October 31, 2008
White House Makes Final Push To Deregulate
Washington Post: Bush Administration Seeks To Weaken Government Rules Aimed At Protecting Consumers And The Environment
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Bush's Push For Deregulation
In the final months of his administration, Pres. Bush and his aides are requesting a series of regulation changes ranging from issues concerning the environment to the economy. Jim Axelrod reports.
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President Bush listens to a speech during a graduation ceremony for FBI Special Agents in Quantico, Va., Thursday, Oct. 30, 2008. (AP)
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The White House is working to enact a wide array of federal regulations, many of which would weaken government rules aimed at protecting consumers and the environment, before President Bush leaves office in January.
The new rules would be among the most controversial deregulatory steps of the Bush era and could be difficult for his successor to undo. Some would ease or lift constraints on private industry, including power plants, mines and farms.
Those and other regulations would help clear obstacles to some commercial ocean-fishing activities, ease controls on emissions of pollutants that contribute to global warming, relax drinking-water standards and lift a key restriction on mountaintop coal mining.
Once such rules take effect, they typically can be undone only through a laborious new regulatory proceeding, including lengthy periods of public comment, drafting and mandated reanalysis.
"They want these rules to continue to have an impact long after they leave office," said Matthew Madia, a regulatory expert at OMB Watch, a nonprofit group critical of what it calls the Bush administration's penchant for deregulating in areas where industry wants more freedom. He called the coming deluge "a last-minute assault on the public . . . happening on multiple fronts."
White House spokesman Tony Fratto said: "This administration has taken extraordinary measures to avoid rushing regulations at the end of the term. And yes, we'd prefer our regulations stand for a very long time -- they're well reasoned and are being considered with the best interests of the nation in mind."
As many as 90 new regulations are in the works, and at least nine of them are considered "economically significant" because they impose costs or promote societal benefits that exceed $100 million annually. They include new rules governing employees who take family- and medical-related leaves, new standards for preventing or containing oil spills, and a simplified process for settling real estate transactions.
While it remains unclear how much the administration will be able to accomplish in the coming weeks, the last-minute rush appears to involve fewer regulations than Bush's predecessor, Bill Clinton, approved at the end of his tenure.
In some cases, Bush's regulations reflect new interpretations of language in federal laws. In other cases, such as several new counterterrorism initiatives, they reflect new executive branch decisions in areas where Congress -- now out of session and focused on the elections -- left the president considerable discretion.
The burst of activity has made this a busy period for lobbyists who fear that industry views will hold less sway after the elections. The doors at the New Executive Office Building have been whirling with corporate officials and advisers pleading for relief or, in many cases, for hastened decision making.
According to the Office of Management and Budget's regulatory calendar, the commercial scallop-fishing industry came in two weeks ago to urge that proposed catch limits be eased, nearly bumping into National Mining Association officials making the case for easing rules meant to keep coal slurry waste out of Appalachian streams. A few days earlier, lawyers for kidney dialysis and biotechnology companies registered their complaints at the OMB about new Medicare reimbursement rules. Lobbyists for customs brokers complained about proposed counterterrorism rules that require the advance reporting of shipping data.
Bush's aides are acutely aware of the political risks of completing their regulatory work too late. On the afternoon of Bush's inauguration, Jan. 20, 2001, his chief of staff issued a government-wide memo that blocked the completion or implementation of regulations drafted in the waning days of the Clinton administration that had not yet taken legal effect.
"Through the end of the Clinton administration, we were working like crazy to get as many regulations out as possible," said Donald R. Arbuckle, who retired in 2006 after 25 years as an OMB official. "Then on Sunday, the day after the inauguration, OMB Director Mitch Daniels called me in and said, 'Let's pull back as many of these as we can.'"
By R. Jeffrey Smith
© 2008 The Washington Post Company
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See all 538 CommentsThe only thing I would pass him is a Toll Road Token on his way back to Texas.
The only thing I would pass him is a Toll Road Token on his way back to Texas.
Posted by mytoosense at 10:00 AM
Regulations are administrative rule making to implement law -- traditionally congress can only object they do not legislate the language of administrative rules.
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Why doesn''t this surprise me? Considering the bailout and that bank presidents will be allowed to receive bonuses and pay dividends, acquire smaller banks, etc. on the taxpayers back and not loosen credit and make loans. Not to mention the banks are now loqwering your credit limit to what you currently owe, even if you make your regular payments and have good credit. Why are they doing this? so if you make a charge they can charge you penalities for exceeding your limit.
No, before he leaves, Bush wants to finish raping the American people so the next POTUSA will waste four years undoing all the damage GWB has done.
I wonder if we can evict him from Texas.
Yesterday the government announced that it will DIVERT the $700 billion bailout TO BUY STOCK IN BANKS instead of buying up high-risk loans at a discount as originally planned.
IT SHOULD BE OBVIOUS WHAT AN ***INCREDIBLE*** CONFLICT OF INTEREST THIS IS, when the government owns stock in a business that IT REGULATES!!!!!
ISN''''T THAT OBVIOUS??????????????????
The government will be MUCH MORE INCLINED to make regulations that are favorable to the businesses, instead of making regulations to protect the public AS THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO DO.
Our federal government has ABANDONED its purpose and become an accomplice to the WEALTHY BUSINESS OWNERS who now control our Congress and the White House.
OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS BOUGHT AND PAID FOR. They will start robbing and pillaging as soon as Election Day is over.
VOTE THEM OUT!
VOTE THEM *ALL* OUT!!
VOTE WHILE YOU STILL HAVE THE CHANCE!!!
Posted by misha128 at 10:01 AM : Oct 31, 2008
Greenspan is a LIBERTARIAN. Check his bio.
I hope this crisis finally puts to rest the libertarian agenda of eliminating all regulation and ASSUMING that free market and self regulation will make the economy more "efficient."
Posted by ConDumbistan at 10:23 AM : Oct 31, 2008
Guess what - gop_will_win is a democrat TROLL masquerading as a conservative, just to lure in the unsuspecting like you.
NOBODY really believes what he posts.
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Posted by misha128
Interesting, this can be done without a Congressional vote?
Posted by fedupwithit1 at 10:25 AM : Oct 31, 2008
Our Congress is out of control. THIS IS DANGEROUS.
It''s bad enough they''re buying stock in businesses THEY REGULATE - an OBVIOUS conflict of interest.
But the stock has NO VOTING RIGHTS????
This is total insanity. Election Day might be too late.
THERE MIGHT NOT BE AN ELECTION DAY. Vote early, and vote HARD!!!
Shame on George W. Bush. He is truly an embarrassment to our country.
Posted by CMUhes at 10:24 AM : Oct 31, 2008
Cripes amighty, Bush is almost like a DEMOCRAT!!!
Posted by misha128 at 10:01 AM : Oct 31, 2008
Greenspan is a LIBERTARIAN. Check his bio.
I hope this crisis finally puts to rest the libertarian agenda of eliminating all regulation and ASSUMING that free market and self regulation will make the economy more "efficient."
Posted by txgrouch2007 at 10:24 AM
Libertarians are the strongest of Fiscal Conservatives advocating the smallest government possible. There is no mutual exclusion with these positions, to be exact they are strongly aligned.
Posted by misha128 at 10:29 AM : Oct 31, 2008
As I said, I think the current crisis has PROVEN the fallacy of that view.
Posted by fedupwithit1 at 10:30 AM : Oct 31, 2008
Then you''re FULL OF IT. You probably ARE gop_will_win.
Stop posting under multiple screen names, troll.
Congress...Please! Cut this plan off at the knees and tell him to pack it up and enjoy a two and a half month vacation.
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Posted by misha128
Interesting, this can be done without a Congressional vote?
Posted by mytoosense at 10:27 AM
allegedly between the parameters of the law. However with signing statements and ignoring the written aspects of the law this clearly is approaching the creation law in the executive branch. Yes, if you accept the premise, the executive overreach should be reversed or limited as expected in the Constitution, to reasonable judgment and options by a President within the bounds of a written law, without respect to the signing statement.
Posted by fedupwithit1 at 10:30 AM : Oct 31, 2008
Then you''''re FULL OF IT. You probably ARE gop_will_win.
Stop posting under multiple screen names, troll.
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Posted by txgrouch2007
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I am not using multiple screen names.
We must dereulate and erode consumer protection or else the terrorist will prevail. Those who oppose President Bushs latest proposals hate America and want a terrorist victory.
Spoken like a true Neo-Nazi, whos mind is controlled by el DIABLO!
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Posted by ConDumbistan
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My mind is controlled by Jesus.
Posted by misha128 at 10:29 AM : Oct 31, 2008
As I said, I think the current crisis has PROVEN the fallacy of that view.
Posted by txgrouch2007 at 10:31 AM
Are you aware that Greenspan and Cox denounced deregulation. Greenspan did so resoundingly so when he stated Business does not act in it''s own best interest. The calls for appropriate and significant regulation was made. Later statements were clearly interpreted as Management acting only in their own personal best interests without concern for either shareholders or the workers. Much like signing statements and executive branch law making (pseudo-regulations ignoring the congressional legislative role, Business managers have managed to stifle the stockholders voice in the operation of an enterprise.
NOBODY really believes what he posts.
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Posted by txgrouch2007
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Wrong, many people believe what I post.
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I normally refrain from personal insults, but this guy is retarded.
These 2 pictures illustrate why I will never vote republican:
http://img.blogads.com/74814991/img.jpg
http://elections.foxnews.com/img/story/102308_robbery.jpg
moral majority my a$$ !!!!
A manufactured war, killing hunderds of thousands of troops and civilians.
Over 10 billion a month to support that war.
We owe China over 500 billion
Failing economy
8% average unemployment
700 billion "rescue" dollars being spent as going away presents to his buddies on Wall St,nad you can bet, none will be left when he leaves office.
Criminal--someone needs to pull his Visa so he can''t leave the country until he, Cheney, Rumsfield, Rove and the rest have been charged with war crimes and "hanged at dawn"!!!!
That''s great!!! I think we''re in the middle of global cooling. This was the coldest summer in the past 10 years. We need some heat.
NOBODY really believes what he posts.
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Posted by txgrouch2007
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Wrong, many people believe what I post.
Posted by gop_will_Win at 10:41 AM : Oct 31, 2008
He''s the funniest person on this board, I always look for his posts
What an absolute disgrace he is. His family must be so proud............
Contrast Obama, "Unite" move the country forward. Save the planet while developing renewable American energy. I''ve always thought the US people are getting exactly what they deserve for voting Bush TWICE! If they vote McCain they deserve no sympathy from anyone in the world.
Horse sh*t!
This is a last ditch effort to take a sledge hammer to regulations designed to protect Americans from unbridled corporate greed and criminality.
Haven''t we had enough of this with tainted food and medicines, Bisphenol A in baby bottles, and food poisoning outbreaks?
I guess the Repugnicans know they''re going down and they want to take the rest of us with them. They don''t care, as long as it crams money in their pockets and the pockets of those that have been bribing them for the past eight years.
What a disgusting bunch of money grubbing Aholes.
Posted by misha128 at 10:39 AM : Oct 31, 2008
Talk doesn''t count. He expressed "shocked disbelief" at the current crisis that resulted from the failure of lenders to act prudently out of concern for stockholder value.
He didn''t believe that derivatives and credit default swaps need to be regulated.
Why do the facts contradict his words???
Pro-polution people are dancing in the streets.
Posted by gop_will_Win at 10:39 AM : Oct 31, 2008
Then you must have a bad connection.
Anybody who DOESN''T think you''re a joke thinks you''re mentally ill.
You do NOT represent Republicans.
My mind is controlled by Jesus.
Posted by gop_will_Win at 10:39 AM : Oct 31, 2008
Jesus doesn''t do evil and Jesus doesn''t vote, you''re on your own.
We got ours,
In your face America.
Posted by WogerWabbit at 10:49 AM : Oct 31, 2008
Like I said - wait to see what they have in store for AFTER Election Day, when it will be too late to hold them accountable.
I think ALL powers of Congress and the President should be SUSPENDED by emergency order, until the next Congress and President are sworn in.
The damage they could do is staggering.
But - WHO can issue an emergency order to suspend the powers of the President AND Congress???
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