Books reviews, current events, and other musings

The administration, while exaggerating the likelihood of a future terrorist attack, was suppressing the environmental dangers of the World Trade Center collapse (from This Modern World).

The Environmental Protection Agency's internal watchdog says White House officials pressured the agency to prematurely assure the public that the air was safe to breathe a week after the World Trade Center collapse.

The agency's initial statements in the days following the September 11, 2001 attacks were not supported by proper air quality monitoring data and analysis, EPA's inspector general, Nikki L. Tinsley, says in a 155-page report released late Thursday. ... For example, the report found, EPA was convinced to omit from its early public statements guidance for cleaning indoor spaces and tips on potential health effects from airborne dust containing asbestos, lead, glass fibers and concrete.

The obvious question is why government officials, who later promoted duct tape as protection from terrorists, would want to bury useful tips about cleaning up people's homes after 9/11. This may sound paranoid, but there's only one answer I could come up with. The Bushies aimed to minimize concerns over atmospheric pollution, so they could implement policies like this one (from BookNotes).

The Bush administration plans to open a huge loophole in America's air pollution laws, allowing an estimated 17,000 outdated power stations and factories to increase their carbon emissions with impunity.

Critics of draft regulations due to be unveiled by the US environmental protection agency next week say they amount to a death knell for the Clean Air Act, the centrepiece of US regulation.

Meanwhile, I was planning to support Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante in the California gubernatorial election. The latest poll has him beating Arnold Schwarzenegger 35% to 22%, though lots of stuff, such as Bill Simon dropping out of the race yesterday, can happen before the election.

However, an online search didn't reveal anywhere I could send a donation to help Bustamante's campaign. The official candidate listing, compiled by the California Secretary of State, doesn't list a website or email address. I don't expect all candidates to be as web-savvy as Howard Dean, but a major contender for governor of California should have some sort of Internet presence. Not surprisingly, Bustamante's campaign manager exclaims that they're scrambling for money.

posted by Julian at 11:30 PM

I can't believe how badly the administration wants to treat our soldiers:

The Pentagon wants to cut the pay of its 148,000 U.S. troops in Iraq, who are already contending with guerrilla-style attacks, homesickness and 120-degree-plus heat.

Unless Congress and President Bush take quick action when Congress returns after Labor Day, the uniformed Americans in Iraq and the 9,000 in Afghanistan will lose a pay increase approved last April of $75 a month in "imminent danger pay" and $150 a month in "family separation allowances."

Nobody is immune to the "screw everyone except the wealthy" Republican philosophy, even the poor saps dealing with the mess resulting from W's ill-conceived war.

Fortunately, they backtracked in response to the widespread outrage.

"We support extending the pay provisions," White House spokesman Jimmy Orr said late Thursday after a day in which Bush's political opponents bashed him for what they said was a callous attitude toward combat troops who are still suffering casualties.

"We intend to ensure they continue to receive this compensation at least at the current levels," the Defense Department said in a separate statement about members of the Army, Air Force, Navy and Marines.

Still, it's shocking that anyone considered a military pay cut in the first place. It's a horrible idea in terms of overseas morale, fairness to the soldiers, politics, and future recruitment.

posted by Julian at 11:00 PM