During his 1988 campaign for the White House, George Bush pledged to become "the environmental president," a title that has not always been matched with deeds.
As a candidate, he stumped for revisions to the Clean Air Act, and as president has considered Clean Air Act changes a major accomplishment of his term in office.But a few weeks ago, the president quietly ordered an easing of clean air regulations. His instructions would allow industry to pollute beyond allowed emission levels, despite strong objections from Environmental Protection Agency Administrator William Reilly.
In fact, Bush took the action so quietly that he failed even to make a public announcement.
That is not only bad form in a free society, it also may be against the law - specifically, the new Clean Air Act, which Reilly maintains requires public comment whenever industry makes any changes increasing emissions beyond allowable permit levels.
The White House says Bush disagrees with Reilly's interpretation of the act, but his failure to explain his position publicly makes his disagreement suspect.
After all, Reilly - a member of the president's own administrative team - has been responsible for drafting rules to encourage industrial compliance of the Clean Air Act. Bush's changing stands on environmental issues appear to be driven more by political needs than by regulatory consistency.
It is true the president has been getting significant pressure from influential industry leaders to relax often expensive air pollution rules in light of the lengthy recession.
And such a relaxing of the rules may, in fact, be justifiable. But the hush-hush, under-the-table approach is not the right way to carry it out. Let's have any arguments and explanations from the president offered up front and in the open.