There was a news article that I read a couple of days ago, and it's one that bears repeating. This is an example of what good governance is in terms of enforcing regulations:
WASHINGTON — The Obama administration on Monday imposed an unprecedented conflict-of-interest policy on federal drilling regulators in a bid to put greater distance between inspectors and the offshore platforms and rigs they police.
The rule is aimed at strengthening oversight of the offshore drilling industry following the Gulf of Mexico oil spill and reports that officials at the former Minerals Management Service - now the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement - sometimes were too cozy with energy companies.
Bureau Director Michael Bromwich announced the new policy, which takes effect immediately, in an e-mail to employees late Monday. Bureau employees now must tell supervisors about any potential conflict of interest and submit formal requests not to be assigned inspections or other official duties when those conflicts arise.
This was sorely needed, and this conflict-of-interest policy should be in every federal agency, not just in the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
One interesting note about this policy is that it expressly bars employees of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management from performing inspections for former employers or other work for at least two years. This was a part of the policy that Michael Bromwich, the new Bureau Director appointed by President Obama, wanted to put into action. So far, this is looking like an excellent appointment by President Obama, which deserves praise.
On other appointments President Obama has made--he deserves criticism for them--namely Alan Simpson, David Cote, and others on the deficit commission. Thus, one can defend the President and praise him where appropriate, but also recognize the fact that the President can make policy mistakes. We cannot enable those policy mistakes by remaining silent about them. We must speak up instead and take action to correct these mistakes. If we remain silent, it is often taken as tacit consent in Washington, D.C., or a sign of approval that we are in agreement with such policies when they move in a rightward direction.
That is why we speak out and take action when we must on issues that concern us, like the deficit commission, DADT, health insurance reform, the economy, and the environment. We are worried that the measures are half-lacking at this time to comprehensively address these issues, and political will is disappearing in Washington, D.C., the closer it gets to election in November. Political leadership can make a great deal of difference on these aforementioned issues.
It never hurts to go bold and enact progressive policies that have a demonstrable impact on the lives of Americans when it comes to jobs, the economy, education, and health reform. Immediate benefits as a result of governance by a party are what wins elections. Which is why I am hoping there will be more done on the economy other than tax credits for small businesses---such as direct job creation policies, stopping offshoring of American jobs, investing in renewable energy, and rebuilding our crumbling infrastructure. So far, some of this is alluded to in the speech by President Obama tonight:
Unfortunately, over the last decade, we have not done what is necessary to shore up the foundation of our own prosperity. We have spent over a trillion dollars at war, often financed by borrowing from overseas. This, in turn, has shortchanged investments in our own people, and contributed to record deficits. For too long, we have put off tough decisions on everything from our manufacturing base to our energy policy to education reform. As a result, too many middle class families find themselves working harder for less, while our nation’s long-term competitiveness is put at risk.
And so at this moment, as we wind down the war in Iraq, we must tackle those challenges at home with as much energy, and grit, and sense of common purpose as our men and women in uniform who have served abroad. They have met every test that they faced. Now, it is our turn. Now, it is our responsibility to honor them by coming together, all of us, and working to secure the dream that so many generations have fought for — the dream that a better life awaits anyone who is willing to work for it and reach for it.
Our most urgent task is to restore our economy, and put the millions of Americans who have lost their jobs back to work. To strengthen our middle class, we must give all our children the education they deserve, and all our workers the skills that they need to compete in a global economy. We must jump-start industries that create jobs, and end our dependence on foreign oil. We must unleash the innovation that allows new products to roll off our assembly lines, and nurture the ideas that spring from our entrepreneurs. This will be difficult. But in the days to come, it must be our central mission as a people, and my central responsibility as president.
Hopefully there will be forthcoming policies that will address these issues at their structural core, rather than tinkering around the edges while leaving the structures intact. Much of our current malaise in America have come from structures that are in various stages of decay--education, housing, economy, debt, health, environment, and civil rights. In order for us to be successful, we have to address the root causes as individuals working together. We must rebuild America from the bottom up, re-energize our people through successful policies that renews trust in our elected officials, and invest back in the middle class. That is what we can do to re-energize the base for the midterms and beyond--remind them that we as a party can deliver on the change that was promised in 2008 by passing what was promised and more into law.