Blog Posts and Analysis / Citizen Health & Safety

Bush Policy Revealed: President Suppresses Science He Can't Understand

You're reading the special April Fools' Day, 2008, edition of The Watcher.

In a surprise speech April 1, President George W. Bush acknowledged it is his policy to suppress or ignore science he cannot understand. "Sometimes I get reports that scientists want to regulate chemicals or pollution, but they use a bunch of jibber jabber and fancy math to make their point," Bush said. "The American people didn't elect me to read reports and understand science; they elected me to make decisions — that's why I'm the decider."

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FEMA Ignores Toxic Trailers of Hurricane Victims

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) turned a blind eye to Katrina victims who became ill while living in FEMA-provided trailers, according to testimony given at a hearing of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform on July 19. Trailer tenants and experts described how FEMA, with evidence of toxic levels of formaldehyde in the trailers from construction materials, refused to substantively evaluate the extent of the problem, respond to known instances of formaldehyde poisoning or take adequate precautionary action.

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New Poll Finds Overwhelming Majorities Favor Government Regulation for Health and Safety

A new Harris poll conducted for Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety reveals that nine out of ten Americans believe that governmental regulation to protect health and safety is important. The finding accords with similar findings since 1996. According to the study's authors, "the weight of public opinion is overwhelmingly on the side of having federal responsibility for . . . safety and public health. The intensity of support is also high." Of those who rated the government's role as important, almost 64% (or 58% of all respondents) considered the government's role as very important.

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