Odessa78
07-27-2012, 02:15 PM
The pace of regulations issued by the Obama administration is receding as the nation's economy falters and the 2012 election approaches.
the most expensive and controversial rules — to protect the food supply, reduce exposure to silica dust, require rear-view cameras or other devices on cars, and more — remain under review by the White House long after they were expected to be published.
Advocates for the environment, health and safety say the delay signals an effort by the administration to reconsider the economic and political impacts of its actions, in light of the struggling economy and the 2010 midterm elections that empowered Republicans.
At the very least, they say, the trend refutes charges that Obama has greatly increased the pace of government regulation.
"This notion that there's been this huge upsurge is just a fantasy," says Randy Rabinowitz, director of regulatory policy at the government watchdog group OMB Watch. "This year, it drops considerably."
More than 1,000 final rules have passed through the White House regulatory shop since Obama took office in January 2009, including 200 labeled "economically significant" because they carry costs or benefits of at least $100 million. In the first three years, the average was about 300 rules a year, including 60 expensive ones. This year, the total number has dipped to 149, 25 of which are "significant."
"They made a political decision," says William Kovacs, vice president for the environment, technology and regulatory affairs at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. "It's a very sophisticated approach of doing what they're going to do but finding ways to avoid taking the hit for it before the election."
White House slower to regulate (http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/story/2012-07-26/obama-regulations-election-economy/56514880/1)
the most expensive and controversial rules — to protect the food supply, reduce exposure to silica dust, require rear-view cameras or other devices on cars, and more — remain under review by the White House long after they were expected to be published.
Advocates for the environment, health and safety say the delay signals an effort by the administration to reconsider the economic and political impacts of its actions, in light of the struggling economy and the 2010 midterm elections that empowered Republicans.
At the very least, they say, the trend refutes charges that Obama has greatly increased the pace of government regulation.
"This notion that there's been this huge upsurge is just a fantasy," says Randy Rabinowitz, director of regulatory policy at the government watchdog group OMB Watch. "This year, it drops considerably."
More than 1,000 final rules have passed through the White House regulatory shop since Obama took office in January 2009, including 200 labeled "economically significant" because they carry costs or benefits of at least $100 million. In the first three years, the average was about 300 rules a year, including 60 expensive ones. This year, the total number has dipped to 149, 25 of which are "significant."
"They made a political decision," says William Kovacs, vice president for the environment, technology and regulatory affairs at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. "It's a very sophisticated approach of doing what they're going to do but finding ways to avoid taking the hit for it before the election."
White House slower to regulate (http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/story/2012-07-26/obama-regulations-election-economy/56514880/1)