Hold Your Breath
The debate over Judge Kavanaugh continues: is he the next Supreme Court Justice; is he a perjurer of testimony to the United States Senate; is he a sex offender; or is he all of the above? Americans are waiting for an answer; and for some Senator to demonstrate a “Profile in Courage” moment. I hope your not holding your breath.
On the other hand, holding your breath might be a better idea. The Environmental Protection Agency intends to roll back emission standards on coal, allowing for more pollutants and greenhouse gases. The EPA itself, in it’s own analysis, estimates up to 1400 premature deaths because of that change ( CNN.)
Or if the coal pollution doesn’t get you, don’t worry, there’s more. The EPA also proposes to roll back fuel economy standards, meaning that cars will burn more gas and create more pollution (NPR.) Even California, a state that has traditionally dealt with greater pollution problems from vehicles by having more restrictive standards, is not exempt. They are required to follow the national standards as well.
But breathing may not be the biggest problem. Today the EPA announced it is now moving to loosen radiation standards. This means that the amount of “allowable” radiation people can be exposed to will be increased, and the producers of that radiation will not be required to be as protective.
The biggest concern here: the EPA is following the “outlier” advice of a toxicologist, Edward Calabrese. He believes, flying in the face of the vast majority of scientific thought, that exposure to somewhat higher doses of radiation is actually beneficial, by “toughening up” the exposed cells. Kind of like that big sunburn at the beginning of the summer toughens up your skin – or raises your risk of skin cancer.
What about the “rest” of science? They believe that any exposure to radiation increases the risk, and that raising the general amount of radiation folks are exposed to is going to cause more people to have cancer: period (AP.)
Why would the EPA choose to follow the outlier, over conventional science? Why would they stop better fuel economy and less pollution, and allow for greater greenhouse gas pollution? Of course there’s an easy answer — money.
Take radiation. Nuclear plant operators spend billions protecting their workers and their neighbors, from radiation, even small amounts of it. If the EPA allows them to expose greater amounts, it will save them a lot of money. And, if they are meeting EPA standards, it will be far more difficult for workers or neighbors to file suit against the operators when they are diagnosed with cancers.
And if less protection is necessary; hospital and dental technicians and others who are routinely exposed to low-dose radiation will be at greater risk. Currently the annual “limit” of exposure is 100 millisieverts (about 25 chest X-Rays), and even that raises the risk of cancer according to “mainstream science.” The EPA changes would allow for much greater exposure, and less expenditures for protection.
What’s the goal of the Trump Administration? The Environmental Protection Agency; doesn’t. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission, won’t. The Interior Department is allowing hunting in violation of the Endangered Species Act, by unilaterally and arbitrarily declaring endangered species not endangered (NYT.) The Department of Justice promotes injustice on the border, and the Department of Homeland Security continues to hold over one hundred and thirty insecure children separated from their parents, and wants the Court to give them a pat-on-the-back (NBC.)
George Orwell in his apocryphal novel 1984, had four government ministries: the Ministry of Love (law and order), the Ministry of Peace (war), the Ministry of Plenty (rationing), and the Ministry of Truth (propaganda). Donald Trump and his REAL administration has taken his cue from Orwell, and flipped the roles of government departments.
All of this while he tries to convince us that our greatest danger is that young (white) men could be falsely accused of a sexual assault.
Hold your breath.
