EPA Messing With Texas
Here  in Texas we produce a variety of products and services, notably energy,  agricultural, and technology related, but also across many sectors  (including my own construction industry). We also create and produce  jobs. In fact, we do it as well if not better than any other state.
Part  of the right formula for job creation here in Texas has been lower  taxes and less regulations. We have no state income tax and our  legislature meets infrequently, denying them opportunity to do much  meddling. These simple principles has led many companies to set up in  this State, and in return many job seekers fleeing their over regulated  states to seek out some economic freedom. 
But  not content to just let job creators do our specialty and bring the  economy back, the Federal government seems hellbent on putting the  regulatory hurt not only nationwide, but especially here in Texas.  
A  new report issued this week by the Texas Public Policy Foundation  details the looming job killers the Feds have in store for businesses  everywhere. The report, titled  The EPA's Approaching Regulatory Avalanche,  finds that specifically there are ten new rules currently in the  pipeline from the EPA alone that could potentially cost the U.S. economy  hundreds of billions of dollars and hundreds of thousands of jobs.  Further, they are calling it "A Regulatory Spree Unprecedented in U.S.  History."
The Foundation  states that:
"The 10 rules highlighted in the report cover topics from cross-state air pollution to control technologies for industrial boilers and Portland cement kilns, from ambient air quality standards for ozone and particular matter to greenhouse gas regulation for both stationary and mobile sources. All have effective dates between 2013 and 2016, with the highest impacts in 2015."
 EPA  is just part of the problem. The National Labor Relations Board-where  three individuals have been illegally installed by the Obama  administration as part of a plan to continue pushing through an  unpopular agenda by Big Labor Bosses-is making life uncertain and  unpleasant for honest employers. Even the long-quiet OSHA juggernaut is  making rumbles again.
It's  the regulatory avalanche that is starting to awaken small business  owners. A recent Gallup poll said contending with federal rules was the  top concern for entrepreneurs. That is just plain wrong. Is this what we  want? Business owners more worried about regulations than they are  about findings ways to start or grow their businesses and adding new  jobs as a result of that entrepreneurial activity? 
Every  American, and especially every American business owner or would be  business owner, should read through the report to see what is in the  works and to understand how every regulation that keeps springing forth  has far reaching economic impacts. 
The  vast majority of small business owners are honest, hard working people  who understand the need for reasonable, well thought out regulation.  When regulations are implemented to serve a political agenda or pursue  goals that can not be economically justified, all Americans feel the  pain of lower growth and fewer jobs. 
Phil Hoppman is President of Big D Metalworks in Dallas, Texas and a spokesman for the Halt The Assault campaign




