The U.S. Chamber of Commerce announced yesterday that it would “develop a sweeping national advocacy campaign … to defend and advance America’s free enterprise values in the face of rapid government growth and attacks by anti-business activists.” The Chamber doesn’t get it. They aren’t defending capitalism and free enterprise. They are all but destroying it.
washingtonpost.com — The Obama administration will inherit a Food and Drug Administration widely seen as struggling to protect Americans from unsafe medication, contaminated food and a flood of questionable imports from China and other countries. The agency's public image and staff morale has been damaged by a perceived tilt toward industry and away from consumer protection under the Bush administration. Many say it is overdue for a doubling of its budget in order to keep up with the increased number of goods it must oversee.
The Bush administration continues to try to strip as many safety and oversight regulations as it can on the way out the door. It's encouraging that these moves are getting more media attention, but it'd be nice if more mainstream outlets really pressed the question – how do any of these actions serve the public good? Perhaps Bush, or at least Dana Perino, can explain how these moves are a positive addition to the Bush legacy.
If E. coli conservatives are "ideologues who won’t accept even the most compelling case for government regulation," then Bush's last few months in office may be those conservatives' best chance at solidifying a legacy of diminished safety regulations. In this case, a "doctrine of pre-emption" entails protecting corporations from the imminent threat of the American consumer.
The Bush administration has dramatically weakened the Food and Drug Administration and America’s food safety laws, leaving American families at risk. In fact, the Bush Administration allowed food-industry lobbyists and representatives to gut laws that would have improved food safety. We need an administration and Congress dedicated to insuring our inspection agencies can do the job, rather than starving them of the resources and authority they need.
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The Bush administration has dramatically weakened the Food and Drug Administration and America’s food safety laws, leaving American families at risk. In fact, the Bush Administration allowed food-industry lobbyists and representatives to gut laws that would have improved food safety. We need an administration and Congress dedicated to insuring our inspection agencies can do the job, rather than starving them of the resources and authority they need. 
