Obama Convenes Real Death Panel - Sentences Tens of Thousands with Asthma to Early Deaths

From Death Panel Central - The White House:

[A]fter careful consideration, I have requested that Administrator Jackson withdraw the draft Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards at this time. Work is already underway to update a 2006 review of the science that will result in the reconsideration of the ozone standard in 2013. Ultimately, I did not support asking state and local governments to begin implementing a new standard that will soon be reconsidered.

Even the folks over at Obamabot Central - Daily Kos - are freaked :

So even though we're talking about a two-decade window to achieve compliance, why is Obama doing this? Because it would cost big business money:

Obama earlier this week wrote House Speaker John Boehner identifying the costliest draft regulations, and the ozone rule was the costliest, with a negative impact estimated between $19 billion and $90 billion.

I'm sure this will appease John Boehner, right? Via Jamie Dupree on Twitter:

Spokesman for Speaker Boehner calls today's White House withdrawal of ozone rules "a good first step"

Can't wait to see what other regulations protecting the health of American citizens are on the table. Man this is dispiriting.

 Susie Madrak at Suburban Guerrilla echoes my sentiments on this cowardly act:

Of course, that might be hard for asthmatics, but hey, survival of the fittest!

President Obama abruptly pulled back proposed new national smog standards Friday morning, overruling the Environmental Protection Agency’s efforts to compel states and communities nationwide to reduce local air pollution in the coming years or face federal penalties.

The move represented a win for the business community, which had lobbied to postpone new restrictions on ground-level ozone—known as smog—until 2013 in light of the current economic downturn.

In a statement, Obama praised EPA administrator Lisa P. Jackson’s effort to improve the nation’s air quality, but said he had asked her to withdraw the draft standards since they were scheduled to be reconsidered two years from now anyway.

I guess I should note here that it’s utter bullshit, and driven by the apparent decision of Obama’s campaign advisors not to allow anything to happen that might even theoretically be used against them by the Republicans. As if, you know, we won’t notice how many people don’t have jobs.

 A commenter at the Politico article on this notes:

Why doesn't President Obama annouce [sic] that he is not running for reelection so that another Democrat can run and win the election. President Obama appears to be doing everything in his power to lose the election. He is allienating [sic] every group that made up his base in 2008. I really fail to understand what he is doing. He continues to show incredible weakness in standing up to Republinuts. His advisors are standing behind him laughing or just giigling [sic] under their breath.

And at my favorite blog, firedoglake, fellow firebagger Jon Walker writes:

The big winners are corporations that pollute. The big losers are individuals with respiratory problems, such as kids with asthma and those who live in urban environments. Research has found that people who live in areas with high levels of ozone, mainly big cities, are significantly more likely to die of lung cancer.

The other minor winner from Obama’s decision is the Republican economic framing.   By using the GOP talking point of “regulatory uncertainty” to justify this decision, Obama is helping to re-enforce the Republican narrative that it is Obama’s flood of new regulation that is holding back the economy instead of a lack of demand.

Can't wait to see how Alaskans are asked to frame this at the upcoming Democracy for America Training Academy on September 17th and 18th.

I'm hoping to find the time to attend.