Congress is poised to pass the REINS Act, which would require Congressional approval of any administrative regulation costing $100 million or more. Obama has issued over 600 such regulations, and none of them would be affected. The REINS Act will be a restraint on the Trump administration, which, hopefully, won’t need restraining, at least in this regard. For this to have an actual positive impact, a Democratic President would need to be in power. So, for the time being, this bill is useless.
Nonetheless, Congress will be mighty pleased with itself. It did something, even if it doesn’t do any good. All too typical. Why don’t they make the REINS Act retroactive for the last eight years, so those 600 Obama regs would need Congressional approval? And why limit it to $100 million dollar regulations? Why not $1 million dollar ones? And since, in fact, a regulation is a law by another name, why should any regulation, which has the force of law, go into effect without Congressional approval?
Congress just doesn’t have the time. They’re too busy. Doing what, you ask? Making sure they get reelected. That’s Job One, Job Two, and Job Three. If it weren’t for the constant pressure of facing another election, a Congressman might be able to put in the eight hours a day of legislative work needed to supervise the federal government.
Term limits is the answer. Article V is the way to get them. Something to talk about at the Nashville Convention of States, on lucky 7-11.
reaganproject.com 