This isn’t a space that we use much for talking about federal topics and I have little desire to highlight New York Times stories, but I have to say that it kicks me right in my physics degree when I hear that every federal agency now needs a political appointee running a “policy office” to supervise the development of rules and regulations.
While there have long been stories about 26 year old appointees censoring revising research by top scientists, an Executive Order published last week seems to codify the practice. According to the article, the U.S. Environmental Protect Agency was one of the agencies targetted with this order.
Besides placing political appointees in charge of rule making, Mr. Bush said agencies must give the White House an opportunity to review “any significant guidance documents” before they are issued.