June 2, 2004

LETTERS2theEDITOR

Reader concerned about White House policies, secrets

Editor,
It’s hard to imagine that the lies of the Bush administration, mistruths that will negatively effect every one of us for many years to come, have received less attention than President Clinton’s public denial of the now infamous, extra-marital affair.  Who could forget the television coverage of “I did not have sex with that woman.”  But where is that same coverage when it comes to covering the lies of the Bush Administration, half-truths, inconsistencies and outright lies that seem to keep enumerating?  

Let’s look at policy making for example. Of the 246 individuals identified by the Washington Post as fund-raising “Pioneers” (George Bush’s $296.3 million dream team), 104, or slightly more than 40 percent, ended up in a job or an appointment with the Bush Administration. What’s been the Bush Administrations’ response when asked whether the president gives any special preference to campaign contributors in making decisions about policy, appointments or other matters?  White House spokesman Trent Duffy states, “Absolutely not.” The President, Duffy said, “bases his policy decisions on what’s best for the American people.”   

In reviewing President Bush’s policies and legislative actions, there are clear and obvious inconsistencies to Duffy’s statement. The Bush Administration has actively chosen to downplay or ignore the threat of global warming, despite the fact that over the past decade, the vast majority of the most respected environmental scientists from all over the world have sounded a clear and urgent alarm. Global warming is not a future threat, it is happening now. And yet in legislative action after action, the President is choosing to help his coal and oil company supporters rather than advance modern technologies that can affordably solve this critical problem. 

For a more specific and very recent example, a series of internal documents made public this week reveal that the Bush Administration granted almost unbelievable influence to livestock industry lobbyists in a proposed amnesty deal for factory farm polluters. The favors included a series of secret meetings with government officials, and the opportunity to draft portions of the Environmental Protection Agency’s PowerPoint presentation on a proposed air pollution-monitoring program.

The documents formed the basis of a May 16 Chicago Tribune expose of the degree to which meat industry lobbyists controlled the direction and content of proposed federal air pollution regulations that would apply to them. According to the Tribune, industry was granted such an influential role over the development of air pollution controls that several EPA officials resigned. It also led state and local officials to walk out of EPA meetings on the subject.

The meetings were closed to environmental groups or other opponents of the plan. What took place at these secret meetings–and in subsequent communications between meat industry lobbyists and EPA officials—was unearthed largely as the result of a lawsuit brought by the Sierra Club last September under the federal Freedom of Information Act.

This type of secretive and damaging policy making has been the modus operandi of the Bush Administration. And although it has not received a great deal of media coverage, it has received enough to alert the public to do the small amount of research necessary to realize that something is desperately wrong.   

So, at what point do the lies, deceptive practices and damaging policy-making activities of this administration become important enough to warrant public outcry?  America is still a democracy, but we’ve handed the strength of our voices and actions over to leaders that are failing to represent our best interests. And until our citizenship is willing to take responsibility for our future by staying informed and making our voices heard, we will be the victims of our ignorance and will face the possibility of paying a price that no amount of tax cut can cover.

Elizabeth Borelli
Romani Court, Willow Glen

Sources:  The Washington Post, May, 2004; Chicago Tribune, May, 2004; The Union of Concerned Scientists; Sierra Club, September, 2004; Bush Green Watch, May, 2004.

Take down signs after garage sales

Editor,
It’s that time of year and yard sales are popping up on a regular basis. If you conduct a yard sale, please remember to remove your directional signs after the sale is finished.

The owner on Prevost Street must of thought his antique sale was very important. Using two screws he drilled and posted his sign directly into the sycamore tree outside of the U.S. Bank on the corner of Lincoln and Willow. It is my understanding that this activity could damage the trees. Please protect our community property.

There are lots of signs left up all around the neighborhood, particularly the major streets of Willow, Minnesota, Bird, Pine and Lincoln. It looks like people don’t care. Please consider your neighbors and the community property that is ours to keep looking good.

Ellen Santomauro
Willow Glen

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