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Obama and Bush Have One Thing in Common: The Environment
By dwray in The nature of things
November 29, 2011

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The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Yep, I went there. The most cliche of cliches, but it seems no matter what side of the political spectrum a politician is on, the environment gets basically the same treatment. So that clacker of a cliche seemed apt.

Case in point, according to this report President Obama has an environmental track record that is basically on par with that of President Bush.

Bush was an oil guy from Texas, so it didn't come as a surprise to anyone that he was cozy with energy companies and open to loose rules on environmental regulation.

Obama swept into the Oval Office promising change and appearing to be on the other side of the political spectrum - but a study from the Center for Progressive Reform says that his White House has been just as friendly with industry lobbyists. The White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs has changed about 80 percent of the rules governing the Environmental Protection Agency, and the changes have not been for the better.

Despite the 2008 promises of a new kind of politics and a transparent White House - one that embraced alternative energy and a clean green world, while always keeping the inner works of the administration wide open to the public - it seems that fine old building's workings have stayed as opaque as usual and the environmental regulations have just gotten weaker.

Same as it ever was, but interesting it is. (I know, another cliche, and a Talking Heads one at that!)