Obfuscation as a methodology…

When one hears from business folks something like, “we can’t do this or that in this overbearing/nightmarish regulatory environment…” there’s only one thing to do: fire the lobbyists!

Many industries have, cumulatively, vast populations of folks lobbying at all the state capitols and in Washington, D.C.; there is a need for multiple volumes of directories to keep track of all the working lobbyists. Industry and business folks complain of the need to operate in these contrived, obtuse environments from one side of their mouths, while telling their lobbyists how (and providing the resources) to keep legislators creating that very mess from the other.

Why would one want an extremely complex regulatory environment?

Because, in confusion there are gray areas that allow a company (LLC – Limited Liability Corporation) to operate in relatively unfettered freedom!

HUH!?

Have you ever heard the phrase, “beyond a reasonable doubt?” If you have ever watched any of the TV shows about police or lawyers, etc… of course you have heard it. When prosecuting attorneys are convinced that the laws, or circumstances, pertaining to certain events would not allow for a conviction (because to prove, “beyond a reasonable doubt,” a crime was committed is not considered possible) they don’t proceed with lawsuits.

For instance: nobody is yet being prosecuted for the deaths of 15 people in an explosion at BP’s Texas City, TX oil refinery, or 11 deaths on an oil rig working for BP. Neither is there any current prosecution for the 29 deaths caused by an explosion in a Massey owned coal mine. There are not yet any prosecutions of the financial service industry folks whose contrivances caused the US economy to fall into a severe recession; to go to the edge of a depression.

The problem with a complex regulatory business environment that businesses, and their well purchased politicians (both Republican and Democrat), complain about could have been solved easily while there was a clear Republican majority in both houses of the federal legislature and a Republican President. After all Republicans have claimed, “business good, government bad,” for at least 30 years. The problem was not cleared because solving the problem is a talking point, keeping the problem is the still the preferred action.

The problem will only be addressed when reasonable, moderate Republicans and similar Democrats, “of the people,” are elected by the people and for the people!!! Only this sort of politician can function in the interest of the American people in the face of the duplicitous message from the lobbyists (who speak for the industries who support, pay for and profit from that message)!