Each Must Choose His Own Way to Serve Humanity

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Another re-broadcast Chefjef post, wherein he says that compassionate conservatives must strive to serve the little people. I serve mine with a tart lemon-caper sauce, usually complemented by a big oaky chardonnay.

--Monk

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The Bush Administration is working hard to bring about more business friendly regulation in Washington. Such things as streamlined and more flexible pollution standards, chemical handling rules, and workers’ medical leave protections are on the horizon. It shouldbe remembered that U.S. manufacturing was hammered by recession and overseas competition during much of President Bush’s first term. Gary Bass, executive director of OMB Watch, a pro-consumer group that monitors the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB), calls the latest efforts a new assault on anticompetitive rules that amounts to rewarding the President’s political supporters in the business world. OMB is leading the effort through its Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs. The project is being coordinated by a former Harvard professor, John Graham, who has turned OMB’s regulatory arm into a voice for the Administration’s pro-business views on regulation. Clearly, Big Business interests have made headway in Washington on several fronts, including passage in Congress of the so-called class action reform. Passage of new consumer bankruptcy laws also points to the power and influence of Big Business in Bush II. The White House is now putting forward a new priority list of regulations for agencies. Some changes can be made administratively, with little or no input from Congress, which sets a very dangerous precedent. It appears that consumers will have almost no voice in what comes out of the White House over the next 3 years.

I hope and pray that the President, who claims to be a compassionate conservative, will develop a feeling and concern for little people who are really hurting today!

Chefjef