To all the mothers out there! The earth is the ultimate mother of us all. George Bush, the dutiful son, has naturally given her many presents over the years. Here is a short list of them:
# Withdrew from Kyoto accord, designed to cut greenhouse gases
# "Clear Skies" initiative aims to reduce sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, and mercury emissions by 70 per cent. But is voluntary and does nothing about carbon dioxide
# Is pushing $1.7 billion, five-year plan to develop hydrogen technologies as alternative to oil and petroleum fuel
# Won Senate approval to drill for oil in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
# Loosened pollution controls on coal-fired power plants and abandoned more than 50 investigations into possible breaches of the Clean Air Act.
And this year, just in time for Mothers' Day, George wrapped up a pretty parcel containing the opening of one third of America's national forests to roadbuilding. Easier to control forest fires, you know. And no, it has nothing whatsoever to do with facilitating future logging or mining or the drilling for natural gas.