Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Bush's Bureaucratic Weapon: Regulations


With the swipe of a regulatory pen, President Bush effectively blocked a number of states trying to cover more children under the Children's Health Insurance Program. This is not the first time President Bush used his executive regulatory power to implement policies Congress won't pass. George Bush manipulates the same federal bureaucracy he frequently lambastes to impose his will (or Karl's). Promulgating regulations is also a very effective tool and the latest example involves covering more people with health insurance in America.

While he did nothing to stop some 6 million people from becoming uninsured during his term as President, he will block state efforts to cover more children. Bush doesn't see it as a wise use of federal money. However, the President did unleash his regulators to help stop product liability lawsuits against drug manufacturers? Kids- no health insurance. Supremely profitable drug companies-insulation from harm their products cause patients. Total those and now, who's the Simon Legree? (The NYT ran a piece on another Bush regulatory move, freeing up coal companies to effectively strip mine)