[Superman]

I think it was Monday that Dubya adopted rules which accomplished the reductions in environmental protections that he could not get Congress to pass. Congress decides that these protections should remain, and Dubya does the end-around play and removes them through rule-making. Pretty cute, huh? This is your "president" I am talking about. The one whose agenda was known from the start. And whose performance is exactly what we predicted. Sulfur emission regulations are gone.

Today, I believe Congress will act on the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge matter. For those of you who are curious, Dubya has an intense desire to drill for oil there, even though all analysts say not enough oil will be produced to make a difference in the nation's oil supply. It almost looks like someone owes a favor, or stands to make personal money out of this. Anyway, the measure has been defeated by Congress as a separate bill, but Dubya is using an interesting trick this time. He's placed this measure in the budget. Where it does not belong. Because as a budget measure, this act requires only a simple majority. Analysts also seem to be in agreement that the majority of the American people oppose this. Oh, that's right, when it comes to American lives, national security and other small matters like oil production and the environment, Dubya does not give a rat's ass about popular opinion. Cuz he's just that much smarter than the rest of us, I guess.

So, it's a bad week for the environment but an excellent week for Dubya. He's successfully thwarted both Congress and the American people, and gas prices are reaching a record high! (I guess the financial markets are not as impressed as the "political market" with the 'mission' we have 'accomplished' in Iraq.