A Regulation a Day… Keeps Jobs Away

NRCC - Democrats aren’t backing away from their record of job-destroying policies forced on Americans during the Democrats’ two years of unchecked control of Washington. Instead, they’re embracing that record by denying and dismissing concerns from job creators about their regulatory onslaught:

OBAMA: CONCERNS ABOUT REGULATIONS ARE “OVERSTATED”: There are some legitimate complaints about—regulations. A lot of it’s overstated.” (Erica Hill and Harry Smith, “CBS News Town Hall with President Obama Transcript,” CBS News, 5/12/2011)

EPA ADMINISTRATOR LISA JACKSON: COMPLAINTS ABOUT REGULATIONS REFLECT “INSIDE-THE-BELTWAY” THINKING: “Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) chief Lisa Jackson is firing back at Capitol Hill critics by casting their attacks as Beltway talking points at odds with public views about the environment. … ‘It is definitely an inside-the-Beltway line of reasoning,’ Jackson said.” (Ben Geman, “EPA Chief Calls Capitol Hill Attacks ‘Inside-the-Beltway’ Thinking,” The Hill, 5/20/2011)

Democrats may still be in denial about the harm they’ve done the American economy, but families and small businesses are paying the price. Policies pushed by President Obama and House Democrat Leader Nancy Pelosi have increased gas prices, destroyed jobs and slowed job creation:

“HIGH GAS PRICES CHANGE THE WAY THE UNEMPLOYED LOOK FOR JOBS”: “Her dilemma underscores the problem that steep gas prices have created for the unemployed: They need income to fill their tank but can't afford to take jobs with long commutes.

“Some job seekers say they are more selective now, curtailing face-to-face networking and ignoring some opportunities based on the high transportation costs.” (Gerry Smith, “High Gas Prices Change the Way the Unemployed Look for Jobs,” The Chicago Tribune, 5/22/2011)

U.S. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE: OBAMA-EPA RULES MAY BE “THE MOST COSTLY, BURDENSOME, AND EXPANSIVE SET OF JOB-KILLING REGULATIONS EVER CRAFTED”: “As the U.S. economy struggles to get back on track, now is not the time to allow EPA to impose what could prove to the be the most costly, burdensome, and expansive set of job-killing regulations ever crafted. …. The American Council for Capital Formation has estimated that EPA’s greenhouse gas regulations could reduce business investment between $97 and $290 billion in 2011 and as much as $309 billion in 2014. EPA’s own records indicate that permitting provisions alone will cost applicants $125,000 and 866 hours of burden per facility.” (R. Bruce Josten, Letter to House Energy and Commerce Committee, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, 3/9/2011)

EVEN BUSINESSES IN NANCY PELOSI’S DISTRICT ARE SEEKING WAIVERS FROM THE GOVERNMENT TAKEOVER OF HEALTHCARE: “…Tru Spa’s owner said new government health care regulations, both the federal-level Obamacare and new local laws in Northern California, have ‘devastated’ the business. ‘It’s been bad for us,’ he said, without divulging his name, referring to the new health care restrictions.” (Matthew Boyle, “Nearly 20 percent of new Obamacare waivers are gourmet restaurants, nightclubs, fancy hotels in Nancy Pelosi’s district,” The Daily Caller, 5/17/2011)

Unfortunately, the regulatory onslaught isn’t even over yet. Republicans are working to block Democrats' job-destroying efforts in the House, but the Obama administration has been using its executive authority to ram through whatever new regulations it can muster:

NEW EPA WATER RULES THREATEN ECONOMIC GROWTH: “Agricultural organizations are up in arms over new guidance documents issued last week that would allow the Environmental Protection Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers to regulate private bodies of water. According to officials of the Fort Worth-based Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, the new guidelines being established by EPA to clarify and expand the definition of which types of waterways are subject to federal regulation under the Clean Water Act and could be expanded to include ditches and stock ponds on farms and ranches.” (Jerry Lackey, “New EPA Guidance on Water Rules Angers Agricultural Organization,” San Angelo Standard-Times, 5/2/2011)

OBAMA AGENCY ISSUES LIZARD CONSERVATION RULES THAT THREATEN TO SHUT DOWN OIL IN TEXAS: “Frustration is swelling among residents and lawmakers in one of the most productive oil and natural gas basins in the nation, and it's all because federal wildlife managers have proposed endangered species protections for a small lizard. … From Midland, Texas, to Artesia, N.M., hundreds of people have turned out in recent weeks at rallies and public meetings to oppose a listing to protect the dunes sagebrush lizard. … Oil and gas industry groups worry that listing the lizard would take thousands of acres in the Permian Basin out of production. They say that could lead to lost jobs, fewer royalties and less tax revenue, higher gasoline prices and less energy security as the nation looks to wean itself from foreign oil supplies.” (Susan Montoya Bryan, “List Lizard, Lose Jobs, Say Critics in Oil-Gas Land,” Associated Press, 4/28/2011)

WHILE OBAMA’S EPA SABOTAGES ANOTHER MAJOR DRILLING PROJECT IN ALASKA: “Shell Oil Company has announced it must scrap efforts to drill for oil this summer in the Arctic Ocean off the northern coast of Alaska. The decision comes following a ruling by the EPA’s Environmental Appeals Board to withhold critical air permits. … Shell has spent five years and nearly $4 billion dollars on plans to explore for oil in the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas.”(Dan Springer, “Energy in America: EPA Rules Force Shell to Abandon Oil Drilling Plans,” Fox News, 4/25/2011)

Then again, Obama’s EPA admitted recently that the impact on jobs is not considered when the agency issues new regulations:

“EPA OFFICIAL SAYS JOBS DON’T MATTER”: “The Obama administration has repeatedly said job creation is a top priority, but apparently the memo seems to have missed the bureaucrats at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

“This became evident when EPA Assistant Administrator Mathy Stanislaus testified Thursday before an Environment and Energy subcommittee hearing that his agency does not take jobs into account when it issues new regulations.

“‘We have not directly taken a look at jobs in the proposal,’ Stanislaus said, referring to a regulation that would govern industries that recycle coal ash and other fossil fuel byproducts.” (John Rossomondo, “EPA Official Says Jobs Don’t Matter,” The Daily Caller, 4/16/2011)