Has Anyone in U.S. History Made More Americans Less Safe Than Dick Cheney?

By Joseph Romm, Climate Progress. Posted May 11, 2009.

CHENEY'S MALIGN ENVIRONMENTAL INFLUENCE: In his letter to Boxer, Burnett revealed that Cheney's office had also objected in January to congressional testimony by EPA administrator Stephen Johnson that "greenhouse gas emissions harm the environment." According to Burnett, an official in Cheney's office "called to tell me that his office wanted the language changed." Such actions are not unusual for Cheney. Since taking office, he has taken "a decisive role to undercut long-standing environmental regulations for the benefit of business" while undermining any real action to combat climate change. In December, after Johnson "answered the pleas of industry executives" by announcing his decision to deny California the right to regulate greenhouse gases from vehicles, it was revealed that executives from the auto industry had appealed directly to Cheney. EPA staffers told the Los Angeles Times that Johnson "made his decision" only after Cheney met with the executives. Since February 2007, Cheney has quietly maneuvered to exert increased control over environmental policy by federal agencies -- particularly the regulations on greenhouse gas emissions.

One could write an entire book on Cheney's single-handed efforts to destroy a livable climate for your children, grandchildren, and the next 50 generations of Americans.  I suspect someone will.  The Washington Post has already written a long story about his role promoting pollution: "The vice president has intervened in many cases to undercut long-standing environmental rules for the benefit of business."

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