what, me worry?

Inconceivable!

Nancy A. Nord is the acting chairwoman of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

You would think with all the brouhaha over tainted children's toys, poisoned pet food, anti-freeze in toothpaste, e. coli in spinach and so much more, Ms Nord would be feeling overwhelmed and understaffed.

You would think that with a job that requires not only overseeing all domestic consumer products but those imported from all over the world, Ms Nord would be thrilled with the proposed legislation that would (1) increase her commission's authority, (2) make it easier to receive product reports, (3) increase her staff AND (4) double her budget.

But she is a member of the Bush administration. So, as counter-intuitive as it might seem, Ms. Nord, continuing the President's march to deregulation, has written to the Senate Commerce Committee arguing *against* this effort to strengthen her commission.

(see the article in The Sun, Tuesday, October 30, 2007, p. 3A)

Does *Homeland Security* - grandly conceived - not include the assumption that the toys we buy our children, the toothpaste we lay beside our bathroom sinks, and the food we feed our families are safe? How can we feel safe when we are afraid of being sabotaged by the very products that are meant to bring us joy, amusement and even health? How can we feel safe when the *enemy* can be lurking inside the stuff we bring into our homes? What is President Bush thinking?