it just keeps getting scarier

from Bush Directive Increases Sway on Regulation:

President Bush has signed a directive that gives the White House much greater control over the rules and policy statements that the government develops to protect public health, safety, the environment, civil rights and privacy.

In an executive order published last week in the Federal Register, Mr. Bush said that each agency must have a regulatory policy office run by a political appointee, to supervise the development of rules and documents providing guidance to regulated industries. The White House will thus have a gatekeeper in each agency to analyze the costs and the benefits of new rules and to make sure the agencies carry out the president’s priorities.

This strengthens the hand of the White House in shaping rules that have, in the past, often been generated by civil servants and scientific experts. It suggests that the administration still has ways to exert its power after the takeover of Congress by the Democrats.

This "suggests" that they still "have ways to exert power"? No - it suggests that Bush and his cronies are desperately grabbing at every chance for power, control, and deception they can muster. Oh, but you'd have no reason to think anything is amiss from this lovely piece in the New York Times. Check out this quote, and excerpts of the following commentary:

In an interview on Monday, Jeffrey A. Rosen, general counsel at the White House Office of Management and Budget, said, “This is a classic good-government measure that will make federal agencies more open and accountable.”

Business groups welcomed the executive order...

Consumer, labor and environmental groups denounced the executive order...

Great. More "he said, she said." There's the just as you'd expect quote from a Democrat about how bad this is, and then a hiccup - a repeat. What the hell?

Business groups hailed the initiative.

Oh, I get it. First we heard that, big surprise, business groups "welcomed" this "executive order." And now we find out that business groups "hailed" what is now, for some unknown reason, called an "initiative." This, ladies and gentlemen, is first rate reporting. Clearly worthy of appearing in the New York Times. Fortunately, there's a well placed quote from a V.P. of the US Chamber of Commerce, who tells us that, "Because of the executive order, regulations will be less onerous and more reasonable." Oh, well, I'm glad we got that cleared up from a party so disinterested as the Chamber of Commerce.

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