SUN EDITORIAL:

Standing up to Bush

Two of his more onerous decisions have stimulated calls for change

Monday, Jan. 5, 2009 | 2:07 a.m.

Recurring themes of the Bush administration — secrecy and low regard for science — are prevalent in two White House actions that are now stimulating considerable opposition.

Secrecy is at the root of a 2001 executive order by President Bush that gives presidents and their heirs unprecedented control over White House records.

And the Bush administration’s low regard for science is at the root of administrative changes to the Endangered Species Act, which were announced in August and enacted in December following a brief, pro forma public comment period.

Historians and advocates of open records are leading the opposition to Bush’s executive order, which fundamentally changed the 1978 Presidential Records Act, one of the reforms following Watergate.

They are pinning their hopes on President-elect Barack Obama, whose campaign Web site contained a promise to “nullify the Bush administration’s attempts to make the timely release of presidential records more difficult.”

Bush’s executive order gave ex-presidents and, for the first time, their heirs, authority to block release of White House records for any reason and in perpetuity, according to reporting by Cox News Service.

Obviously this could prevent the public from ever gaining a more complete picture of what motivated a president to act the way he did.

As for the 11th-hour regulatory changes to the 35-year-old Endangered Species Act, they allow federal agencies to now issue permits for mining, logging and other land-disrupting activities on their own authority. They do not, as required by original regulations, have to consult with federal scientists, say, from the Fish and Wildlife Service, to go ahead with their plans.

The regulatory changes are opposed by California, which filed a lawsuit last week that seeks to block their implementation until Obama has time to review them. Obama, according to the Associated Press, has said he opposes the changes.

We hope California’s suit is successful and that Obama does indeed “nullify” Bush’s 2001 executive order. Ending eight years of disrespecting science and of making secret what should be in the open is a priority.

Discussion: 2 comments so far…

By Future2012

1/5/09 at 8:05 a.m.

Suggest removal

"The regulatory change allows federal agencies to now issue permits for mining, logging and other land-disrupting activities on their own authority."

This means the actions have been and continue to be legal under the Endangered Species Act.

The Law passed by Congress did not specifically require that federal scientists of one agency must consult with federal scientists of multiple other agencies.

Why is it that we can believe the the federal scientists of one agency are better than the federal scientists of another agency.

This has always been a means for environmentalists to shop around for an agency that may be run by an individual with empathy to their "cause".

What needs to be done is the Federal Agency responsible must be accountable for their own work or the Federal government will not have any accountability.
By Future2012

1/5/09 at 8:14 a.m.

Suggest removal

By all means if "Congress wants" they should change the 1978 Presidential Records Act so that Classified Information, and private advise that the President receives should be released.

We will all welcome seeing the internal wheeling and dealing, pay for play activities, and legal counsel of the Bill Clinton White House.

Bring it on.

Why did Clinton not follow up on the multiple terrorist threats.

There is a lot to learn about Bill Clinton.

Remember when Sandy Berger stoled the 9/11 document from the Bill Clinton Library.

Bring it on.