head in the sand approach

over and over, this administration and Repubs in general take this stance. In this case it's mad cow:

"Agriculture officials said they were slow off the mark after last summer's Canadian incident because they were waiting for the science to show them the way and concerned about overreacting and thereby unnecessarily harming the industry. "

They waited for "good science" to tell them to sit on their hands and do nothing so that big beef can continue to profit. Though the Oregonian editorial points out that risks are small, the horrible consequences hundreds of patients in Great Britain suffered is enough to make at least a few consumers and some trading partners anxious.