Obama Backs Down On Ozone Standards

President Barack Obama has cancelled the Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards that would have significantly tightened rules to reduce emissions of smog-causing chemicals. The President stressed the need to "reduce regulatory burdens" as the struggling economy continues its recovery. The administration will follow the more lenient standards set in 2008 under President Bush until a scheduled reconsideration of acceptable pollution limits in 2013. The move further alienates many in a political base that feel the President hasn't done enough to protect the environment and fight climate change. League of Conservation Voters President Gene Karpinski said, "the Obama administration is caving to big polluters at the expense of protecting the air we breathe."

The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that the tighter pollution rules would save around 12,000 lives each year. But EPA administrator Lisa Jackson came to Obama's defense saying, "the administration has put in place some of the most important standards and safeguards for clean air in U.S. history."

According to a recent Pew research poll, 71% of Americans think the "country should do whatever it takes to protect the environment." That wasn't enough to convince the President whose reelection will ultimately be determined by his ability to create jobs and foster economic recovery. With this decision, Obama is clearly trying to avoid giving his republican opponents any ammunition to call his policies "job killers".

Read the full story here:
http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-pn-obama-ozone-20110902,0,6899709.story

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[EscpdFrmPsykward]

That could be the title of a new segment you guys can do.

"This week on 'Obama Backs Down On...'"

[mrx0066600]

Dear Obama, get fucked you republican light shill...

[erwar87]

I love the illusion of presidential elections. It is just as entertaining as watching every other reality show. In the end, Mr. Market will appoint the next president. Not you, folks.

[profsat5]

This is all bullshit.Obama can't do a damn thing as long as republicans cock block him on everything he wants to do.Your vote is worthless in the next election.It doe's not matter who is president the rich control everything and they are not paying no where near the tax rate as the middle class.I look forward to when every cent is stole and this country is run in the ground.People will wake up then but it is too late when that happens.

[poindexterwitkowsky]

NAFTA has been used to whipsaw American workers' wages&benefits under the THREAT of job loss. NAFTA hurt the Mexican people because it was written with specific provisions to exclude workers' right to organize&to benefit from wages levels above those of SLAVE labor. NAFTA destroyed family farm subsistence in Mexico&caused a SURGE in ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION to the U.S. OBAMA SHOULD WITHDRAW OUR country from NAFTA*&ALL FREE TRADE PURSUITS BECAUSE WITHOUT A MIDDLE CLASS THERE CAN BE NO DEMOCRACY.

[hopeurforfreedom]

The first smart thing Obama has done, kinda'. He only delayed these regulations until after the 2012 election. You see, getting elected is more important. Someone must have pointed out that these new regulations would have cost quite a few jobs, as he himself isn't bright enough to have figured this out on his own....

[beancube2010]

Jobs is fake when you're dying breathing extraordinary substances. Don' t work hard digging grave for yourselves using big portion of your lives. Clean environment is part of your valuable lives. Without it, you're just some living deaths suffering the tortures of some sick health. Who are your children? Those sick environment induced cancer patients in hospitals waiting for charity money for the next treatment.

[beancube2010]

China's coal burning would no longer be blamed for the ozone depletion, our fossil fuel burning will lead the world's environment crisis for another century now. No need to clean environments to do business anymore. China's business will sacrifice workers and residents health to double their booming of exports. The cheap imports business instead of importing solar/wind/ocean energy devices to US. Who kills the electric cars? Would it be a black guy who caves in to Southern religions in US?

[hopeurforfreedom]

@cshargeit He only called off new regulations until after the next elections. He figured out how many jobs were going to be lost and realized how stupid they were going into an election.

[cshargeit]

there is one point in the movie, "harold and maude" that harold is told maude died. he responds, "WHAT"?--- that has occurred in real life. obama has rescinded the air quality standards... "WHAT" ?!!!!

[hopeurforfreedom]

@skylarportland  Obamacare neither covers a spine nor a brain...

[skylarportland]

@guatepower Not only does he obey them, he caves and caters to them again, and again, and again.

He reminds me of a kid showing up for a street fight where he politely asks his opponent to hit him in the head with a brick first 10 times before he throws a punch.

I wonder if the health care bill covers the purchase of spines, because if it does, than Obama can get his there.