The profound failure of the Bush Administration has reached a new low: It has now been two years since any species has been added to the list of organisms protected under the Endangered Species Act. Never since the Endangered Species Act was passed has there been such a long period of no activity.

Is this long gap in new listings due to an ecological improvement that has led fewer species to be in danger of extinction? No. There are 280 candidate species that have been waiting consideration for years, all the while their populations dwindling toward the point of no return.

Sadly, even if an animal is listed under the Endangered Species act, it may not get the protection it needs from the Bush Administration. The North Atlantic right whale, for example, will not receive protections from speeding shipping vessels this year because of political decisions made by White House officials. George W. Bush is willing to break the law to start wars, to torture people, and to spy on law-abiding Americans, and so violations of the Endangered Species Act are nothing to him.