Bush appoints Bolton to UN - recess appointment

[Trent 0]

Did I say that "wrong" had anything to do with unconstitutional? In this case, Bush's appointment was no more wrong than some of the other recess appointments that have taken place throughout our history. He picks the man that he thinks will do the best job. Seems like too many people think that the people that DON'T get elected should get to make all the decisions. I guess there are plenty of subscribers to the old kid's chant, "First is the worst, second is the best!"

Oh, hello again!

[livendive 8]

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That's funny. I'd say that tapping someone who hates environmental 'regulations' but loves the environment is exactly what's needed. (Better and more efficient application of fewer, but more meaningful, laws instead of just a lot of them - which is a real problem today.)

So you're saying you think we need someone who would improve our environmental regulations. Having been in the business of complying with those regulations for the last 12 years, I'd agree.

That said, I've also been involved in the writing of environmental regs, and it's tougher than it seems on the surface. There are so many interests who want so many different things that trying to appease all of them is painstakingly difficult.

Blues,
Dave

"I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!"
(drink Mountain Dew)

[Gravitymaster 0]

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While I have no "facts" to back this up, is it possible that GWB is the most subborn President ever?

I can not recall any President that has ever been so bullheaded.

Uh, huh! Because he doesn't cave in to Democrats attempts to jump start his Lame Duck Presidency, he's bullheaded.

Um, I don't care what the politics are - but when you put a man that is that controversial in a spot to represent us to the world? I'm not sure bullheaded is a strong enough word. This is just another step by Bush to make this country into an island.

The truth is that Bolton had the votes in the Senate for confirmation but was blocked in committee and never had the chance for a vote on the Senate floor. This is just the latest round of Democrats scuffing up a Republican by making wild and unfounded accusations in an attempt to undermine Bushs' second term.

[quade 4]

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" . . . wild and unfounded accusations . . . "

Yes. Damn those people for using video tape and stuff to condemn people with their own words.

(unfounded?!?)

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[Gravitymaster 0]

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" . . . wild and unfounded accusations . . . "

Yes. Damn those people for using video tape and stuff to condemn people with their own words.

(unfounded?!?)

Do you think preventing a vote on the Senate floor, knowing the person will be confirmed is the way our government should work? Do you understand the President has the right to have someone at the UN who speaks for him whether the Democrats like it or not? You would be screaming at the top of your lungs if this was a Democratic President and it was a Republican minority preventing his nomination. Bush is doing the Dems a favor because if he hadn't appointed Bolton, the Republicans would have changed the Senate rules. Face it Quade, this is just about politics and I know you are a smart enough guy to recognise it as such.

[TheAnvil 0]

I like the idea of up or down votes for appointments. This is a good recess appointment by GWB. He gets the guy he wanted to the UN in place, he gets more 'Dems are obstructionists' fodder for Senate/House elections in '06 (like he needed any), and it undoubtedly drove TeddyK to the liquor store...er...never mind...he was already going.

With regards to appointments, let us anon to John Roberts and see what lunacy the leftists pull out of their hat to smear him....

Vinny the Anvil
Post Traumatic Didn't Make The Lakers Syndrome is REAL
JACKASS POWER!!!!!!

[jenfly00 0]

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While I have no "facts" to back this up, is it possible that GWB is the most subborn President ever?

I can not recall any President that has ever been so bullheaded.

Uh, huh! Because he doesn't cave in to Democrats attempts to jump start his Lame Duck Presidency, he's bullheaded.

Um, I don't care what the politics are - but when you put a man that is that controversial in a spot to represent us to the world? I'm not sure bullheaded is a strong enough word. This is just another step by Bush to make this country into an island.

He's got neocons around the country trance stepping around the fire, pounding the ground with their clubs and screaming for more ...he's giving 'em more. A man of the people.

jen

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"O brave new world that has such people in it".

[Gravitymaster 0]

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With regards to appointments, let us anon to John Roberts and see what lunacy the leftists pull out of their hat to smear him....

They have already sunk to a new low by attacking his wife.

[billvon 3,118]

>They have already sunk to a new low by attacking his wife.

Well, too bad she's not a CIA agent. Then they could attack her AND put her life at risk.

[Gravitymaster 0]

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>They have already sunk to a new low by attacking his wife.

Well, too bad she's not a CIA agent. Then they could attack her AND put her life at risk.

"They did it first" is no justification.

[TheAnvil 0]

Ms. Plame's life is currently at risk? What makes you say that, Bill?

Vinny the Anvil
Post Traumatic Didn't Make The Lakers Syndrome is REAL
JACKASS POWER!!!!!!

[rehmwa 2]

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There are so many interests who want so many different things that trying to appease all of them is painstakingly difficult.

Sorry, what does this have to do with protecting the environment?

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[livendive 8]

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There are so many interests who want so many different things that trying to appease all of them is painstakingly difficult.

Sorry, what does this have to do with protecting the environment?

Let's say you're trying to regulate the use and disposal of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), a class of chemical known to bioaccumulate and have negative health effects on wildlife and humans. The lion's share of PCB use has been in the electrical industry, especially as a dielectric fluid in capacitors and transformers. So, we want to regulate the stuff...let's cover it with something called the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). Let's make a rule that we will no longer manufacture or import PCBs (there are viable alternatives), the use of PCBs in currently operating equipment must be phased out over some timeframe, the waste PCBs must be properly disposed of (and the equipment they were in properly rinsed), and the inventory of PCBs under a company's control must be tracked to verify that all of these things are happening. A report can be written each year summarizing the inventory that can be submitted to EPA.

But wait...there are laboratories and researchers trying to come up with better methods of treating PCB contaminated sites. They need standards to spike their sample matrices with known quantities of specific isomers so they can do before/after treatment comparisons. This requires the manufacture and new use of PCBs. We just banned the manufacture/import of PCBs and said that the use of PCBs must be phased out. Additionally, the proper rinsing/re-use of glassware might be different than it is for say a 3-ton transformer. It would be prohibitively expensive to require a smear analysis of every vial used in a laboratory, but maybe not so much in those transformers. (rule just changed to "may not manufacture PCBs except in cases a, b, and c, with controls d, e, and f. May not use PCBs in new processes except in cases g, h, and i, with controls j, k, and l" etc)

Then there's the military...they've been using PCBs in all sorts of pieces of equipment abroad. They're phasing such use out just like everyone else, but they need to bring the waste home to dispose of it, and some judge somewhere has decided that bringing this stuff into the US from Japan constitutes importing, a banned activity. (rules just changed to "may not import PCBs except in instances a, b, and c")

And there's the greenpeace type whacko's protesting outside the military base to not let this stuff into the US. Forget the fact that they can't even spell polychlorinated biphenyls, or that it's OUR waste, by god they don't want it coming into the US. (rules just changed to "cannot import PCBs without controls x, y, and z")

And then there's the disposal facilities. PCBs were in common use specifically because of their chemical and thermal stability. Thermal decomposition products include dioxins and furans (other nasties). So, if incineration is the preferred method of destruction (it is), we need to REALLY incinerate. The ash, after all, is going to go into landfills, and we don't want to be making the next generation of contaminated environments. So let's go with a really high destruction efficience (99.9999%) and require sampling and periodic demonstration that the facilities permitted to dispose of PCBs meet this standard. But wait, that laboratory previously mentioned is also destroying PCBs, right? Just in an experimental manner rather than operational (we hope). Should that disposal be subjected to the same requirements?

And then we get "Speedy Building Maintenance Services", a company owned by Joe Speedy and consisting of 9 full-time employees and a part-time clerk. Joe and his employees hadn't even heard of PCBs until we informed them that they were breaking the law by throwing out those spent fluorescent lamp ballasts (containing PCBs in the potting compound as well as in the capacitor). Is it reasonable for us to require them to meet the same requirements as GE? Not really, so let's make a simplified version of the regs that applies only to small-scale companies that deal with PCBs only as found in capacitors, lamp ballasts, and small transformers.

and on,
and on,
and on.

I'm mostly playing devil's advocate here. I do agree with you that the regulations need a serious overhaul and one goal of that overhaul should be to reduce the volume of regulations by a sizable margin, maybe 80%?. For this example, incorporation of PCB disposal into the hazardous waste regulations (codified under RCRA as opposed to TSCA, and desparately in need of their own abridgement) would make sense. It wouldn't get at manufacture/use, but it'd be a start.

Blues,
Dave

"I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!"
(drink Mountain Dew)