Please tell me you aren't surprised

POSTED BY: fredgiblet
UPDATED: Wednesday, July 25, 2007 19:31
VIEWED: 1814
PAGE 1 of 3

1 2 3 NEXT PAGE LAST PAGE

FREDGIBLET

Wednesday, July 11, 2007 5:26 PM

http://www.kansascity.com/news/world/story/185250.html

RUE

Wednesday, July 11, 2007 7:03 PM

I'm not surprised. I work in a scientific government agency and this crap has been going on ever since Bush's "sound science" arsenic debacle.

I don't know if you remember, but a new and lower limit for arsenic in drinking water was supposed to go into effect early in Bush's appointment by the Supremes. Water vendors in certain areas of the country said it would cost too much to clean up the water and thus cut into their profits. Bush stopped the implementation, saying it should be based on "sound science" and put it before the NAS (National Academy of Sciences) for review. They concluded the new arsenic levels were indeed sound science. How mortifying for Herr Bush.

Ever since, Bush has been jamming science-based agencies - closing all federal research libraries across the country, firing chief scientists that didn't agree with Cheney's agendas, and putting non-scientist flunkies in top scientific tiers, muzzling researchers (for example, sending Communist-style 'minders' with NASA scientists working on global warming), having political hacks re-writing scientific reports - the list is lengthy.

***************************************************************
"Global warming - it's not just a fact, it's a choice."

CHRISISALL

Wednesday, July 11, 2007 7:08 PM

Quote:
“Anything that doesn’t fit into the political appointees’ ideological, theological or political agenda is ignored, marginalized or simply buried,” Richard Carmona, surgeon general from 2002 to 2006, told a congressional committee.

And still, some peeps here thinks Bush is not a scumbag.
*shakes his head with the accompanying Loony Toons sound effect*

It's Bush season Chrisisall

RUE

Wednesday, July 11, 2007 7:41 PM

Some of this is what Cheney did to lower-level intelligence employees. Unfortunately they didn't seem to know the value of the butt-covering email : Dear (name) this is to confirm the understanding of our (date) conversation in which you indicated ... Sincerely, name, title, ccd and bccd to people up and over in the chain of command, and on different mail servers. Very polite and professional.

***************************************************************
"Global warming - it's not just a fact, it's a choice."

SERGEANTX

Wednesday, July 11, 2007 7:49 PM

There's no evidence that this actually occurred and, um, it's a politically motivated attack financed by LIBERALs and, oh yeah, Clinton did it too!

So there.

SergeantX

"Dream a little dream or you can live a little dream. I'd rather live it, cause dreamers always chase but never get it." Aesop Rock

AURAPTOR

Wednesday, July 11, 2007 10:23 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by rue:
I'm not surprised. I work in a scientific government agency and this crap has been going on ever since Bush's "sound science" arsenic debacle.

I don't know if you remember, but a new and lower limit for arsenic in drinking water was supposed to go into effect early in Bush's appointment by the Supremes. Water vendors in certain areas of the country said it would cost too much to clean up the water and thus cut into their profits. Bush stopped the implementation, saying it should be based on "sound science" and put it before the NAS (National Academy of Sciences) for review. They concluded the new arsenic levels were indeed sound science. How mortifying for Herr Bush.

Ever since, Bush has been jamming science-based agencies - closing all federal research libraries across the country, firing chief scientists that didn't agree with Cheney's agendas, and putting non-scientist flunkies in top scientific tiers, muzzling researchers (for example, sending Communist-style 'minders' with NASA scientists working on global warming), having political hacks re-writing scientific reports - the list is lengthy.

The arsenic issue was nothing more than a political time bomb left over by.....yes, Bill Clinton. For 7 1/2 yrs, he allowed the arsenic levels to remain where they were. On the eve of his final days in office, Clinton , not the Supremes, made an Execuitive Order lowering the arsenic levels to a ridiculously low level, well below what was required. The reason? It was so costly for suppliers of water to refit their equipment to meet those standards, he knew there would be an outcry made to Bush to reinstate the previous levels. And that's exactly what Bush did. But Bush didn't simply leave matters at that, he went on to further study the issue, before making such a drastic decission that would impact businesses and communities nation wide. Clinton and his people KNEW that the media would report Bush raising of the arsenic levels, which is a crap charge, and likely leave out the important, FACTUAL parts of the issue. He was right, and it duped a ton of folks, just like you.

The real scum bag is Clinton, for playing politics w/ our safety.

People love a happy ending. So every episode, I will explain once again that I don't like people. And then Mal will shoot someone. Someone we like. And their puppy. - Joss

" They don't like it when you shoot at 'em. I worked that out myself. "

SIGNYM

Wednesday, July 11, 2007 10:40 PM

So "Clinton did it" makes Bush better? Seems if Clinton is a scumbag for doing something, Bush is the same style scumbag for doing the same thing. I know that even-handedness is a foreign concept for some people tho...

---------------------------------
Always look upstream.

AURAPTOR

Wednesday, July 11, 2007 10:54 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by SignyM:
So "Clinton did it" makes Bush better? Seems if Clinton is a scumbag for doing something, Bush is the same style scumbag for doing the same thing. I know that even-handedness is a foreign concept for some people tho...

"Saw that comin'. "

Figured you have some sort of quick, snippy reply. Here's something meatier for you to chew on.

You're welcome.

DISCUSSION: Many environmental groups and their allies have attacked the administration for delaying implementation of a new arsenic standard for drinking water, a standard which was put into place by the Clinton administration hours before leaving office.

THIS CHARGE IS SIMPLY NOT TRUE.

After 25 years of study by various administations, the Clinton administration set the permitted level of arsenic at 10 parts per billion, down from the current 50 - without asking the National Academies of Science precisely what the new level should be. Further, the new regulation set forth by the Clinton administration would not have gone into effect until the year 2006.

Under President Bush's order, the new maximum arsenic level standard will still go into effect in 2006. Mr. Bush has simply asked the NAS to take nine months to tell him precisely what that new level should be so the Bush administration can make certain that the new standard protects the greatest number of Americans the most efficiently and effectively as possible.

by Tom Randall, Director of Environmental and Regulatory Affairs, The National Center for Public Policy Research

Contact the author at: 773-857-5086 or trandall@nationalcenter.org
The National Center for Public Policy Research, Chicago office
3712 N. Broadway - PMB 279
Chicago, IL 60613

In my book, that makes Clinton the scum bag, because at least Bush was reasonable enough to ask the NAS to study the matter FIRST, before agreeing to any set number. Clinton was purely playing politics.

People love a happy ending. So every episode, I will explain once again that I don't like people. And then Mal will shoot someone. Someone we like. And their puppy. - Joss

" They don't like it when you shoot at 'em. I worked that out myself. "

SERGEANTX

Wednesday, July 11, 2007 10:59 PM

SergeantX

"Dream a little dream or you can live a little dream. I'd rather live it, cause dreamers always chase but never get it." Aesop Rock

RUE

Wednesday, July 11, 2007 11:03 PM

Yes, it was so rushed there were 30 YEARS of studies behind the new limits:

http://www.epa.gov/sab/pdf/lamm_2004_joem_arsenic_in_dw_and_bladder_ca
ncer_mortality_in_us.pdf
Arsenic in Drinking Water and Bladder Cancer Mortality in the United States: An Analysis Based on 133 U.S. Counties and 30 Years of Observation

And strangely enough, in its Bush-mandated review, the NAS found allowable aresenic levels should be even LOWER than the Clinton regulation. But that bit of 'sound science' didn't translate into Bush policy.

Bush Administration, Ignoring National Academy Of Sciences, Sticks With Clinton Arsenic-In-Tap-Water Standard

EPA cuts off public comment period after 57,000 Americans support 3-parts-per-billion standard
WASHINGTON (October 31, 2001) - Although a recent National Academy of Sciences (NAS) report found that arsenic's health risks are much greater than the Environmental Protection Agency had previously assumed, the agency announced today it will keep the arsenic-in-tap water standard it adopted at the end of the Clinton administration. NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) denounced EPA for failing to keep its pledge to base its decision on "sound science."

"EPA Administrator Christine Whitman said she wanted to make sure the Clinton EPA decision was based on 'sound science,' but when the National Academy of Sciences found that the cancer risks of even low levels of arsenic in tap water are many times higher than EPA ever estimated, she didn't lower the standard," said Erik D. Olson, an NRDC senior attorney. "Her review was a charade, and her decision will threaten the health of millions of Americans."

THAT DIRTY ROTTEN BASTARD CLINTON ! HOW COULD HE DO THAT ? STICKING AMERICANS WITH CLEANER WATER THAT CAUSES LESS CANCER ! THE NERVE !

***************************************************************
"Global warming - it's not just a fact, it's a choice."

1 2 3 NEXT PAGE LAST PAGE