Bush Nominates Anti-Regulatory Zealot To Head ‘Super-Powerful’ Public Safety Office
Bush Nominates Anti-Regulatory Zealot To Head ‘Super-Powerful’ Public Safety Office
President Bush is expected to nominate Susan Dudley as the next head of an obscure but “super-powerful office that oversees many business regulations.” The Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs holds sway over federal regulatory agencies like the EPA and helps set regulatory policy for a wide range of issues, from workplace safety to water quality.
The most recent head, John Graham, has “demonstrated consistent hostility to protections for public health, safety and the environment over his career.” And according to Frank O’Donnell of Clean Air Watch, Dudley “makes John Graham look like Ralph Nader.”
As the director of regulatory studies at the industry-backed Mercatus Center she has worked to oppose vital public health regulation as a “hidden tax” that hinders profits. Some of her targets:
– Opposed EPA plans to set tougher public health standards for smog.
– Opposed lower-polluting cars and SUVs and cleaner gasoline.
– Opposed air bags in cars, preferring to leave public safety decisions “to the market place.”
– Opposed stronger regulations for arsenic in drinking water, claming that there “is a wide range of uncertainty in the science surrounding the health effects of arsenic in U.S. drinking water supplies.”
– Opposed measures to curb global warming, stating that the “evidence regarding global warming and human contribution to it is mixed, and…if a slight warming does occur, historical evidence suggests it is likely to be beneficial, occurring at night, in the winter, and at the poles. Taking ‘precautionary action’ to protect human health based on a series of tenuous linkages would likely create a new set of risks.”
Not surprisingly, Exxon Mobil has donated $80,000 to Dudley’s think tank.
UPDATE: The global warming document that opposed measures to curb global warming was written by a Mercatus colleague of Susan Dudley, not by Dudley herself. We regret the error.
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51 Responses to “Bush Nominates Anti-Regulatory Zealot To Head ‘Super-Powerful’ Public Safety Office”
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I nominate Johnny “the torch” for Fire Marshall
July 6th, 2006 at 6:00 pm“The evidence is mixed”…only if you don’t read the peer-reviewed literature.
Bozo.
July 6th, 2006 at 6:10 pm“Public Health, the hidden tax that hinders profits” sounds like a Republican Book Club winner.
July 6th, 2006 at 6:17 pmthat ‘think tank’ lists c. boyden gray…so, at least it makes sense croney-istically….
the bush crime family leaves no croney behind. congrats, sue!
July 6th, 2006 at 6:19 pmIf this isn’t the signature mark of the Bush-run government, what is? It’s like hiring a prominent criminal defense attorney who specializes in murder, rape and child abuse to be your town police chief - and the city council gets up and praises “the in-depth knowledge and experience of the candidate in the area of law enforcement”. SEC, FDA, EPA, FTC, etc. etc. - it’s all the same story.
July 6th, 2006 at 6:20 pmThis is akin to putting Osama Bin Laden in charge of Homeland Security.
July 6th, 2006 at 6:20 pmOh wow not more Bush crap today? Somebody please tell Bush to resign and go ride his damn bike for the rest of his rotten life!
July 6th, 2006 at 6:22 pmwell, it makes more sense than nominating c. boyden gray as ‘ambassador to europe’! i hate that bastard!
his filthy fingerprints are all over this susan whatever’s nomination…they are all filthy pollution-loving, industry-sucking, capitalist pigs…
July 6th, 2006 at 6:25 pmOh, at last some good news! Afterall, my water quality hasn’t been quite as poor as I would like.
July 6th, 2006 at 6:32 pmHow would we all truely know what GOOD is without the darkness of Bush and Co.
July 6th, 2006 at 6:33 pmThank you God
Ann? I see you lurking nearby. Give us your views. I know this must be good news because you won’t have to bother putting rat poisoning in anyone’s creme brule. Just a glass of water will do the trick.
July 6th, 2006 at 6:36 pmthis woman is PERFECT bush material! she has drawn a link between allowing more arsenic in water to september 11th:
following the link in the original posting:
July 6th, 2006 at 6:42 pmWhy does George Bush hate middle class Amercans so much? Doesn’t he realize these are the people he hurts when he cuts back on protections for public health, safety and the environment?
Why can’t the Bush administration EVER do anything to help the common good? Why is it always ONLY special interests that get his favors?
July 6th, 2006 at 6:48 pmOoooo… air bags make me so angry! Damn those regulations!
I am relieved to hear that global warming would only occur at night, and at places far from where I live.
July 6th, 2006 at 6:55 pmwhat else is new?
There is a vacancy on a given agency. Who do we pick? Who are the most qualified candidates in the country? Ok, got the list. Hmmm…I know, lets pick the complete opposite of that most qualified person!
Bush is really into the reverse psycology thing, he makes the ass-backwards move EVERY TIME.
July 6th, 2006 at 7:10 pmThis administration has no credibility on “public safety”, afterall, 9/11 happened on THEIR watch. And we’re suppose to trust the Republicans on security and safety?
July 6th, 2006 at 8:07 pmGuess this means we will have to put up with more incompetence for 2 1/2 years. OMG - November 2006 can’t come soon enough. This nation needs a change and quickly. We will need to be mindful at the voting polls, particularly in vulnerable States.
July 6th, 2006 at 8:18 pmAirbags infringe on my freedom to get impaled by my steering wheel.
July 6th, 2006 at 8:27 pmdisgusting
July 6th, 2006 at 8:32 pmMore of the “one corporation, one vote” political philosophy. I’ve never wanted to get older so fast - hurry up November.
July 6th, 2006 at 8:54 pmanti regulatory zealot?? I guess the government should only stay out of a woman’s right to choos but they can micro-manage every other damn thing.
July 6th, 2006 at 9:05 pmTake set belts of course they are a good idea. But remember when it was not a primary offence?? when the cops could not just pull you over for that? now we have “click it or ticket”. Now the state can pull you over because they discovered that that they can extort more money from people ticketing them for seat belt violations. Corporate interestrs?? the insurance industry was then ones who pushed the laws thru the state and national levels > In the interset of safety of course , it had absoliutely nothing to do with their bottom line.
how can somebody who is for more freedom be a “zealot”" only in liberal thinking could that ideology be viable. whatever happened to freedom?? or is that only for so called gay “marriage” and women who were too stupid to not get pregnant and now want an abortion?? You are either pro choice on everything or you are pro-choice on nothing.
Clean water is overrated and we have too many trees. And global warming will mostly affect poor people. So we have nothing to worry about. I won’t give it out, but you can google her email pretty easy if you’re interesting in sending her a congratulatory email.
July 6th, 2006 at 9:19 pmReply to #23:
First of all, moonbat patrol, I have to say one thing. While I am more than tolerant of the occasional spelling or grammatical error, the sheer agressive profusion of egrigious errors in your posts makes my eyes bleed. Please, in the future, at least do us the courtesy of piping your irrational ramblings through a spell-checker. Kthx.
Second, your comparison of pro-choice and anti-regulation suffers from one fatal flaw. Here’s Dudley’s hit list again for clarity:
So what’s the difference between these and pro-choice?
Simple. Your rights end where another’s begin. The above infringe upon the rights of others to clean air & water, safe cars, and a habitable planet. Pro-choice, in comparison, infringes upon the rights of no one else (and no, a blastocyst is not a person).
Thanks for playing.
July 6th, 2006 at 9:28 pm#18 - “This administration has no credibility on “public safetyâ€, afterall, 9/11 happened on THEIR watch. And we’re suppose to trust the Republicans on security and safety?” Comment by coffin
July 6th, 2006 at 9:30 pm*****Congratulations!!!!! Without a DOUBT - this IS THE most IGNORANT post I’ve read in a week - and considering some of the competition, you should feel VERY proud of yourself!!!!
Opposed abolition of slavery as a hidden tax that hinders profits.
Opposed anesthesia during surgery as a hidden tax that hinders profits.
Opposed vacinations as a hidden tax that hinders profits.
Opposed medical school training for doctors as a hidden tax that hinders profits.
Opposed highway dividers as a hidden tax that hinders profits.
Opposed building the Ark as a hidden tax that hinders profits.
Gee, this regulation stuff is easy.
md
July 6th, 2006 at 9:43 pmReply to #26:
Are you trying to insinuate that 9/11 didn’t happen on Dubya & Company’s watch?
Explain yourself, aphrodite…if you’re able…
July 6th, 2006 at 9:52 pm# 25 i do apologize for my typos, I do in fact know how to spell but I suck @typing. hope your eyes recover!
July 6th, 2006 at 9:53 pmLook , I think that of course their should be clean air and water. The enviornmental issue is the one rare instance I agree with liberals and if anything they do not take it far enough.
my point is labeling someone who is anti -regulatory as a quote zealot. I don’t want arsenic in my water or smoggy skies . Air bags are a different thing and like seat belts and helmet laws should be optional and not mandatory. The problem is that the government regulates many things it has no business regulation and does not regulate some of the things it should. Big business is also in the pockets of dems just as much as repubs. Coming from Connecticut I know how much sway the Insurance industry has.
on just a slightly different note has anybody else heard the report that one of the North Korean missiles that (thankfully) failed was aimed and Hawaii?? would not that be a whole heap o trouble?
Global warming - as water levels rise, all the prime beachfront properties will be submerged.
July 6th, 2006 at 9:58 pm#26 - Wow - a personal attack by a troll - the highest form of compliment. Thanks.
July 6th, 2006 at 10:08 pmThe Bushco environmental and safety record endangers and kills far more people here and throughout the world than any ‘terrorist’ in history.
Check out this “TERROR PERMIT” - that is satirical in content, but is far too true to ignore. It’s a FREE download to distribute to the clueless:
CLICK HERE
http://tvnewslies.org/html/terrorpermit.htm
July 6th, 2006 at 10:09 pmMoonbat, it’s not just your typing that sucks, it’s your entire outlook. Have you ever tried to follow the teachings of Christ? You know, be more tolerant of others?
July 6th, 2006 at 10:28 pmThis is par for the course for Bush’s appointees. Bush appointed Spencer Abraham to be Energy Secretary and Abraham had been on record for saying that the department of energy should be eliminated. Many of Bush’s appointees, particularly those that oversee business and commercial interests, are extremely anti-labor, anti-consumer, and anti-environment. The only stakeholders Bush cares about are the shareholders and the business owners themselves.
The GOP has been pushing this form of laizzes faire capitalism down our throats and we have been duped to take it. The so-called “Free market” has become a religious fetish with us. We ought to be concerned about “Fair Markets” that work for the majority of Americans.
July 6th, 2006 at 10:50 pmI see that Mighty Aphrodite has weighed in again with his/her two cents worth. Another Bush apologist who can’t avoid invoking 9-11 regardless of the topic. Well, at least one person is grateful Bush is at the helm.
July 6th, 2006 at 10:56 pmIt was just in the News today that Global Warming is causing more and longer forest fires. The evidence just keeps getting stronger. Just go to Beijing or Shanghai and see how well you can breathe.
July 6th, 2006 at 11:00 pmGlobal warming will only affect those losers who don’t get raptured.
July 6th, 2006 at 11:06 pm#29, you claim to know how to spell.
Didn’t you mean “there should be…”
July 6th, 2006 at 11:17 pmBy the time we get our next Democratic president, Bush is going to have installed hundreds of these extremist ideologues in our government in every corner. It will take years and years and years to smoke them all out and kick them too the curb. Meanwhile, they will all be doing the dirty deeds of the Bush cabal at the expense of the entire country, running roughshod across everything the Democrats have spent the last 60 years building for the benefit of society.
But that’s okay. I’m sure every single extremist Bush has installed cares about more than just getting filthy rich from their positions.
July 6th, 2006 at 11:44 pm[…] President George W. Bush, continuing his campaign against any protection of the people/environment from corporate looting/pa-looting, is apparently going to nominate a screaming antiregulation fiend as the head of the powerful Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs. […]
July 7th, 2006 at 12:49 amI nominate Johnny “the torch†for Fire Marshall
Comment by E. Buzz Miller(R)
========================
I’m still chuckling,E.Buzz Miller(R).
Steve D.(D)
July 7th, 2006 at 1:13 am[…] Bush Nominates Anti-Regulatory Zealot To Head ‘Super-Powerful’ Public Safety Office […]
July 7th, 2006 at 6:36 amIt’s James Lee WITT, not Whit. Sheesh.
July 7th, 2006 at 9:45 amdont worry,we are looking out for you kid,heck of a job john,lukemia does not care how much money you have,you cant hide from a contaminated food supply,whats a few more of gods finest chemicals.
July 7th, 2006 at 10:09 am[…] Back in Backward World, again: Think Progress » Bush Nominates Anti-Regulatory Zealot To Head ‘Super-Powerful’ Public Safety Office […]
July 7th, 2006 at 2:28 pmWell then, Ms. Dudley should have no objection to having every source of water she uses, ESPECIALLY for personal use, contain the legal limit of arsenic allowed by law. Water she drinks, cooks with, cleans with, all of it must contain the maximum amount. Given the ‘lack’ of a consensus, she seems to be willing to risk our health while she waits. I think she should be willing to prove her ‘theory’, all on her own. But I love her “Global Warming happens at night.” story. THAT is funny. Stupid as hell, but funny.
July 8th, 2006 at 11:13 amI am worried about night warming. It’s serious business.
July 10th, 2006 at 12:40 am[…] Think Progress, DC - Jul 6, 2006… EPA plans to set tougher public health standards for smog. … precautionary action to protect human health based on … would likely create a new set of risks. . … Read More […]
August 2nd, 2006 at 3:54 am[…] You can read more about the White House’s most recent contribution to our nation’s male cow manure supply here and here. […]
August 2nd, 2006 at 7:06 am[…] As expected, President Bush on Monday nominated anti-regulatory zealot Susan Dudley to head the obscure but “super-powerful” Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs. Clean Air Watch said the move was “like naming Mel Gibson as a special Mideast Peace Envoy.” […]
August 2nd, 2006 at 9:08 amI have known Susan Dudley for many years. (I am a Democrat–she has many Democrat friends). Whatever you might think of her views on various issues, I can assure you they are well thought out and not “paid for” by evil people. She is a loving mother, and a fine caring human being, not some kind of monster. I think attempts to villify people as you do serve no useful purpose.
August 29th, 2006 at 2:34 pm[…] has repeatedly attempted to weaken regulations that protect the American public. He nominated Susan Dudley, who was formerly director of regulatory studies at the industry-backed Mercatus Center, to head […]
February 21st, 2007 at 5:11 pm[…] Bush has hired a bunch of lobbyists in health and safety positions recently. There’s also Susan Dudley, who was nominated to run the generically titled Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (the […]
March 3rd, 2007 at 3:16 pm