The 10 worst regulations of 2012

During 2012, virtually every aspect of American life was subjected to government meddling, ranging from how many calories you consume to how efficient your dishwasher is. These rules affect us in a variety of ways. Most increase the cost of living, others hinder job creation, and many erode our freedom.

Not all regulations are unwarranted, of course. But increasingly, the rules imposed upon us by the government have less to do with health and safety and more to do with lifestyle -- substituting the judgment of bureaucrats for our own.

Which are the worst? There is no objective standard to measure such things, but here is our own take on 2012's bottom 10:

(10) Mortgaging the Future: New mortgage disclosure rules were released in July by the newly-created Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, with a stated goal of simplifying home loans. The rules run an astonishing 1,099 pages. The net result of this and similar rules? Fewer consumer mortgage lending options and increased costs.

(9) Tracking Your Travels: In December, the Department of Transportation proposed that electronic data recorders, popularly known as "black boxes," be required in most cars starting in 2014. The stated goal is to collect more information about car accidents. But this spooks privacy advocates, who warn that federal bureaucrats could misuse this information.

(8) Essential Choice Cutbacks: Under the Obamacare "essential benefits" rule, health insurers will be forced to cover health care services, that the government deems essential, whether you want to buy them or not. The net result will be to increase health care costs, increasing the burden on consumers, employers and taxpayers.

(7) Instant Union: In April, the National Labor Relations Board issued new rules that shorten the time allowed for union-organizing elections to between 10 and 21 days. This leaves little time for employees to make a fully informed choice on unionizing, threatening to leave workers and management alike under unwanted union regimes.

(6) Don't Let Them Eat Cake: The Department of Agriculture in January published detailed new nutrition standards for school lunch and breakfast programs. More than 98,000 elementary and secondary schools are affected -- at a cost exceeding $3.4 billion over the next four years. The new rules sparked protests, and even a few hunger strikes, from students nationwide.

(5) Cleaned Out: Regulators admit that the new Energy Department rules governing dishwashers will do little to improve the environment. Rather, proponents claim they will save consumers money. But they will also increase the price of dishwashers, and only about one in six consumers will keep their dishwasher long enough to recoup the cost.

(4) Soda Socialism: On Sept.13, at the behest of Mayor Michael Bloomberg, the New York Board of Health banned the sale of soda and other sweetened drinks in containers larger than 16 ounces. New Yorkers apparently are still allowed refills, at least for now. No word on how many NYC cops will be moved from crime prevention to monitor the city's soda fountains.

(3) Sticker Shock: Adopted in August, these new automobile mileage rules require a whopping average fuel economy of 54.5 miles per gallon by 2025. Sticker prices will jump by hundreds of dollars. Regulators argue that the fuel savings will make up these costs. Whether consumers want to make such a tradeoff doesn't matter. The government has decided for them.

(2) Increasing Energy Costs: The Environmental Protection Agency in February finalized strict new emissions standards for coal- and oil-fired electric utilities. The benefits are highly questionable, with the vast majority being unrelated to the emissions targeted by the regulation. The costs, unfortunately, are certain: estimated to be $9.6 billion annually. The regulations are likely to undermine energy reliability and raise energy costs across the entire economy.

(1) Conscience Denial: The Department of Health and Human Services on Feb. 15 finalized its mandate that all health insurance plans include coverage for abortion-inducing drugs, sterilization procedures, and contraceptives. The mandate allows no exception for church-affiliated schools, hospitals and charities whose religious principles conflict with the mandate. To date, 42 lawsuits representing more than 110 plaintiffs have been filed challenging this restriction on religious liberty as a violation of First Amendment.

As busy as regulators were in 2012, don't look for them to rest next year. Already in the pipeline are dozens of new rules covering health care, finance, global warming and more. It is anybody's guess who will win next year's prize. The only safe bet is that consumers will lose.

Dishwashers are the biggest waste of time and resources. I don't own one cause I like clean dishes in an efficient manner. This is the one appliance that I think results in more work than should be deemed appropriate.

(5) Cleaned Out: Regulators admit that the new Energy Department rules governing dishwashers will do little to improve the environment. Rather, proponents claim they will save consumers money. But they will also increase the price of dishwashers, and only about one in six consumers will keep their dishwasher long enough to recoup the cost.

I have a family of 11 and a dishwasher would result in the same problem I have with laundry. Big piles of dirty crap taking up space. Dishes should only take about 20 minutes not the 45 a dishwasher takes.
/rant

Right-O!

No Republicrat talks about taking a butcher’s meat axe to the bloated evil central socialist government.

With a Pentagon, for example, full of overpaid fatassed civilians, a good start would be to get those Democrats out. Many of the servicemen who have been wounded could replace those desk jockeys.

And, no one talks about eliminating the agencies that stifle the growth of our great nation. The government puts on tons of weight while the private sector is allowed to starve.

I lived in a house for over 15 years without a dishwasher and I can’t say I missed not having one, even when hosting big family meals like Thanksgiving or Christmas for 20+ people. I learned that cleaning up as you go makes for a clean and efficient kitchen. Although in the townhouse I bought afterward, I bought and installed a new dishwasher to replace the one that stopped working shortly after I moved in; a very quiet, very high efficiency model with an extra deep tub for large pots and pans and a food grinder, the dishes and even the grimiest pot and pans came out completely clean and it had a programmable delay so I could load it and set it to run late at night while I was sleeping. That was a nice machine and I wouldn’t hesitate to get another like it if I ever buy another house.

But I now live in an apartment and the dishwasher totally sucks. For one thing, it is extremely loud, so loud, I can hear it all the way downstairs in the vestibule, so loud that I hesitate to run it after 8 or 9 PM as my neighbors downstairs have a little baby. And it does a lousy job. I’m often re-washing glasses or spending as much time pre-washing and pre-scrubbing so that I just might as well wash by hand, which is what I do most often, even as I have so little counter space and had to get a small collapsible dish drainer.

My dishwasher (a late 80’s model Kenmore) died a few months back. I have been on the bubble about whether to replace or repair it as I have not heard good things about modern dishwashers. But I think to fix it I am going to have to tear apart everything on the shaft and do a total rebuild.

So I have gotten used to doing dishes by hand. And I have to say, since the kids are largely grown I don’t really mind it. And the dishes come out much cleaner.

It’s probably not worth fixing. If I were you, I’d think about replacing it. Most modern dishwashers are much more energy efficient, use less water, are quieter, have larger capacities and do a much better job than the late 80’s models. But if you are going to replace it, spend a few extra dollars and don’t get the very cheapest model, the “builder’s grade” model, but you can still get a very nice dishwasher for $500 or less.

This is very similar to the dishwasher I bought in 2003 and I loved it even as I still some times washed dishes by hand when it was just myself:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Frigidaire+-+24%26%2334%3B+Tall+Tub+Built-In+Dishwasher+-+White/5439181.p?id=1218650522268&skuId=5439181

So I have gotten used to doing dishes by hand. And I have to say, since the kids are largely grown I don’t really mind it. And the dishes come out much cleaner.

I hear what you are saying but you also have to consider your home value. A kitchen without updated appliances including a dishwasher, even if you don’t use it all that much, is not as sellable as a kitchen with one.

The left is stealthily devouring our freedom with federal agency rules and regulations that dictate far too many aspects of our daily lives. Most are enacted under the fig leaf of ‘protecting the environment’ or ‘the children’ while some are simply ham-handed attempts to micromanage the lives of millions of Americans through these regulations that no one asked for or wants. The left’s plan to effectively subsume our freedom by limiting our choices while an apathetic and uninformed public metaphorically sleep, is working all too well. It’s sad that the GOP doesn’t seem to mind. So much for representative government.

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