<![CDATA[Grist - Comment Feed for States, green groups to sue EPA for not regulating plane or ship emissions]]> Grist Comment Feed en Comment #1 by Masked Goddess http://www.grist.org/article/suin1/ Thu, 31 Jul 2008 09:12:55 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/suin1/1 Is there no end to this insanity?

How crazy is it that states should be forced to sue the ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION agency to do their job?!  

And to quote a popular bumper sticker:  if you're not outraged, you're not paying attention.

]]> Is there no end to this insanity?

How crazy is it that states should be forced to sue the ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION agency to do their job?!  

And to quote a popular bumper sticker:  if you're not outraged, you're not paying attention.

]]> Comment #2 by Wolverine http://www.grist.org/article/suin1/ Thu, 31 Jul 2008 14:01:33 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/suin1/2 Dysfunctional System

A political system is illegitimate and non-functional where agencies are allowed to be run by people who don't believe in the agencies' missions.

]]> Dysfunctional System

A political system is illegitimate and non-functional where agencies are allowed to be run by people who don't believe in the agencies' missions.

]]> Comment #3 by guade00 http://www.grist.org/article/suin1/ Fri, 01 Aug 2008 00:52:31 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/suin1/3 Dysfunctional, yes; illegitimate?

I think the commentator has it right in "dysfunctional" terms. I'd stop short of deeming the entire system illegitimate, though. (Of course, we might find illegitimacy in the 2000 presidential election and Bush v. Gore, but I digress.)

I don't recall ever being confused about this administration's interests. I don't think anyone was confused. No one voted for "W" for his commitment to environmental issues. His choice of EPA administrator reflects his views on the importance of environmental protection and the role of government in that pursuit. And the American public got exactly whom they voted for.

The reality is--we really don't want this particular EPA to issue rules on greenhouse gas emissions anyway. We will do better to wait for the next administration, McCain's or Obama's.

]]> Dysfunctional, yes; illegitimate?

I think the commentator has it right in "dysfunctional" terms. I'd stop short of deeming the entire system illegitimate, though. (Of course, we might find illegitimacy in the 2000 presidential election and Bush v. Gore, but I digress.)

I don't recall ever being confused about this administration's interests. I don't think anyone was confused. No one voted for "W" for his commitment to environmental issues. His choice of EPA administrator reflects his views on the importance of environmental protection and the role of government in that pursuit. And the American public got exactly whom they voted for.

The reality is--we really don't want this particular EPA to issue rules on greenhouse gas emissions anyway. We will do better to wait for the next administration, McCain's or Obama's.

]]> Comment #4 by Wolverine http://www.grist.org/article/suin1/ Fri, 01 Aug 2008 04:24:07 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/suin1/4 Illegitimate

I said illegitimate because it's not legitimate to allow someone to run an agency for the purpose of preventing that agency from doing its job, which was mandated by Congress.  While I agree that people as a whole get the government they deserve, that doesn't mean that everything that government does is legitimate.

The problem here is the system itself.  As I've said before, it would be far more representative if Congress were to appoint the heads of agencies instead of the president.  The president is the least representative of all elected officials in the U.S., and should thus have the least amount of power, not the most.  If heads of agencies like EPA were appointed by Congress, people like Stephen Johnson would not be in charge of it.

]]> Illegitimate

I said illegitimate because it's not legitimate to allow someone to run an agency for the purpose of preventing that agency from doing its job, which was mandated by Congress.  While I agree that people as a whole get the government they deserve, that doesn't mean that everything that government does is legitimate.

The problem here is the system itself.  As I've said before, it would be far more representative if Congress were to appoint the heads of agencies instead of the president.  The president is the least representative of all elected officials in the U.S., and should thus have the least amount of power, not the most.  If heads of agencies like EPA were appointed by Congress, people like Stephen Johnson would not be in charge of it.

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