President Bush has signed a directive that gives the White House much greater control over the rules and policy statements that the government develops to protect public health, safety, the environment, civil rights and privacy. The New York Times is reporting each agency must now have a regulatory policy office run by a political appointee to supervise the development of rules and to make sure the agencies carry out the president’s priorities. Consumer, labor and environmental groups denounced the directive, saying it gave too much control to the White House and would hinder agencies’ efforts to protect the public. Democratic Congressman Henry Waxman of California said the executive order allows the political staff at the White House to dictate decisions on health and safety issues, even if the government’s own impartial experts disagree.