Emblazoned in the sky over the Republican Convention this September, there ought to be a chart of money spent on business cronies and pet projects next to money spent on citizens and children. Maybe new laser lights can draw these shameful numbers.
Today President Bush opposes rules that will ban lead and toxins in children’s toys and might veto reform at the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Shake my head.
Exxon Mobil manufacturers diisononyl phthalate, or DINP, the phthalate most frequently found in children’s toys. The company spent a chunk of its $22 million lobbying budget in the past 18 months to try to prevent any ban.
Years go by. Shake, shake, shake my head.
“The great fear is that if a big, established chemical like this can be driven from the market, what’s next?”
Exactly!