First Federal regulations failed to prevent the oil spill, and now regulations are preventing the spill from being cleaned. That’s not unusual. Government regulations often make problems worse.
One constituent sent us a copy of the letter he sent to his elected officials (which you are free to use or modify if you agree with his stance, or write your own if you disagree with his opinions) :
Politicians constantly tell us that your regulations are needed to protect the environment. Not only did the regulations you passed fail to protect us from the Gulf Oil Spill, it looks like your regulations are actually harming the environment, by strangling efforts to clean it up.
The Obama administration forced Lousiana to stop using 16 barges that were sucking up oily water. (http://abcnews.go.com/WN/bp-oil-spill-gov-bobby-jindals-wishes-crude/story?id=10946379)
The Jones Acts have blocked foreign crews from helping to clean the oil spill. (http://www.examiner.com/x-7812-DC-SCOTUS-Examiner~y2010m6d14-Obama-blocked-cleanup-of-BP-oil-spill-by-Americas-allies-Failed-to-issue-needed-Jones-Act-waiver)
Politicians need to start regulating less. BP is paying a huge price for its incompetence, and deservedly so, but our elected officials constantly get a free ride and shirk responsibility for faulty laws and regulations. Government attempts to “fix” these faults usually results in justifications to enact even more faulty laws, even more loop-hole ridden regulations, and inevitably assign more more power to yourselves.
The good news is the American people are witnessing these Government failures — and are recognizing them for what they are.
And like me, they’re letting you know, both by letters such as this one, and at the ballot box. You should reduce the real number of regulations we have, starting with repealing the Jones Act.
