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Bush's exit strategy: Do as much damage on the way out as possible

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MSNBC's Contessa Brewer yesterday was discussing George W. Bush's plan to let the EPA rule against cleaning up perchlorate from Americans' drinking water, even though its toxic effects are well documented.

Even John Feehery, the "Republican strategist" brought on to explain this last-minute ugliness, admitted:

Once again, I don't know the specifics of this particular one, but it doesn't really sound good, does it, Contessa?

Brewer later returns to Feehery and asks:

Brewer: John, do you think there should be some shame in a president doing something like this? It reminds me of the big scandal that erupted when Clinton was leaving office with all the pardons. You know, why are you gonna do something in your -- the very last few weeks that just ... makes you look bad?

Simple answer: Because George W. Bush doesn't care what you think. He never has.

If you want more information on Bush's vandalism of the American political landscape on his way out the door, check out the Pro Publica site with a complete rundown.

Its first entry is on perchlorate:

At Issue: Perchlorate is a chemical component of rocket fuel that can contaminate water both naturally and, more frequently, through improper disposal at rocket test sites, military bases and chemical plants. Cleaning it up would cost billions of dollars. But the contaminant has been linked to thyroid problems in young children, pregnant woman and newborns, leaving critics concerned for the developmental health of those most vulnerable to the chemical's effects.

Here's the EPA's official justification:

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The other recess appointments

As Nicole noted yesterday, Bush's recess appointment for Sam Fox is pretty offensive. But as ridiculous as the Fox stunt is, let’s also not overlook the other two recess appointments the president made, which were just as bad.

For example, the president appointed Andrew Biggs to serve as the next deputy commissioner of Social Security, despite the fact that Biggs is an aggressive advocate of privatizing the Social Security system. His nomination in November was considered ridiculous by Senate Democrats, and with this recess appointment yesterday, Bush effectively announced that he no longer wants to even consider negotiations over reforming the system.

And then there’s Susan Dudley, who Bush appointed to oversee federal regulatory policy at the Office of Management and Budget, despite her anti-regulatory career at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University.

The Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs holds sway over federal regulatory agencies like the EPA and helps set regulatory policy for a wide range of issues, from workplace safety to water quality....

As the director of regulatory studies at the industry-backed Mercatus Center she has worked to oppose vital public health regulation as a “hidden tax” that hinders profits.

Some of her targets have included EPA health standards for smog, opposition to lower-polluting cars, opposition to air bags, and opposition to stronger regulations for arsenic in drinking water. For some reason, the Senate had some concerns about her nomination. The White House not only doesn’t care about the concerns, it also decided it doesn’t care about the constitutional nomination process.

The Bush gang knows no limits; they have no shame.