Robert Schlesinger

Bush and the Environment: Pacific Protection Is Too Little Too Late

January 6, 2009 RSS Feed Print

By Robert Schlesinger, Thomas Jefferson Street blog

When, in the waning days of his term, the outgoing president designated huge areas for special wilderness protection, the incoming president was not pleased at all. "We are reviewing all 11th-hour executive orders, rules, and regulations," a spokesman for the incoming president said.

The incoming president, so annoyed at such displays of lame-duck power, was George W. Bush. The president-elect joined conservatives howling in protest when, three days before the transfer of power, Bill Clinton designated more than 1 million acres of western land as national monuments. Ah, how times have changed (and not simply because the spokesman was Scott McClellan).

The Bush administration told reporters Monday that he would be designating 195,280 square miles (an area the size of Washington and Oregon combined) as ... national monuments.

Conservative howls of protest have this time been muted, presumably because western landowners are less concerned about federal encroachment on the Mariana Trench. And in the meantime, Bush gets to bolster his environmental reputation (the words too little and too late come to mind).

Tags:
Pacific Ocean,
Bush administration,
environment,
George W. Bush

Reader Comments Read all comments (3)

Add Your Thoughts
Your comment will be posted immediately, unless it is spam or contains profanity. For more information, please see our Comments FAQ.

GW BUSH IS A GREAT LEADER GREAT FATHER AND A GREAT PERSON ASK ANYONE CLOSE TO HIM HE WILL BE MISSED THANK YOU YOU GREAT MAN FOR YOUR SERVICE TO THIS COUNTRY

DON of CA 1:12AM January 10, 2009

I find it ironic that the previous poster uses the tired GOP mantra of "common sense" environmentalism. We've had eight years of GOP "common sense" environmentalism and all it did was postpone meaningful action on global warming -- meaning it will ultimately cost more to address it in the future. That's money our children will have to pay, mind you, as the economy attempts to deal with the rapidly changing natural environment.

The ice sheets are melting, the glaciers are melting, every year breaks a new heat record and drought and wild fires are worsening. But the world will have to end before any Republican admits that global warming is real and must be dealt with. Why? Because they refuse to admit liberals and environmentalists were right all along.

God save us from more "common sense" Republican do-nothingness.

Lisa of MD 5:30PM January 06, 2009

As with most crusades the environmental movement had well intentioned, perhaps even noble beginnings. But, as they gained power and “political correctness” common sense and moderation were replaced by zealotry and dogma. Now, to say anything against them is blasphemy and political suicide. Think about it, what politician could say even this, “Perhaps the Endangered Species Act and The Clean Water Act need to be moderated in some way.” The environmental lobby would be in the streets and on talk shows and the media would hold an “inquisition”. The only question would be how to burn the poor devil at the stake in an “environmentally friendly” way.

Now, the “Global Warming Hysteria” is adding emotional sound bites rather than science to the politics of Environmentalism.

We must, as a nation, reject the notion that no price in money and personal freedom is too great to pay in order to protect every aspect of nature. We need to replace the dogmatic montras of the eco-elite with a practical, common sense approach that balances the needs of society with environmental respect and concerns. It is my hope that, ultimately, the environmental pendulum will swing back to the middle ground of “environmental consciousness” and away from “environmental correctness”.

R.L. Schaefer of 12:45PM January 06, 2009

Robert Schlesinger

Robert Schlesinger

Robert Schlesinger is managing editor for opinion at U.S. News and World Report, overseeing all opinion editorial content. He is the author of White House Ghosts: Presidents and Their Speechwriters. E-mail him at rschlesinger@usnews.com. Follow him on Twitter: @rschles.

advertisement

Cartoons

Robert Schlesinger

Obama's Mixed-Bag Week

The Obama camp can celebrate Dick Lugar defeat, but should worry about the Scott Walker recall.

Mary Kate Cary

Obama Attacks as Economic Cliff Looms

The president can't afford to talk about the economy, but with a 2013 fiscal time bomb approaching, the rest of us can't afford not to.

Latest Video

advertisement