If anyone has any doubts that the GOP is in bed with big business, today’s vote in the House should alleviate them. In a vote of 253-167, the Republican led House of Representatives has passed a regulation slashing piece of legislation which is sure to die in the Senate, but if it doesn’t, the President has threatened to veto.
The House will not take-up a jobs bills vote (the Democrats have proposed at least 10 such bills), yet, the House passes legislation that will not pass in the Senate.
The argument is that cutting regulation will lead to more money for jobs.
Republican position…..
“America faces an avalanche of unnecessary federal regulatory costs,” Rep. Lamar Smith, R-Texas, the House Judiciary Committee chairman, said during House debate. “Yet the Obama administration seeks to add billions more to that cost.”
Democratic position…..
Democratic Rep. George Miller of California denounced the bill, saying the U.S. has spent great time and effort “to ensure when workers go to work every day, they will return safely to their home.”
“This legislation begins to bring that to an end because it would needlessly and recklessly expose our workers to injuries,” said Miller, the senior Democrat on the House Education and the Workforce Committee.
Many have written about organizations such as the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). With major backers and funders such as the Koch Brothers, should the bill become law, it would be a huge windfall for large companies. Our newscasts, at times, are full of tragic stories related to lack of regulation, like the BP oil spill, mining accidents and even tainted food.
The SEC recently fined (A slap on the wrist) a group of regulators who failed to uncover details of Madoff’s years of fraud. Think about a scenario with less regulation against actions like those of Madoff.
Yet, the House presses on with its GOP majority and in this case nineteen Democrats who voted for the bill.
