Everyone has heard how our elected officials are being stalked by lobbyists. Sometimes this is even a good thing! Our representatives in Congress need help understanding all the different issues. But lately, I’ve been disturbed to see how much “lobbying” goes the opposite way.
We’re being bombarded by information – maybe a better term is propaganda – to influence public opinion. Unelected bureaucrats, social media campaigns, commercials, TV talk shows, and all ways imaginable are being used to convince the public of problems that bureaucrats think they can solve.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Chief Gina McCarthy, for example, says Americans must “just trust us on climate science.” She maintains the EPA’s so-called “Clean Power Plan” will signal to the world the U.S. is serious about global warming.
Trust the EPA’s 44 years of experience dealing with environmental issues, she says. “We can speak to the science because it’s complicated…”
This once again reminds me of the old saying, “I’m from the government. I’m here to help you!”
Now don’t get me wrong, I believe in climate change. I always have and always will. But why trust the EPA to spend billions of tax dollars, deciding which “green” businesses will thrive and stimulate the economy? This is our government!!!
The new WOTUS rules are even a bigger story. Ironically, the EPA’s water rule is likely to slow to adoption of conservation practices. These rules are almost certain to create new burdens by adding permitting requirements for normal farming practices like fixing or installing grassed waterways. As the Farm Bureau blog states, “Lipstick can’t dress up EPA’s troubling waters decree.”
Speaking of troubling waters, questions are being raised about whether the EPA broke the law by soliciting positive comments during its public comment period on WOTUS. I understand EPA officials posted statements on Facebook that were favorable to their rules. EPA officials also counted the likes on Facebook as positive comments during the comment period. In fact, EPA sponsored a drive on Facebook and Twitter to promote its proposed clean water rule in conjunction with the Sierra Club. Soliciting endorsements and support is a far cry from simply educating the public.
Such actions overstep grassroots lobbying efforts. Let’s review the making of a law… after our elected officials pass a law, it goes to a rule-making committee. The committee is usually made up of unelected official appointees, or bureaucrats. This committee makes the rules by which the law is enforced. It’s their interpretation. Then there are the agencies, like the EPA, that enforce the law. Agency officials again interpret what they think the law means. Any thought as to why a rule needs to be hundreds of pages? Then, of course, we have the “we must pass it before we can read it” Obamacare rule!
Another big debate now is the use of antibiotics in the livestock industry, and it was certainly a top issue last week at World Pork Expo. Even though there is absolutely NO PROOF that antibiotic use on farms causes ANY resistance, our current administration is pushing forward with banishing it! There’s no proof, yet our “government” must fix it!!!
Last week I heard that 29% of an American’s income goes to cover regulations. That means 29% of your income goes to pay a hidden expense that raises the cost of everything you buy!
Think about all the regulations that impact our live:
- New dietary guidelines that are wrong but the Administration is pushing them anyway!
- New school lunch rules that all kids hate!
- Common core standards that make kids learn just to pass test!
- Gun control laws that have been proven to be ineffective and downright dangerous!
- Media that just prints what the government wants it to say!
- Political correctness that is making everyone wimps!
Any one of these topics could be its own blog post. But, I’ll stop here for today!
What regulations have you concerned?