Environment: Very Different Party Views

The Environment

EPA created under Nixon(R) 1970 to address the rising concerns and evidence of health risks from environmental pollutants.  It maintains approximately 17,000 employees with an annual budget of approximately 10 billion/yr. The EPA writes and enforces regulations based on Congressional laws. The majority of environmental laws were passed in the 1970’s-90’s by both democratic and republican parties. Bush Sr. (R) created the largest marine protected area. However, under Bush Jr(R), there has been a roll back of environmental laws and funding for the EPA.

Citing Commerce Department data: “More than 40 years since the creation of the EPA, an estimated 1.7 million jobs and $300 billion in revenues have been generated by industries that support environmental protection. Further, it says, clean air protections will produce an estimated $2 trillion in annual health benefits by 2020, and for every $1 billion invested in infrastructure to reduce water pollution and treat drinking water, up to 26,669 jobs are created.”

Republican position:
·         Largely supports eliminating the EPA
·         The EPA is a job killer
·         Environmental regulations hinder business creation
·         climate change not man made

Democratic position:
·         Supports protections for environment
·         Believes in climate change and that man has influence
·         EPA is a job creator
·         Environmental regulations has created businesses

In the 112^th Congress, there have been over a hundred votes regarding environmental regulation. The republicans and democrats are largely supporting their stated positions. The republicans hold the House majority and have passed several Acts that limit or nullify EPA powers. The TRAIN Act limits clean air protection. The REINS Act gives Congress the means to limit EPA powers and the Regulatory Accountability Act will allow the cost to business to be the determining factor to follow or not follow existing environmental laws. The overwhelming majority of democrats have voted against these proposals and the democratic majority Senate has rejected them. The budget has been cut by 13% for 2012 and is supported by Obama. Obama has also stated that there needs to be some house cleaning of EPA regulations that are outdated or create unnecessary delays in projects.

Small Business Association: The Big and Small War

The Small Business Association (SBA) was established in 1953 under (R) Eisenhower with a narrow republican majority in both the House and the Senate. It passed with large bipartisan support. It employs just over 2000 employees and has an annual budget approx. 570million. The SBA performs several functions. They offer a variety of lending programs, entrepreneurial programs and contracting programs. Approximately 23% of prime federal lending contracts are marked for Small Business via the SBA.

The SBA has sustained several attempts to kill the department. It has also suffered a couple demotions from a cabinet position. Surprisingly, it is the Republican Party that wants to kill the SBA and the democrats who elevate it back to cabinet position. Several attempts were made by Reagan, the republicans in the 1990’s and under Bush Jr. to eliminate the SBA.

The Bush administration was found diverting Small Business loans and contracts to Big Business. The American Small Business League uncovered billions of contracts and loans diverted to Fortune 1000 companies. The US Women’s Chamber of Commerce sued the Bush administration for their manipulations within the SBA to divert monies to Big Business. It was in direct violation of the law and the charter of the SBA. The General Accounting Office confirmed the diversions. It is unclear whether this practice continues under Obama. Does anyone have clear info on this point?

We do not know why the republicans want to eliminate a program designed to assist Small Business which in their own words is the job creating engine in America. What we do know is that Big Business wields campaign donation power. I think often of Washington, Hamilton and Lincoln who all understood that men in money positions would abuse their authority. Greed is addicting as heroine.