Bush Picks Executive as Consumer Watchdog (LA Times, via CommonDreams)

[marmar]

I'm shocked. Shocked I tell 'ya.:wow:


Published on Friday, March 2, 2007 by the Los Angeles Times
Bush Picks Executive as Consumer Watchdog
by James Gerstenzang

WASHINGTON — President Bush said Thursday that he would nominate a senior executive of the largest organization representing the nation's manufacturers to head the government agency assigned to protect consumers from dangerous products.

Bush's choice of Michael E. Baroody, executive vice president of the National Assn. of Manufacturers, to be chairman of the Consumer Product Safety Commission drew an angry response from consumer advocates and predictions of a tough battle for Senate confirmation from the Democratic majority.

Critics, noting Baroody's work for an organization that aims to ease restrictions on a long list of companies making consumer goods, said the nomination would reflect an administration effort to restrict government regulations by executive order and action, rather than by congressional approval.

"I think it's shocking," said Joan Claybrook, president of Public Citizen, a watchdog group founded by Ralph Nader. "It's the fox in the chicken coop."

Claybrook, who led the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration under President Carter, said, "They wanted a hard-liner in the agency to push it into the deregulation mode." ....(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.commondreams.org/headlines07/0302-03.htm

[Turbineguy]

1. Too bad Dr. Harold Shipman

is dead. He could have been Surgeon General of the United States.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

2. Same ol', same ol.'

Another fox appointed to guard the chicken coop.

Quis custodies ipsos custodes?