Welcome to the United States of Regulations

Posted on January 10th, 2011 by admin

The electorate has spoken and there are indications that at least some folks in Washington are listening to what we have said. Time will tell if the new Congress will act according to the will of the people rather than in their party’s, and ultimately their own, benefit. No matter what the legislators do, government bureaucrats are committed to following an agenda that could regulate the country to death.

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Recently Congress has passed legislation that has not been read, debated or meets with the approval of the American public. Omnibus bills such the closed-door passage of the health care bill, the stimulus package that has created few jobs and smaller ones like cash for clunkers are but a few examples of ambitious and/or wasteful spending.

One thing is certain, in addition to death and taxes, once regulations are put in place they are almost impossible to eliminate. In fact, attempts to “fix” them could end up making a bad situation worse. With the new Congress seated, the politics over regulations is heating up. This battle for power and ultimate control is not new, but the intensity of the fight is fiercer than ever.

Government agencies often try to skirt the legislators in Congress. The administration has appointed czars to implement regulatory programs without taking them to Capital Hill. And, congressional lawmakers pass bills that allow the bureaucrats too much latitude for interrupting and overseeing regulations.

The “Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act,” better known as health care reform, adds thousands of agents to the IRS payroll, millions to the rolls of the insured and costs in the trillions. In addition, there are thousands of other regulations that may or may not have a positive effect on our lives but will add to the nation’s debts with little regard for our individual freedoms and the future of America.

Here are a few other regulations that came into effect over the last year. The “Consumer Financial Protection Bureau,” or Dodd-Frank financial regulation, is the sweeping bill that affects virtually every area of finance.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) efforts in 2010 include new emission restrictions, with no scientific substantiation to impose emission restrictions. Cap and Trade tax legislation will not be signed into law; however, new energy standards will prove costly to consumers in the years to come.

And, two powerful government agencies have extended their reach. The Federal Communications Commission has announced, in defiance of Congress, that it will regulate the Internet. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) now dictates how farmers grow fruits and vegetables even though food-borne illness has been declining for years. Does any off this make you feel better off in any way?