Bush OKs Tough Product Safety Rules
Following Panel Recommendations, President Proposes Recall Authority For The FDA
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President Bush, right, accompanied by Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt, makes a statement on import safety, Nov. 6, 2007, in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington. (AP)
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Nancy Nord, acting Chairman of the Consumer Product Safety Commission, shown here testifying on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2007. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other Democrats have demanded Nord's resignation after she opposed a legislative measure that would in part authorize the hiring of more staff and a doubling of CPSC's budget. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
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Bush said the United States benefits from having an open market and a huge variety of products from across the globe.
However, he said, "We need to do more to ensure that American families have confidence in what they find on our store shelves. They have the right to expect the food they eat, the medicines they take or the toys they buy for their children to be safe."
Acting on recommendations from an advisory panel, Bush proposed that the Food and Drug Administration be empowered to order mandatory recalls of unsafe food products. Currently, the FDA lacks the authority to order recalls, but works with producers on voluntary recalls. "Specifically, the FDA would be empowered to order a recall when a company refuses to recall their product voluntarily, or moves too slowly in removing the unsafe product from the market," the president said.
Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt said the United States has "among the safest food supplies on the planet. It's not perfect. We can get better. But we're very fortunate to live in a place where these problems are discovered quickly and responded to."
Bush also proposed increasing the presence of U.S. inspectors from Customs, the Border Patrol, the Consumer Product Safety Commission and other agencies in countries that are major exporters to the United States.
Other proposals would strengthen CPSC's authority by making it illegal for companies to knowingly sell a recalled product; by authorizing the CPSC to issue follow-up recall announcements, and by requiring recalling companies to report supplier and delivery information. Further, CPSC would be able to impose asset forfeiture penalties for criminal offenses.
A third recommendation calls for establishing a certification program - likened to a seal of approval - for companies with a proven track record for meeting safety standards. The Bush administration sees that as a powerful tool because it presumably would make certified suppliers more attractive to big retailers.
In addition, regulators would be able to concentrate on countries and companies that don't have a reputation for meeting certification standards
"For many years we've relied on a strategy based on identifying unsafe products at the border," Bush said. "The problem is that the growing volume of products coming into our country makes this approach increasingly unreliable."
He said federal regulators now will focus on stopping dangerous products from reaching U.S. borders in the first place.
© MMVII The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.



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See all 67 CommentsIt''s going to take a major reorganization of the CPSC and the replacement of Ms. Nord before the agency becomes credible again, and it''s going to take the leadership of someone who is ethical to begin with, instead of whining "everybody does it" and then negotiating terms before she''ll do her job.
Stay safe. Don''t buy stuff made in China. They don''t give a *** if some dumb American dies from their cheap *** anyway.
But corporate America is making too much money off of dealing with our undercover enemy the Chinese... so don''t expect to see any change here from either Dem or Republican party.
We''re economically addicted to China! Yay! Hey America- How''s it feel to sell your country''s soul for bigger profit margins for CEOs?
;)
I''m sure I must be missing something here though. Bush never does anything that isn''t self-serving.
"WAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaa!!!"
Grow up and get a job before you pop off, you thumb-sucking morons.
And...hey...guess what? Your know your leader, your man-crush George Bush?
He''s as dumb as a rock. Four colors of stupid. And everyone on this planet, with the exception of you drolling morons, knows it.
Go get a job and get out of your Mom''s basement, OK?
Associated Press Writer
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) %u2013 The whitehouse government of embattled President bush said Thursday it may impose a state of emergency due to ``external and internal threats'''''''''''''''' and deteriorating law and order.
including from Democratic presidential hopeful Barak Obama, over the possibility of U.S. military action against al-Qaida in Pakistan ``has started alarm bells ringing and has upset the Pakistani public.''''''''''''''''
But it appeared the motivation for a declaration of an emergency would be the domestic political woes of
President bush
During a state of emergency, the government can restrict the freedom to move, rally, engage in political activities or form groups and impose other limits such as restricting congress right to make laws or even dissolving congress
``These are only unconfirmed reports although the possibility of imposition of emergency cannot be ruled out and has recently been talked about and discussed, keeping in mind some external and internal threats and the law and order situation,bush told The Associated Press.
In Washington, the State Department said . ``
Bush is under growing American pressure to crack down on militants at the Afghan border because of fears that al-Qaida is regrouping there.
The Bush administration has also not ruled out unilateral military action inside america but like Obama, has stressed the need to work with the americans.
Just wondering.
The corporations should be help responsible for all their products, after all, they''re the ones who decided to have what we purchase produced in sweat shops.
They are the ones raking in at least a 300% profit, if not more!!
Which means - No Changes
Lastdance
COUNTRY OF ORGIN LAWS HAVE BEEN ON THE BOOKS FOR YEARS, BUT THIS ADMINISTRATION, HAS REFUSED TO ENFORCE THEM, DUE TO PRESSURE FROM THE RICH AND FAMOUS. ASKED YOUR STORE MANAGER, WHERE THE PRODUCT COMES FROM. MOST WON''T TELL YOU, OR THEY REALLY DON''T KNOW.
GOOD LUCK..........
Freedom is apparently popular, folks. I''m glad it is. In just the last 24 hours (Nov 5, 2007), he raised over $4,200,000 in grass roots donations from his supporters nationwide, beating Mitt Romney''s previous one-day (Republican) record of 3.1 million Dollars. Do the math, folks. Ron Paul certainly isn''t getting any money from the bankers or the military industrial complex like all the sold-out NWO candidates both on the left and the right who pretend to be his equal. He''s getting support from millions of REAL people who share in his Hope For America:
-- No more meddling in other country''s political affairs
-- No more aggressive military actions overseas
-- No more pseudo-wars like the "War on Drugs"
-- No more IRS and unconstitutional income taxes
-- No more Federal Reserve (the group of private banks which owns our government)
-- No more abortion
-- No more U.N. participation
-- No more federal Laws which are not authorized by The Constitution
-- No more federal erosion of State sovereignty
-- No more all-powerful federal government
They don''t call him "Dr. No" for no reason. The Doctor is in! Join us in this 21st Century political revolution at ronpaul2008.com
Remember, folks. Freedom isn''t free.
Thanks to everyone for your support!
Freedom is apparently popular, folks. I''m glad it is. In just the last 24 hours (Nov 5, 2007), he raised over $4,200,000 in grass roots donations from his supporters nationwide, beating Mitt Romney''s previous one-day (Republican) record of 3.1 million Dollars. Do the math, folks. Ron Paul certainly isn''t getting any money from the bankers or the military industrial complex like all the sold-out NWO candidates both on the left and the right who pretend to be his equal. He''s getting support from millions of REAL people who share in his Hope For America:
-- No more meddling in other country''s political affairs
-- No more aggressive military actions overseas
-- No more pseudo-wars like the "War on Drugs"
-- No more IRS and unconstitutional income taxes
-- No more Federal Reserve (the group of private banks which owns our government)
-- No more abortion
-- No more U.N. participation
-- No more federal Laws which are not authorized by The Constitution
-- No more federal erosion of State sovereignty
-- No more all-powerful federal government
They don''t call him "Dr. No" for no reason. The Doctor is in! Join us in this 21st Century political revolution at ronpaul2008.com
Remember, folks. Freedom isn''t free.
Thanks to everyone for your support!
If we tried to protest and not buy what isn''t made in America--we''d all starve to death and go naked!!
Not much is made here anymore!!
What we should do is go backwards, farm our own veggies, raise our own cows, pigs chickens and make our own clothes!!
Yeah right!!!! hahahahaha
So we keep paying high prices for things primarily made in sweat shops!
Shame on us!
Excuse me? Congress is the branch of government responsible for funding federal agencies, not the Executive branch. Congress has cut the CPSC budget, not the President. Even if the President had proposed budget cuts, it is the responsibility of Congress to ensure that federal agencies are sufficiently funded to carry out their mission. But Congress never takes responsibility for its actions or inactions.
MOST PRODUCTS HAVE THE DISTRIBUTOR, ON THE LABEL. COUNTRY OF ORGIN, ALMOST NEVER. EVER WONDER WHY?
HMMMMMMMMMMMM..........
One word ... "idiot."
Now that Bush must do damage control to shore up his sagging polls, do we suppose he hasn''t consulted his corporate clientele about how to introduce the least effective consumer protections?
This is "Consumer Safety Lite", a reminder of the time Bush told the EPA to adopt policy that actually would increase mercury emissions from coal-fired plants.
To know the inner Bush regarding consumer product safety, all we must do is review the CPSC''s recent history. The agency was decimated of its inspection staff and reduced to an underbudgeted appendix of the federal budget. Somewhat like FEMA.
Heckuva job!
Or he''s gonna waterboard ''em.
Ha, what a joke. Get tough on toys, heck with child care.
Paul boosters plead what they believe are his positive points, but by any standard, this is only damnation by faint praise for Paul. Paul is only a Bush Republican who never endorsed all the neocon globalist thinking and money driving Bush.
And while Bush and Paul may differ here and there on foreign affairs, their policies at home are much closer. Both are cheerleaders for lessez faire-- the policy that brought us everything from Enron to the still rampaging mortgage bust on Wall Street.
Paul and Bush also follow the Grover Norquist view that government is the problem, not the solution. Unfortunately, like most Bush slogans, that doesn''t describe America or its problems.
For example, it was private insurance sector incompetence which left America behind Cuba in infant mortality, which left us paying 2.5 times more for healthcare than the EU and with 47 million of us medically uninsured as "subprime" risks.
And it was a private, not public sector mortgage fiasco that dropped the DOW 250 points and left 650,000 Americans foreclosed out of their own homes-- all due to fine print and the "wisdom" of the market.
Ron Paul, by his stated beliefs, endorses more of the same-- and America simply cannot afford another Bush.
However, it should be noted that simply because the Emperor decides that stricter measures are needed to protect the consumers of the USSA, does not mean that such measures will be implemented. If any are, there is a good chance that enforcement of those stricter measures will be as tough as the inspection of containers are from abroad!
SIG HEIL, BUSH!!!
Pssst, today I learned that Ron Paul supporters are all just a bunch of pro-lifers trying to find a palatable candidate they can push through.
******************************************
Yeah, especially now, a year before an election and all those Republicans that cling to your coat tails need to get re-elected. Now you want to look like a good guy, the is concerned about our kids, and safety of our products. LOL Too late, bub.
WASHINGTON - House Democrats on Tuesday narrowly managed to avert a bruising debate on a proposal to impeach *** Cheney after Republicans, in a surprise maneuver, voted in favor of taking up the measure.
Republicans, changing course midway through a vote, tried to force Democrats into a debate on the resolution sponsored by longshot presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich.
Now going to the House Judiciary Committee.
We can only hope!!
Bring it on!!!
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Nice try, but not true. The Founders were largely Deists, who believed, for example, that a perfect God needs no prayer from us to guide His perfect will. Deists, therefore, do not endorse prayerful intercession, either.
The Constitution, itself, makes little mention of God, except to prevent establishment of religion. This was understandable, following England''s experience with religious civil war about 150 years before.
Paul is "not my father''s school of political thought"? Certainly not-- my father had the intelligence to see through blarney when he heard it. Paul is Ayn Rand''s meager take on civilization, which is to say, a spoonful.
the south elected bush, supports bush and loves bush.
why does the south love bush?
that''s because the south is full of creepy redneck christian freaks...
just like bush!
war, hate, christian creeps, redneck freaks...
oh well, that''s the south for you, folks!
white trash, rednecks, illiterates, christian creeps, republican idiots, southern snakes...
did i miss anybody?
no, i think that''s about it.
oh, i forgot those creepy evangelist.
ha,ha,ha
war, hate, arrogance, phony christian creeps...
nothing good comes out of the south!
As much as I would like this to happen remember Pelosi Its Off The Table watch her,
white trash, rednecks, illiterates, christian creeps, republican idiots, southern snakes...
did i miss anybody?
no, i think that''''s about it.
oh, i forgot those creepy evangelist.
ha,ha,ha
war, hate, arrogance, phony christian creeps...
nothing good comes out of the south
Where did you learn your bigotry?
We can only hope!!
Bring it on!!!
Posted by liberalme at 06:54 PM : Nov 06, 2007
+ report abuse
I hope they do it would show the country what they''ll get if they elect a democrat president
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