Recently emails from the Federal Communications Commission discussionhave been released as a result of a freedom of informatio suit. They show that the FCC changed direction completely after receiving White House instructions. This incident, and others like it during Obama's term in office, should force the reevaluation of the entire regulatory structure. It's clear that as part of the executive branch regulatory agencies will follow presidential orders. Regulatory agencies have executive, legislative and judicial functions all concentrated in one agency without any separation of powers. The courts are not much of a check on regulators because, by law, courts must defer to the regulators' expertise. The situation is almost an attractive nuisance for executive branch abuse of power. Even presidents disinclined to misusing regulatory agencies will be tempted by how easy it is to do.
Congress has delegated too much of it's power to regulatory agencies. It needs to take a lot of it back. I think it should start by requiring all proposed regulations to get an up or down vote in Congress and be signed by the president. Also, there should be an automatic expiration date on regulations and regulatory agency authorization laws. We should not be regulating the internet like it was an 1887 railroad.
Article I reacted to (-may require subscription) http://www.wsj.com/articles/emails-expose-obamanet-1457307020#lf_comment=473067121
Congress has delegated too much of it's power to regulatory agencies. It needs to take a lot of it back. I think it should start by requiring all proposed regulations to get an up or down vote in Congress and be signed by the president. Also, there should be an automatic expiration date on regulations and regulatory agency authorization laws. We should not be regulating the internet like it was an 1887 railroad.
Article I reacted to (-may require subscription) http://www.wsj.com/articles/emails-expose-obamanet-1457307020#lf_comment=473067121