Will We Actually See Regulatory Reform That Makes Sense?
By: Doug Busselman, Executive Vice President
President Barack Obama used the Wall Street Journal on January 18th as his platform to announce an Executive Order to “strike the right balance” for regulatory operations. We’re told that this “balance” will become the operating principle of our government.
Supposedly, at least from the language of President Obama’s guest’s commentary, “This order requires that federal agencies ensure that regulations protect our safety, health and environment while promoting economic growth.”
The order further orders a “government wide” review of all the rules on the books, taking out the old and outdated regulations that “stifle job creation and make our economy less competitive.”
This new mantra of regulatory reform was welcomed by the American Farm Bureau Federation President, Bob Stallman along with a very current example of a specific place to go in order to find reasons for fixing what’s out of whack.
Not all are seeing the Obama Executive Order as being the wonderful revelation of sudden-found kindness and appreciation for taking the regulatory boot off the throats of hard-pressed business enterprises. The Heritage Foundation had these thoughts on the subject.
It will be an interesting watch to see whether the Obama government will be able to walk their talk…or whether the news media will be willing to publish examples that demonstrate a need for improved accountability of agencies in following the directives spelled out in the Executive Order.
The goals of finding “more affordable, less intrusive means” to provide appropriate protection, while giving careful consideration to benefits and costs, are laudable pursuits to subscribe to accomplishing. We need to see how that will translate into actual performance or whether it will become like what we see from agencies following their requirements for the National Environmental Policy Act – going through the motions to accomplish pre-determined (often politically-inspired) agendas without actually coming up with sound decisions in the process.
President Barack Obama used the Wall Street Journal on January 18th as his platform to announce an Executive Order to “strike the right balance” for regulatory operations. We’re told that this “balance” will become the operating principle of our government.
Supposedly, at least from the language of President Obama’s guest’s commentary, “This order requires that federal agencies ensure that regulations protect our safety, health and environment while promoting economic growth.”
The order further orders a “government wide” review of all the rules on the books, taking out the old and outdated regulations that “stifle job creation and make our economy less competitive.”
This new mantra of regulatory reform was welcomed by the American Farm Bureau Federation President, Bob Stallman along with a very current example of a specific place to go in order to find reasons for fixing what’s out of whack.
“The President’s Executive Order notes that the regulatory system should promote economic growth, be based on the best available science, allow for public participation and an open exchange of ideas, and use the least burdensome tools for accomplishing its ends. EPA’s Chesapeake Bay TMDL rule fails on all these counts. For example, EPA failed to analyze (or at least failed to publicly disclose) the economic impact that would result from its TMDL, even after repeatedly promising to do so. If the new executive order is to have any meaning, we expect it will result in the reconsideration of EPA’s Chesapeake Bay TMDL. Otherwise, we have to wonder whether this Executive Order will bring about any real change.”
Not all are seeing the Obama Executive Order as being the wonderful revelation of sudden-found kindness and appreciation for taking the regulatory boot off the throats of hard-pressed business enterprises. The Heritage Foundation had these thoughts on the subject.
It will be an interesting watch to see whether the Obama government will be able to walk their talk…or whether the news media will be willing to publish examples that demonstrate a need for improved accountability of agencies in following the directives spelled out in the Executive Order.
The goals of finding “more affordable, less intrusive means” to provide appropriate protection, while giving careful consideration to benefits and costs, are laudable pursuits to subscribe to accomplishing. We need to see how that will translate into actual performance or whether it will become like what we see from agencies following their requirements for the National Environmental Policy Act – going through the motions to accomplish pre-determined (often politically-inspired) agendas without actually coming up with sound decisions in the process.
Posted by Doug Busselman at 1/19/2011 5:06 PM 
Categories: Government
Tags: Regulatory Reform Government Agencies President Obama Executive Order
Categories: Government
Tags: Regulatory Reform Government Agencies President Obama Executive Order
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