Michael Schmidt/Chronicle

Bush makes blind move

Americans who hope for cleaner air better get oxygen masks. President Bush and his soon-to-be all-Republican Congress have few plans to make the air we breathe any cleaner.

Last month the environment took a huge blow when Bush and the Environmental Protection Agency relaxed a provision of the Clean Air Act. The provision, called New Source Review, has been in place for 25 years and requires new and upgraded older industrial plants to obtain a permit requiring installation of modern pollution control equipment.

The new rule makes it much easier for refineries and other pollution-heavy industries to be released from tight pollution controls.

This is a bad idea all the way around, and Bush as well as the spineless EPA are treading into dangerous and soon-to-be-dirtier waters.
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Columbia’s reputation on the ropes

More than a year has passed since Columbia showed the nation its support for pop music and—more importantly—boy bands.
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Chill out this season

“Have yourself a merry little Christmas. Let your heart be light.”—that’s how the song goes, anyway. And, with Thanksgiving behind us, it’s on to Hanukkah, Christmas and Kwanzaa. For many people this means snow, long lines at stores, longer lines of traffic, spending too much money and eating too much food.
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Democrats running out of ideas and excuses

I used to like Tom Daschle—sort of. He was the most likable of all of the Democrats licking their chops at the chance to occupy the White House—far better than Gore the Snore. But all of this liberal love came to a halt a few weeks ago. Now I’m worried about the man’s sanity.
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Bush’s Homeland Security: Don’t rush it

We hardly noticed, but our government’s bloated waistline grew a bit more last week. And it had nothing to do with turkey or stuffing. Or pork, for that matter.
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