Environment is under siege with this presidency

Wednesday, March 28, 2001 | 9:06 a.m.

Eight weeks in office -- is that all? Yet look at the mess we're in -- all of a sudden there is a great power shortage, companies in California regularly shutting off the electricity, claiming to be broke and clamoring for even more money.

In their great wisdom, President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney are trying to assure us that arsenic in drinking water is safe; that nuclear power plants are safe and would solve all of our problems (Three-Mile Island and Chernobyl); that strip-mining does not cause water and air pollution; that despite their campaign "promises" they have reneged on their "promise" to limit the use of carbon-dioxide in industry. Who needs to breathe clean air anyway?

A widowed spouse usually waits at least a year to remarry (what would the neighbors say?). But in their frenzy to pay back their heaviest campaign contributors, the National Rifle Association, credit card companies, mining operators, big oil companies, ad nauseum, Bush and Cheney can't wait even a decent length of time to hide what they are really about.

Even the whining Republicans are red-faced when issuing their boring denials.

The Democratic president in 2004 will have gray hair in even shorter time than usual, just attempting to undo the damage wrought by Bush and Cheney.

We can only hope and pray that it will not be too late.

RUTH DI MAGGIO