The law saves us from Bush, all hail the law

Worried about all those new regulations that Bush is going to announce during the last five minutes of his Presidency that will take Obama years to undo? You know the ones, like where all Americans will be required to drink a vial of mercury every day at the behest of the Mercury Lobby. Or the regulation where you're allowed to hunt trade unionists from helicopters and kill limits for hunters on endangered and threatened species are moved from 'none' to 'as many as currently exist'. Don't be, says the Politico, there are laws to handle this sort of thing.

Congressional Democrats are eyeing a little-known, Clinton-era law as a way to reverse Bush administration midnight regulations — even ones that have already taken effect.

It’s a move that would undermine the White House’s attempt to finalize its energy and environmental regulations by November so that Barack Obama couldn’t undo them after he’s sworn in as the 44th president on Jan. 20.

“Fortunately, [the White House] made a mistake,” said a top Senate Democratic aide.

Oh, they've made many mistakes Mr/Mrs Aide, frankly it's all they do. They're more reliable than Swiss clocks in that respect. But go on.

It could take Obama years to undo climate rules finalized more than 60 days before he takes office — the advantage the White House sought by getting them done by Nov. 1. But that strategy doesn’t account for the Congressional Review Act of 1996.

The law contains a clause determining that any regulation finalized within 60 days of congressional adjournment — Oct. 3, in this case — is considered to have been legally finalized on Jan. 15, 2009. The new Congress then has 60 days to review it and reverse it with a joint resolution that can’t be filibustered in the Senate.

In other words, any regulation finalized in the last half-year of the Bush administration could be wiped out with a simple party-line vote in the Democrat-controlled Congress.

He shooots aaaaaand scores. Thank you inept Bush Administration, you can't even fuck over the environment and the new President effectively. You've left the decision to overturn your regulations in the hands of liberal socialist, tree humping, Goreacle listeners. We won't have to be forced to kill a spotted owl with our bare hands to prove our love to America.