Bush Tries to Do Good for the Environment; Cheney Smacks Him Down

Yesterday we noted that dear old (and still around) President Bush was working overtime to pass environmental regulations—many of which would harm, not help, said environment—before he's shown the proverbial boot. But to be fair, not every rule he's looking to enact is bad: The Washington Postreports that one in particular may even be crucial in conserving some our most vital underwater ecosystems. The plan is to restrict or ban fishing and mineral exploitation in two huge areas of the Pacific. No surprise, his attempts to do some good are being met with resistance, to the point where the scope of the original plan, which included the preservation of four potential "marine monuments" has already been whittled down. And leading the anti-conservation charge is none other than friend-to-corporations-everywhere Dick Cheney, who argues that the restrictions will hurt the economies of nearby regions like the Northern Mariana Islands. The ocean areas ...