PinnedPiece: Who controls the U.S. Economy?
I nominate the "Fourth Branch", which is all the bureaucracies which have been given the power over the years to pass their own legislation quite apart from what happens in Congress.
Let me guarantee you right now that <<<>none of these regulations increases>> American prosperity, liberty, job growth, or business financial health. None of it.
Here is a recent example (hundreds every month occur):
<Changes to the Americans with Disabilities Act in 2010 say pools must be upgraded with chair lifts, essentially mini cranes that move wheelchair users into the water. The initial deadline was March 16, but confusion over the details and pool owners' insistence for more time caused the Justice Department to give them until May 21.The law doesn't affect private clubs or pools owned by neighborhood associations that aren't open to the public.>
(MAYBE NOT this year. But next year or the year after, yes. To this administration, private property rights/private associations/clubs are a thing of the past.)
<It's a massive and expensive undertaking. The Association of Pool and Spa Professionals says its research shows that between 235,000 and 310,000 pools require the upgrade. Manufacturers estimate the lifts run $3,500 to $6,500, and installation can double those costs. Altogether, owners could face combined costs exceeding $1 billion.>
http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/...
Here is the authoritative basis for this "Departmental Dictum":
<The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires the Department of Justice (the Department) to publish ADA design standards that are consistent with the guidelines published by the U.S. Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (Access Board). The Department has adopted revised ADA design standards that include the relevant chapters of the Access Board´s 2004 ADA/ABA Accessibility Guidelines as modified by specific provisions of the Department´s revised rules implementing title II and title III of the ADA. To minimize compliance burdens on entities subject to more than one legal standard, these design standards have been harmonized with the Federal standards implementing the Architectural Barriers Act and with the private sector model codes that are adopted by most States. The changes to the design guidelines were adopted by the Access Board as a series of separate rules that were combined in the 2004 ADA/ABA guidelines. These rules addressed recreation facilities, play areas, State and local government facilities (detention facilities and courthouses), and, finally, the revision of the Access Board´s 1991 guidelines. These changes have been adopted, with some modifications, as the 2010 Standards for Accessible Design. >
http://www.ada.gov/regs2010/factshe...
You should note that these pools have ALREADY PURCHASED PORTABLE LIFTS to comply with an earlier version of this regulation. Now they have to install permanent electrical equipment right in the water. How sound is that.
The power of the fourth branch grows with each imposition, requiring more governmental oversight, more expenditure, more government employees to enforce the regs, bigger budgets, on and on.
And of course, "The Rich" are not paying their fair share to fund this government increase in power, reach, and expenditure.
As the recent GSA and Secret Service scandals show us, we only get to see the tiniest tip of the iceberg of governmental fraud waste and abuse.
But the rich are not paying their fair share, nevertheless.
.
Kibitzing
