It’s been a tough May for Federal Agencies. Amid a backdrop of scrutiny over potential regulatory missteps in the Texas fertilizer plant explosion, accusations of document concealment at the Environmental Protection Agency, and lengthy congressional hearings into State Department action in the aftermath of the Benghazi terror attacks, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) finished this … Continue reading
Category Archives: Regulation
A Drop in the Bucket: the Obamacare Application Gets a Reboot
Flexible and nimble, these are the words chosen by one Obama Administration official as part of the announcement earlier this week that the application to apply for health insurance through the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) shiny new state exchanges would be trimmed to three pages. The presentation of the new form, meant to remind the … Continue reading
“Made in the Shade” Bringing Light to EPA Rulemaking
“My Administration is committed to creating an unprecedented level of openness in Government. We will work together to ensure the public trust and establish a system of transparency, public participation, and collaboration. Openness will strengthen our democracy and promote efficiency and effectiveness in Government.” This statement forms the opening paragraph of a pointed memo released … Continue reading
Does New EPA Rule Mean More Pain at the Gas Pump or Cleaner Air?
Obsessive behavior surrounding climate change continues as the EPA releases their new Tier 3 program for sulfur regulation in gasoline. The program sets new vehicles emissions standards and lower sulfur content in gasoline beginning in 2017. The policy is projected to be more effective than past emissions policy, because it controls vehicle emissions as well … Continue reading
Self-Evident? Walking the path to Citizenship in the United States
Oracle, IBM, and Microsoft together form a vanguard assembly of tech giants known to foster excited anticipation for 21st century innovation. However, at the tail end of 2012 these industry leaders all placed their signatures next to one another on a letter expressing support for a contemporary center-piece of American Politics: Immigration Reform. Up for … Continue reading
Hats Off to the EPA: The Important Success of ‘Cap-and-Trade’
President Obama has made clear that in his second term he will make a concerted effort to raise national awareness of the problem of pollution and begin to structure federal activity to respond to the growing danger of climate change. Striking a defiant pose, the President used his State of the Union speech to make … Continue reading
Endangered species finally get much needed attention
Social, economic and political problems plague policy makers and focus attention on an array of both domestic and foreign issues. Congress is notably polarized and it seems that the more important an issue may be, the more difficult compromise is. Top environmental issues tend to revolve around energy production, renewable energy technology, food production, water … Continue reading
No Buds for Budweiser: Are Corporate Mergers Bad for Consumers?
Budweiser’s proposed merger with Corona and Stella Artois was denied in early February by the Department of Justice, but several other big name companies have plans to get together. The big name mergers underway are: Office Depot with Office Max, US Airways with American Airlines, and Warren Buffet’s Berkshire Hathaway with Heinz Ketchup. These corporate … Continue reading
At Minimum, a Call for Reform
During his State of the Union, President Obama’s call to raise the minimum wage generated enough buzz that congressional Republicans were barely to the steps of the capital building before they were voicing concern. Despite the surging popularity of this proposition, new research suggests that minimum wage increases may not benefit employees as matter-of-factly as … Continue reading
Hidden Costs: Regulatory Impacts on Small Businesses
When pitchers and catchers report to spring training sights in Florida and the southwest, it is easy to feel like the sun is just a bit warmer and spring is right around the corner. For millions of small business owners across the United States however, the early months of 2013 have already felt like the … Continue reading
You must be logged in to post a comment.