Rolling Stone: Bush's Final F.U.

[Bjorn Against]

Bush's Final F.U.
The administration is rushing to enact a host of last-minute regulations that will screw America for years to come

TIM DICKINSON
Posted Dec 25, 2008 11:55 AM


With president-elect Barack Obama already taking command of the financial crisis, it's tempting to think that regime change in America is a done deal. But if George Bush has his way, the country will be ruled by his slash-and-burn ideology for a long time to come.

In its final days, the administration is rushing to implement a sweeping array of "midnight regulations" — de facto laws issued by the executive branch — designed to lock in Bush's legacy. Under the last- minute rules, which can be extremely difficult to overturn, loaded firearms would be allowed in national parks, uranium mining would be permitted near the Grand Canyon and many injured consumers would no longer be able to sue negligent manufacturers in state courts. Other rules would gut the Endangered Species Act, open millions of acres of wild lands to mining, restrict access to birth control and put local cops to work spying for the federal government.

"It's what we've seen for Bush's whole tenure, only accelerated," says Gary Bass, executive director of the nonpartisan group OMB Watch. "They're using regulation to cement their deregulatory mind-set, which puts corporate interests above public interests."

While every modern president has implemented last-minute regulations, Bush is rolling them out at a record pace — nearly twice as many as Clinton, and five times more than Reagan. "The administration is handing out final favors to its friends," says Véronique de Rugy, a scholar at George Mason University who has tracked six decades of midnight regulations. "They couldn't do it earlier — there would have been too many political repercussions. But with the Republicans having lost seats in Congress and the presidency changing parties, Bush has nothing left to lose."

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/24991066/bushs_final_fu

Please follow the link and read the rest of the article, it is looking like the last month of the Bush Administration will be the worst month of the Bush Administration and that is saying a lot. It is absolutely frightening to think of the damage that will be done by these executive orders, and I just hope that Obama is able to overcome the obstacles that he will face in trying to overturn Bush's policies.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

1. I'm going to read the article now, but

my worst fear is still that the batshit crazy fucker will do something like nuke Iran.

I get more scared every day. January 20, 2009 cannot come soon enough for me.

He's fucking nuts.

[Phred42]

2. He and his BASE have already Nuked us.

We just haven't felt the pain - yet

[DemoTex]

3. Remember January 2001?

Republican lawmakers ask Bush to undo Clinton's executive orders

Rep. Jack Kingston, R-Georgia, called on President-elect George W. Bush Friday to "immediately rescind the avalanche of executive orders that President Clinton issued since election day" as soon as he takes office.

Kingston was joined in a press conference Friday by Rep. Thomas Tancredo, R-Colorado, who intends to introduce legislation to overturn some of the last-minute actions.

Earlier this week, Kingston circulated "Dear Colleague" letters, urging other members of Congress to sign a letter asking Bush to "immediately rescind every executive order Clinton has issued since November."

The letter to Bush argued, "Congress should review each of the orders through the normal legislative process including introduction of bills, committee hearings, and a full and fair floor debate."

http://archives.cnn.com/2001/ALLPOLITICS/stories/01/19/clinton.orders/index.html

Order Reversals

Moments after President Bush's inauguration Saturday, the White House suspended scores of executive orders and regulations issued in the waning days of the Clinton administration, pending a full review. Today's reversal of a 1993 executive order on abortion suggests even settled Clinton actions may be reversed. Two House leaders join us to talk about this: J.C. Watts of Oklahoma, chairman of the House Republican Conference; and Nita Lowey of New York, head of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/politics/jan-june01/abortion_1-22.html

Suspend the Bu$h EOs and regulations and get Congress to work to lock the suspensions with new laws. More work for President Obama and the Democratic Congress, but what the hell. This scorched-earth policy will lock in the Bu$h "legacy" forever and ever, amen. Even Jebthro Bu$h will be a cursed pariah.

[Liberal_in_LA]

4. Kick

[earth mom]

5. K & R & Bookmarked. nt

[OneBlueSky]

6. Obama should issue a statement that says something like . . .

"I strongly advise all federal employees NOT to act in any way that is permitted by these last minute executive orders but that previously had been prohibited. Because I promise you that as soon as I am sworn in, every one of them will be immediately overturned." . . .

now, he may not be able to follow through on that legally, but it would sure as hell tell the nation that he's not going to put up with Bush's "last day's" antics . . .

[underpants]

7. Marking for later read

[sunnystarr]

8. Thank Nancy Pelosi

for taking impeachment off the table! Bush and Cheney should have both been impeached starting 2 years ago.

[SammyWinstonJack]

10. !!

:thumbsup: It was bad enough that she had no plans to impeach the hideous little bastard and his boss, but then she had to announce it being off the table , thereby enabling those two and their merry band of thieves. x(

[glinda]

16. I am stunned by her actions and also her involvement in torture.

I am really unhappy with a portion of the Dems and almost all of the Republicans. As far as I am concerned, "change" is not over. Our Government has failed to protect us in almost every way.

[Political Heretic]

9. Why are the hard to undo? If a president can do them, a president can un-do them?

I appreciate the article, but I don't understand this notion that somehow a lame duck president has more special power than an incoming president.

[justabob]

14. I don't understand that either

Seems like it would be pretty simple to just "erase" the last month of last minute madness... status quo ante and go from there. :shrug:

[DeepModem Mom]

11. K&R

[KakistocracyHater]

12. knowing Bush's touch

& what effects it has, they would have to be insane not to halt all the mess-making. I clearly remember Jan 2001, & I strongly agree.

[Imagevision]

13. Obama vowed to go over all of Bush moves to determine what was and wasn't legal...

[Swamp Rat]

15. Mishun Akompleshd!