-Caveat Lector- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Wed, 4 Aug 1999 Subj: Reining in the Regulators Reining in the Regulators by DOUG FIEDOR [EMAIL PROTECTED] Heads Up House Republicans finally started asking a few questions about the regulatory bureaucracy. We do not think they asked the correct questions on this round. Nevertheless, the information they demand will be interesting. For over 50 years, Congress has allowed the vast federal regulatory bureaucracy to do darn near as it wished. Congress would pass an open ended law stating some type of goal, and a bunch of desk-bound regulators (with the help of their Non Government Organization friends and interested big industry lobbyists) would promulgate a few hundred rules and regulations impacting on the unsuspecting American people with the full force of law. That being done, the federal regulation bureaucracy decided they needed their own special armed police force. Next, they wanted their own special court system, a court system in which they can hire and fire their own judges. Soon, most regulatory agencies were all three branches of government rolled into one. Then, they took their cue from the IRS's tried and proven tactics and stated that violations of their edicts would be a civil crime so that the Bill of Rights would not apply and a citizen would be guilty in one of their little kangaroo courts until proven innocent. The Democratic run Congress loved this arrangement. The people were properly controlled, and the Congress Critter could stand back and tell any constituent falling into the clutches of that unconstitutional system: "It ain't my fault, I'm on your side against this out of control bureaucracy." It is Congress' fault, though. Under orders of the socialist Roosevelt administration, Congress created the mess. Then, every year thereafter, they expanded on it. Now, Republicans in Congress are starting to look at the federal regulatory bureaucracy a little. And they realize what a real mess they have on their hands. There is little or nothing about the federal regulatory bureaucracy that even comes close to being authorized by powers given to the federal government by the Constitution. And now, being the majority in both houses, the problem is the Republicans' responsibility. Here's the problem: Most Republicans (not the old ones, they are lost causes) know that, like the IRS, the whole of the regulatory system makes a total mockery of that "rule of law" we call our Constitution. Regulatory agencies are, in fact, executive, legislative and judicial branches rolled into one bureaucracy. They are much closer to the communist politburo form of government than anything our Founding Fathers ever envisioned. But, that has become our system and no one knows how to change it back. Because, to abolish the regulatory system would mean a gross loss of power for the federal government. The people could not be controlled as strictly. Even the suggestion of a cutback would cause a chorus of socialists -- Clinton, the Democrats in Congress and their sycophants in the press -- to scream bloody murder. So, Congress is going to tinker with the regulatory system a little. Now comes the "Regulatory Right-to-Know Act of 1999," or HR 1074. It just passed the House last week and now goes to that sink hole called the Senate. The House estimated that it costs the American people an extra $700 billion in hidden costs every year just to comply with federal rules and regulations. Republicans in the House want to know how much, if any, of this money is getting measurable results. "Americans deserve to know where their hard- earned tax dollars are going, and this bill will provide that information," said House Commerce Committee Chairman Tom Bliley (R-VA), chief sponsor of the bill. The socialists and liberals in the federal government are up in arms, though. The Clinton administration and the old line Democrats oppose the bill, saying the benefits of federal health and safety rules are difficult to quantify and the bill would put unneeded new burdens on federal agencies. Yeah, they would have to be a little bit accountable for once. The bill requires the director of the Office of Management and Budget to submit to Congress an annual analysis of the impact of federal rules and paperwork on both the public and private sector. In that analysis, the costs and benefits of each agency and agency program, rule and regulation must be specified and the OMB must include a report on duplications and inconsistencies between agencies. Furthermore, "the Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall arrange for 2 or more persons that have nationally recognized expertise in regulatory analysis and regulatory accounting, and that are independent of and external to the Government, to provide peer review of each accounting statement and associated report." And so it goes. Still, in any form, and for any reason, the federal regulatory bureaucracy is unconstitutional. That is the real fact Congress should be addressing. --------------------------------------------------------- Previous Editions at: http://www.uhuh.com/headsup.htm and http://mmc.cns.net/headsup.html --------------------------------------------- Enjoy a 90 day free trial subscription to the E-mail edition of The Vigo Examiner. You will receive up to three of our top stories, editorials of letters each day. Send your trial subscription request to [EMAIL PROTECTED] . 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