Rockridge High School
Taylor Ridge, Illinois
Teacher: Mrs. Downey
Government as Regulator
By Rachel Wiese
12th grade
4.What costs are attached to government regulations other than dollars budgeted for administrations an enforcement?
The costs of government go beyond just the taxes we pay for administration and
enforcement. The congressmen get caught with a lot of lobbyists; these lobbyists take up time
when the congressmen could be working for our country. The government also limits some
opportunity. People may not be able to expand their companies because the government
regulated it. There is also a lot of stress to everyone who has something to with our lawmaking,
because they are always going to have people against them no matter what they vote for. Voter confidence can be a cost of government as well. If a congressman makes a bad choice, his voters will no longer support him. The government also has a business safety net. Every time a major industry has problems, the government will interfere and try to keep it afloat even though the business is losing more money than it is making. (other questions answered in essay)
ESSAY
In today’s world we are so dependent on everyone. That includes our government. People think that the government is there to protect them, which it is. But when people rely on it too much, it causes dependence. People just need to learn to become more independent, so we do not have to rely on the government.
Some government regulation is needed whether we want it or not. Without our system, we would not have advanced as far as we have. People would do whatever they felt like and not suffer the consequences, because there would be no judicial system. The rich would be richer and the poor would be poorer. Companies could build huge monopolies and charge whatever they felt like. There would be nothing to insure the quality in the products we buy. Our country would be in chaos. Now I know our government may be corrupt, but without regulations we would not be where we are now.
Some of the legislation that our government has set up is extremely necessary and protects us. But some of the laws are there just so government can charge more taxes, or just to make a few businesses happy. The Food and Drug Administration is there to protect millions of consumers. Without the FDA our drug stores and supermarkets would not be as safe. Also speed limits are there for a reason. Without them people would drive at dangerous speeds and endanger everyone around them. Factories and machines let off harmful gaseous emissions. Now there are laws limiting those emissions, but I believe that those should be stronger and enforced more strictly.
Now unnecessary regulation seems so silly. I always wonder if these regulations hurt more people than they help. Rollerblading, bungee jumping, and skateboarding are activities that people have the right to do. The government wants to regulate it, but why? It is a person’s choice to take that risk. The government can not watch everyone to make sure they are safe. People today should try not to be so dependent on the government to regulate their welfare. Another regulation that doesn’t make sense, is the regulation of marijuana. Why are cigarettes legal but marijuana is not? In my opinion they should both be illegal. It just doesn’t make sense that one is legal and one is not. Why is repetitive driving a crime? I do not think it is fair that people can get fined for driving on a road more than three times in one night. I think that there are better things that our law enforcement could be doing.
So after all these laws are put into place, who decides if the lawmakers have gone too far? Well, the voters should decide. They were the ones who put the congressmen and senators there; they should get to decide if they have gone too far. I think that if a voter feels that Congress has gone too far, they should write to their local congressmen. Now I know that may not be the most effective. The voter must talk about it with their community and get them involved also. One letter wouldn’t make an impact, but many letters could persuade people to think the same.
In general, I believe that there is way too much government regulation. People depend too much on it; then they complain when it interferes with their life. The government needs to hold more people responsible for their own lives. But there are some areas where the government needs more action. In the area of environmental regulation the government is way behind. The government is not pushing the automobile industry into finding the alternative fuels. They are working on it, but they are still coming out with bigger SUV’s that eat up so much fuel. It just doesn’t seem like they are working as hard as they could.
Now that George W. Bush is in office, the environment is not his first priority. It should be everyone's priority. Our environment is not going to be able to support the world population, if we do not try to do something about it now. The government should be enforcing the emission standards that they set up. Businesses should be held responsible for their pollution, no matter what the size. The government should start funding hometown-recycling programs. Many places already have this, but there are many places without it. If everyone practiced recycling, just think of how much we could save.
Government plays a very important role in our everyday life, whether it helps us or destroys our faith in freedom. We have to follow the rules. In general the government does protect us, and for that protection we must pay. We are very lucky to have a government where we have a say in what goes on, but we need to become less dependent. If we can do that, we could have even more freedom.
Government as Regulator
Questions based on reading
Q1. What is the only way to prevent hijackers from gaining control of an airplane according to the unknown author?
The author was describing making the cockpit more controlled, letting the pilots have their own bathroom, and having food and drink given to them through a hole. The door should be locked from the inside. He was describing a time in the future where having the pilot door open would seem foreign.
Q2. What are the arguments given by lobbyists for the Bells in favor of HR1542 (Tauzin-Dingell Bill) and arguments given by their opponents against this legislation?
Supporters of the bill say that it would speed deployment of broadband services and help jump-start the information technology. Opponents of the bill say it would slowdown high speed Internet services and delay development of new web technology.
Q3. Why do small business groups like HR 1831? Do you think legislation is a good idea? Why?
The businesses aren’t held liable for all the pollution, so of course they like it. I think this is an unnecessary bill. The businesses should be held liable no matter what the costs. Just because they are small doesn’t mean they should be allowed to pollute.
Q4. Give an argument in favor of the government regulating activities such as rollerblading and bungee jumping.
The government needs to protect the safety of everyone, even if it means not allowing rollerblades to skate down busy streets. With bungee jumping you never know what kind of equipment is being used. The government does not want to be liable to regulate all the equipment.
Q5. Define a “burden hour”
It is 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?
Graham’s past criticisms of the clean-air and clean-water act questioned federal health, environmental, and safety standards.
Q6a. Graham is a proponent of “risk analysis”. How is risk analysis defined?
Risk analysis is defined as a tool in setting budget and policy priorities. It uses methods to figure out if the hazard is real.
Q6b. Who was the first president to order federal agencies to weigh potential costs and benefits when writing a rule?
Jimmy Carter was the first president to order this
Q6c. How much would compliance with OSHA’s regulations to limit injuries or disabilities from performing repetitive task costs to an estimate by business groups as reported in the 2000 CQ Almanac? What was the response of OSHA and Labor Department officials?
The businesses would have to act on the first injury due to repetitions, which would cost between $14 -$80 billion a year. OSHA claims that it would save at least $9 billion a year in lost productivity.
Q7. What was the makeup of the “iron triangle” during the Reagan years and what do environmentalist and consumer activists foresee as its composition in the current Bush administration?
During the Reagan years the triangle consisted of the Democratic Committee chairman, agency officials, and interest groups. Environmentalist fear that during the Bush years it will consist of industry leaders, White house officials, and the GOP Committee chairman.
Q8. Name 5 actions of the Bush administration that have drawn criticism from environmentalists.
Bush killed Clinton’s ergonomic rule. He pulled back on a campaign pledge to regulate CO2 and reject Kyoto Protocol. He reduced Clinton’s rule to reduce the arsenic levels in water and he reversed the ruling of cleaning up the Hard rock mines.
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?
Reagan banned agencies from issuing any regulatory policies that were not approved by the OMB. The Democrats reacted by deleting the funds for the OMB regulatory from the budget in 1987.
Q10. On average, how long does it take to build an airport? A highway?
It takes about fifteen years for an airport and about twelve years for a highway.
Q11. Discuss the pros and cons of licensing requirements.
Some pros are that they are there to protect consumers, raise revenue for county and state and make the person holding the license accountable for services. Cons are that they hurt small businesses in revenue, and limiting services and skills. They leave little room for creativity.
Q12. Discuss the pros and cons of master plans and planning departments.
Pros would be: raises money for city government, tries to look out for the majority of the citizens, keeps an eye on safety and environment. Cons would be: you can’t always do what you want with your property, causes needless delays in construction, no control left to the people.