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger call your environmental policy "bogus." So, please, let's drop any pretenses that Bush may have finally come around to embracing serious climate change legislation. His recognition of the crisis (if he even really does recognize it) comes years too late, and his actions, or non-actions, continue to speak volumes.
Given his abysmal overall record, it's hard to assign the "worst" label to any one of his botched policies. In light of the many grave impacts climate change is expected to have (and already has had) on our planet, I would make the case that Bush's stand on the environment qualifies as his worst failure -- one which, unfortunately, will long outlive his legacy.
Follow Jeremy Jacquot on Twitter: www.twitter.com/jejacquot
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King George cronyism is not only draining the treasury at an unheard of rate during wartime, he has also hobbled as many regulatory institutions as possible to favor corporate crony profits, whatever the cost to the people! I get a sick feeling whenever I think about the thousands of positions the U.S. will be paying pensions on in the future for Cheney/Bush mobster traitors who broke their oath and worked as hard as they could against the common good of the people.
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It's Good to be King!
Bush gleefully proclaimed: "Goodbye from the world's biggest polluter."
I think that our little dictator king george jr was actually talking about himself as the “biggest polluter” not America.
Think about it. He polluted the political atmosphere in the USA and around the world. He dirtied and stained Americans hands with torture learned from China. He shredded the constitution, the bill of rights, and the Geneva conventions. He ignored laws and wrote his own using over 700 signing statements. He destroyed the justice system by firing US attorneys and committing treason during time of war by destroying a CIA covert agent. He ensured that global climate change and the environment would be treated like silly theories. He destroyed a sovereign, non-threatening country and killed tens of thousands of innocent civilians in the process. I could go on and on, but I’ve made my point.
This planet is a dirtier, less desirable, darker place because bush lives here.
And he’s PROUD of it.
"committing treason during time of war by destroying a CIA covert agent." I'll call you out on this one treason that is a serious charge in your fantasy. You know that how? where was the trial?
It is really, really, really hard to put a finger on Bush's worst blunder. I mean they all could stand a good chance of taking that title. Environment, oil company tax breaks, tax cuts for the rich, Iraq, Iran, play cowboy antics, et. al. This guy is quite simply the worst acting president (Cheney is vice-president in chief) this country has ever had. And while he continued to destroy the environment he destroyed almost everything else he touched as well.
do you anyone to replace him?
Thank God for term limits.
Don't be affraid this happens every 50 years or so I live in West Virginia. The highest this summer has been 83. Last winter we had 10 straight days below zero. so relax.
There is a bigger picture than West Virginia.
really, a bigger picture? got coal?
Hmmm ... I thought it was the Clinton administration (including AlGore) and the Senate that vetoed Kyoto nearly unanamously. I still think that if all the people that believe climate change is primarily caused by man would discontinue exhaling all of that deadly CO2, the problem would be solved immediately.
"Bush gleefully proclaimed: "Goodbye from the world's biggest polluter." While many have dismissed this comment as a poorly conceived joke,"
Many a truth is said in jest.
That gleeful comment is right up there with the time he was at the podium for the correspondent's dinner, and with the entire room roaring in laughter, pretended he was walking around the Oval Office looking for Iraq's WMDs
If there is a more dangerously incompetent buffoon on this planet I challenge anyone to point him/her out.......you can't, it's not possible!!!
Why would any rational thinking American even consider the possibility of four more years of these completely misguided/failed policies by voting for McCain???
Kyoto Protocols are ill conceived and would place the US at mercy of the world court.
Good. TIme to play fair.
The US is nothing more than a big bully.
Thank you King George.
You WILL stand trial for Treason and Murder
China is 1/5 of the worlds population so if a resident of China uses just 20% of what an American uses we are even; these folks have strong hold on pollution and are not even interested in dealing with it, and more cars to come. Just by breathing China puts 5 times the amount of Carbon Dioxide into the air. Oh! did I mention this Global Warming Hoax, is just an Over Hyped Socialist Power Grab.
Good Day!
Your rationale escapes me, as does your claim of China's "strong hold" on pollution...take a bite out of this reality and get back to me.......
The United States has only 5% of the world's population, but we are accountable for 25% of the world's pollution.........or is that your idea of just another "over-hyped socialist power grab"
Tell me, are you (gulp) old enough to vote???????
I'm gonna need to know who stands to gain by this "Global Warming Hoax"? Them damn socialists who are taking over the world? Are they all gonna make a killing investing in carbon filtration systems and use that to take over the world?
What a maroon.
He looks extra goofy in blue.
I wonder...does Bush actually believe what his delusions? Or does he know that it is nonsense but is obligated to tow the party line? Anyway, who cares which delusions he believes. What is our delusion? That Washington DC has any leadership??
There are some great insights recently at http://www.Vaboomer.com
George W Bush has been bought and paid for by special interests. Now he may have deluded himself into thinking that what he is doing is right, but like all corrupt people he knows what he is doing is wrong. Which goes to prove, just because somebody goes to church does not mean they are a Christian.
It is gloomy but we can't turn it around? I don't see what's wrong with living within the biosphere, a national public transportation network of light trains would surely make life better for all wouldn't it? I had a 17 year old kid smash into me and die - too many deaths and injuries and too much energy consumed to get from point A to B. And why can't people grow their own food like we used to and dare I suggest getting rid of millions of humans who could be functioning atleast with their children at the beach or something instead of rotting away in a prison cell because they grew cannabis or opium like our ancestors did -and I bet a hunch these natural remedies are safer and more effective than tylenol etc. Plant trees, farm fish, trap the oceans mighty power, trap the wind and sunlight - to me all this seems so simple we don't do it I remain convinced we simply want to make sure no one else can have a chance to be successful so we waste and destroy instead of working together as a planet.
"why can't people grow their own food like we used to"
Because not everyone is cut out to be a farmer and why would we want to go back to the 1800s?
Because it beats starvation.
Just wait....
I forgot about Cheney's comment about conservation as personal choice. Kind of like supporting the war in Iraq, right?
It would be a lot easier to clean up the environment than it would be to clean up bush's soul. Cheaper too.
That's one dirty job Mke Rowe would never touch.
Bush is just playing the role that best suits him:
That of the schoolyard bully who can make you eat dirt and laugh at your tears without any fear of repercussions because he is protected from the consequences of his actions by the power that others hold.
lolllll...good job, George H. W. Bush...
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