Republicans often attack President Obama for his administration’s
job-killing regulations. I am not in the White House very often, but I
think the president and his team know that destroying jobs and hurting
American businesses isn’t a very good way to get re-elected — and I can
promise you that getting re-elected is President Obama’s top priority,
as it should be. So, in my view, these Republican attacks are unfair.
That being said, there have been a few regulations that have been proposed or enforced that have been very harsh on important American industries, such as some of the new regulations affecting oil and gas companies.
It seems to me that many of the large federal agencies are taking an “us versus them” approach to regulating business. Rather than looking for ways to help American companies succeed in the global marketplace, many regulators are looking for ways to curb the power and influence of the business community.
One example is the decision by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to ban Primatene Mist, an over-the-counter inhaler that is used to treat asthma symptoms. Primatene Mist was banned because it contains chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). The EPA says it imposed this ban in accordance with a treaty signed in 1987 by President Ronald Reagan that determined CFCs were damaging the ozone layer and should therefore be discontinued.
A few years ago, when the EPA decided to make it illegal for stores to sell Primatene Mist after December 31, 2011, the agency thought that there would be a replacement inhaler not containing CFCs available by 2012. When 2011 ended, however, there was no replacement inhaler. What is shocking is that instead of granting Primatene Mist a waiver to keep the inhaler on store shelves until a replacement inhaler became available, the EPA went ahead and instituted the ban anyhow.
That being said, there have been a few regulations that have been proposed or enforced that have been very harsh on important American industries, such as some of the new regulations affecting oil and gas companies.
It seems to me that many of the large federal agencies are taking an “us versus them” approach to regulating business. Rather than looking for ways to help American companies succeed in the global marketplace, many regulators are looking for ways to curb the power and influence of the business community.
One example is the decision by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to ban Primatene Mist, an over-the-counter inhaler that is used to treat asthma symptoms. Primatene Mist was banned because it contains chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). The EPA says it imposed this ban in accordance with a treaty signed in 1987 by President Ronald Reagan that determined CFCs were damaging the ozone layer and should therefore be discontinued.
A few years ago, when the EPA decided to make it illegal for stores to sell Primatene Mist after December 31, 2011, the agency thought that there would be a replacement inhaler not containing CFCs available by 2012. When 2011 ended, however, there was no replacement inhaler. What is shocking is that instead of granting Primatene Mist a waiver to keep the inhaler on store shelves until a replacement inhaler became available, the EPA went ahead and instituted the ban anyhow.
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