SENATE ON BREAK; Bush appoints contentious regulatory director

www.latimes.com...

Los Angeles Times article, Apr 05,2007 - Times Staff Writer Joel Havemann

Wednesday The President took advantage of the Senate's "Break" and nominated recess appointments to three individuals - 3 people who can now serve WITHOUT Senate confirmation until the 110th Congress adjourns in late 2008 or early 2009 - almost at the end of this Administrations' unethical run.

ANDREW G. BIGGS - an outspoken proponent of converting Social Security benefits into self-directed retirement accounts which is favored by The President, was nominated in November by Mr. Bush, but the process stalled in February when the Senate Finance Committee refused to hold hearings because of Biggs' views on privitization.

SAM FOX - a fundraiser/businessman from St. Louis, MO who contributed $50K to the Swift Boat veterans' controversial campaign against Senator John Kerry, will serve as Ambassador to Belgium, even though just last week the White House withdrew Fox's nomination to that very same position because of strong opposition from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

SUSAN E. DUDLEY - appointed to Director of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs at the White House Office of Management and Budget, will now have opportunities to block altogether, or change all regulations proposed by government agencies. This position is considered to be the most obscure of the three appointments, but potentially the most powerful.

Dudley has already offered congressional testimony wherein she has favored dispensing with costly air pollution controls. She favors initiating additional "WARNING Systems" so that sensitive individuals can take appropriate EXPOSURE AVOIDANCE behavior" -- in other words, those who have compromised immune systems and a sensitivity to air pollutants, can make the decision that allows each one of us to be responsible for our own health ... primarily by staying indoors on those days. (To the best of MY knowledge, she failed to address whether or not those of us who must really WORK to provide for our families, should be compensated by someone else for all the foul air days during which we should opt out of driving on freeways, walking between bus stops and office buildings, and call in for "polluted air deferment leave.") She is also the same person who opposed stricter limits on arsenic in drinking water, rallied against air bags legislation, and is considered a terrible choice by OMG Watch director Rick Melberth. Her previous nomination stalled because the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee which held the hearings, did not vote on it.

I agree with all 3 appointments.

Biggs - The failure of Bush, and the last Congress to partially privatize Social Security is unforgivable.

Fox - So if you contribute to a group that Dems don't like you're blackballed?

Dudley - Too many regulations on business as it is. It would be refreshing to expel some instead of adding more.

I have a problem with Staff Writer Joel Havemann.

What does he mean by "this administrations unethical run."

Why does he believe that the Swift Boat Veterens campaign was unethical?

Is this guy an editorialist or a journalist?

Originally posted by RRconservative

Dudley - Too many regulations on business as it is. It would be refreshing to expel some instead of adding more.

Yeah, who needs to breathe anyway?

And if you're not buying bottled water, shame on you!...