Science, Schmience; Laws, Schmlaws

Last week in The Revolution, we discussed a major environmental court victory, in which a federal court blasted the Bush administration's attempted repeal of the so-called "Roadless Rule", which would open up forests to logging, construction and harmful development. The Court indicated that Junior and the Eco-Butchers failed to consider the environmental impacts of its decisions. The Court reinstated the "Roadless Rule," protecting more than 58 million acres of national forest.

Not a week later, and the same result. On Monday, a federal judge in Alaska blocked the sale of oil and gas leases within 389,000 acres of shallow lakes and wildlife-rich tundra in northern Alaska, including some of the more important wetlands in the Arctic. Again, science and the environment were ignored, in the name of oil development. The decision, by Judge James K. Singleton Jr., focused on the administration's failure to to adhere to environmental requirements, but also touched on the lack of appropriate input and review.

This is not really news to those who have followed this administration and don't wear fucking blinders. However, this is a combination of three of the worse attributes of this Clan of Fascists: no respect for the law, no respect for the planet, no respect for science, and no respect for the public's right to know and participate.

I can't figure out which is worse in a president: Refusing to follow the rules, completely ignoring science, or blatantly shutting out the public from participating in their democratic government.