Rockridge High School
Taylor Ridge, Illinois
Teacher: Barbara Downey
Government As Regulator
By Morgan Ide
12th grade
In some areas there is just the right amount
of government regulation, but there are also many stupid laws that show that government has too much
regulation. You might believe that someone of my age would not think that there were laws that were not strong enough, but I do.
Without government regulation the world would be in total chaos. People who
commit crimes would go free without punishment. It’s good that we have government laws to keep us in order. Music censorship is a big issue. You
deserve to say whatever you want in your music. Has the legislature forgotten about freedom of speech? The government has already passed laws to
put parental advisory stickers on music they believe should not be heard by children. They want to even ban some music, but that is just unheard of, not
to mention, unconstitutional.
In addition, the motorcycle helmet law in almost all states is nonsense. People should be able to decide for themselves; they don’t need government
regulation for that. If people want to ride their motorcycles without helmets, they know they are endangering their lives. If they get hurt, it’s
their own fault. This is just another example of a useless law.
There were many unnecessary laws passed a long time ago that the government never got rid of that just do not make sense. For example, in Marshalltown,
Illinois, it is forbidden for horses to eat fire hydrants. In Ohio it is illegal to get a fish drunk, and in Devon, Connecticut, it is unlawful for a
person to walk backwards down the street after sunset. These laws have been
around so long that the government has just forgotten to get rid of them and they are still
on the books. All the government officials just need to sit down and clear up these laws that are just funny.
The government has really been cracking down on the drug use in America. They have been
catching more people than ever before, which is really good news. Because of the terrorist attacks on America September 11th, the
government has been watching the border more closely, which makes it harder to smuggle drugs across. Now, since drug lords cannot get drugs across the
border, they are selling their drugs in Mexico for much less then they would
get in America. Mexico is now dealing with a serious cocaine addiction problem.
Since September 11th, 2001, our government has had great control over airport security.
Although some people say it is a bit too much, we have been cracking down on terrorism. Airport security even goes as far as checking
thoroughly through each and every person’s bags, inside and out. People complain because it takes so long, but the slight delay could save their
lives. There is a new zero-tolerance law for drunk driving, which has drastically
cut down on drunk drivers and drinking related deaths. This law has also made people stop and think before they get behind the wheel of a car after
drinking.
Besides money spent for enforcement and administration, there is also money spent on materials needed to enforce these regulations. For example, police
need their radar guns and other equipment all the way down to the paper involved in writing a ticket. Another cost would be the use of a courtroom,
paying for a court appointed attorney, and the expenses of simple court costs. The taxpayers are involved in every guilty verdict that results in a
sentence of jail time. Money is also taken out of our taxes to pay for judges and state aid. Money also has to be spent on committees such as
planning committees and watchdog committees. There is also the concern of the economic backlash to some of the communities. An example of this would
be the no smoking ordinances that are popping up in some communities. These
ordinances could force some businesses to move away to other communities or to even close down. Besides money for these committees, time is also
necessary for running neighborhood watches. There is also stress for everyone involved in creating, enforcing, and administering any regulation.
Besides stress and time, another cost that is not monetary is the cost of environmental impact. Pollution in our air and toxic waste in the water are
some of these impacts.
When the government constitutes over-regulation, I believe that the Senate
should work together with the House of Representatives and the President to come up with these decisions. The government needs to listen to the people,
though, when making these decisions. Many heads are better than just a few.
The government should take a vote with the people before they pass any law.
In conclusion, the way I see it, the government has great control over our country, but in some places they just need to be not so strict. The
government should have a vote with the people before they come up with any more stupid laws to hurt our freedom.
Questions
Q1: What is the only way to prevent hijackers from gaining control of an
airplane according to the unknown author?
To harden the cockpit, so that it would be impossible to get into without
explosives, which can easily be detected.
Q2: What are the arguments given by lobbyists for the Bells in favor of HR
1542 and arguments given by their opponents against this legislation?
The advantage of the Tauzin-Dingell Bill is that it would create over
three billion loan programs to help independent telecommunications companies.
The disadvantage is that interest service providers and many small
businesses have been hurt by this.
Q3: Why do small-business groups like HR 1831? From the small amount of
information presented in your required reading, do you think the legislation
is a good idea? Why?
Smaller businesses don’t have as much waste as most large businesses, so
it is easier for them to meet the criteria. Yes, it has been the nation’s
main tool for cleaning up toxic waste since 1980.
Q4: Give an argument in favor of government regulating activities such as
rollerblading and bungee-jumping.
Rollerblading and bungee-jumping are both fairly high on risk-analysis.
If people keep dying doing these things, the government has the power to stop
it.
Q5: Define a "burden hour."
A burden hour measures the time it takes to collect data and fill out
federal forms, surveys, and reports.
Q6: Why was Connecticut Senator, Joseph Lieberman, concerned enough to vote
against the nomination of Professor John Graham as administrator of the
office of Information and Regulatory Affairs in the current Bush
administration?
His criticisms of clean-air and clean-water statutes and questions
whether he would weaken federal healthy environmental and safety hazards.
Q6a: Graham is a proponent of "risk analysis." How is risk analysis
identified?
Risk analysis calculates the likelihood of a hazard against the costs and
benefits of preventing it.
Q6b: Who was the first president to order federal agencies to weigh potential
costs and benefits when writing a rule?
Jimmy Carter
Q6: How much would compliance with OSHA’s regulations to limit injuries or
disabilities from performing repetitive tasks cost according to an estimate
by business groups as reported in the 2000 CQ Almanac? What was the response
of OHSA and Labor Department officials?
$14 billion to $80 billion a year. They say the rule is intended to be
flexible and would not require most companies to act. They also state that
the rule would also save them $9 billion a year in lost productivity.
Q7: What was the makeup of the "iron triangle" during the Reagan years and
what do environmentalists and consumer activists foresee as its composition
in the current Bush administration?
The "iron triangle" was an unbreakable alliance among Democratic
committee chairmen, agency officials, and interest groups that worked in
concert to achieve certain goals. They say they fear the formation of a new
triad composed of industry officials.
Q8: Name 5 actions of the Bush administration that have drawn criticism from
Environmentalists.
1. Reversing a Clinton rule to reduce arsenic in the water
2. Bush has already signed legislation to kill a Clinton ergonomics rule
3. Bush also stoked public criticism reneging on a campaign pledge to
regulate carbon dioxide
4. By rejecting the Kyote Protocal on global warming
5. He has intentions to toughen cleanup standards for hardrock mining
operations
Q9: What did the executive order issued by Ronald Reagan in 1981 and still in
effect today, require agencies to prove before new regulations were enacted?
How did the Democratic House counter in 1986?
Ronald Reagan helped the agencies oversight power by issuing an executive
order in 1981 that required agencies to prove that a regulation’s benefits
would "outweigh" its cost.
Q10: On the average, how long does it take to build an airport? A highway?
An airport takes 15 years and a highway takes 12 years.
Q11: Discuss the pros and cons of licensing requirements.
If we didn’t have licensing requirements, there would be a lot of people
providing services for us, and they just aren’t qualified enough for the job.
On the other hand people that are the most talented at what they do, can’t
afford money for schooling.
Q12: Discuss the pros and cons of master plans and planning departments.
The pro is that they both help the city plan ahead and prevent damage,
but sometimes the people can end up hurting the city economically because
they aren’t qualified.