11/09/2012

The coming regulatory explosion

Since July I have been warning about the coming onslaught of federal regulations.  Obama obviously didn't want these coming out during the campaign.  I believe that Obama has been delaying issuing new regulations until after the election.  From CNS News:
It’s Friday morning, and so far today, the Obama administration has posted 165 new regulations and notifications on its reguations.gov website
In the past 90 days, it has posted 6,125 regulations and notices – an average of 68 a day. 
The website allows visitors to find and comment on proposed regulations and related documents published by the U.S. federal government. "Help improve Federal regulations by submitting your comments," the website says. . . .
Remember Obama's claim about oil exploration during the Second Presidential debate that he was responsible for increased oil production.  Yet, immediately after the presidential debate we have this new regulation:
The Interior Department on Friday issued a final plan to close 1.6 million acres of federal land in the West originally slated for oil shale development. 
The proposed plan would fence off a majority of the initial blueprint laid out in the final days of the George W. Bush administration. It faces a 30-day protest period and a 60-day process to ensure it is consistent with local and state policies. After that, the department would render a decision for implementation. 
Related point: "The Top 3 Special Interests Expecting Favors During Obama’s Second Term," the payoffs to labor, environmental groups, and "green" energy companies. 

UPDATE: Finally, the WSJ gets up to speed on this point.  
Since Election Day, the Health and Human Services Department has submitted a raft of key health rules for White House review that it has been sitting on for months. . . . 
Financial services. According to a Davis-Polk analysis, only 133 or 33.4% of the 398 rule-makings the law firm estimates Dodd-Frank requires have been finalized. The law is ambiguous and other reviews suggest the figure could be closer to 500. As of November 1, some 132 rules haven't even been proposed, while the government has failed to meet 61% (or 144) of Dodd-Frank's legal deadlines. . . . 
Energy. In the lead-up to November, the Environmental Protection Agency stood down under White House pressure, delaying rules for ozone air quality and industrial boilers, and deferring carbon standards. Now EPA chief Lisa Jackson has the run of the place. . . . 
Economic potpourri. The National Labor Relations Board, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs are teaming up to rewrite employment, labor and workplace law. The FCC and the FTC are doing the same for the tech industry and Silicon Valley via investigations, audits and "oversight." The Agriculture Department is going after "illegally harvested plants." The Consumer Product Safety Commission has its eyes on . . . table saws. . . .

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