In a statement, Rep. Denny Rehberg (R-Mont)., chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services and Education, made no apologies for blocking the rules, saying that the budget plan would help to "invest in people by freeing them from stifling government regulatory burdens that replace productivity with paperwork".
Meanwhile, the core issues stifling growth–high taxes, stiff regulatory burdens and sometimes corrupt governments–remain largely ignored.
The welfare burden has impeded investment, stifling real risk-based entrepreneurship epitomized by the "small, flexible start-up companies that drove most of the innovation in recent decades," especially in the information economy.
Business leaders have called for quicker reforms, with an attack on stifling bureaucracy and a reduction of the heavy tax burden on employers.
But the increased tax burden is restricting their ability to do something about this, stifling investment in themselves.
"Any attempt to communicate would create enhanced burdens, limiting the desire to do so and thereby stifling awareness and participation amongst our members, as well as members of organizations citywide," he said.
The law, a compromise balancing health and environmental concerns against fears that excessive red tape would stifle business, puts the burden of proof on companies to show that industrial chemicals and substances used in everyday products are safe.
The idea that allowing the Bush tax cuts to expire -- as Republicans intended -- yet only on income above $250,000 per year will somehow stifle the economy or burden a large proportion of small business owners adds no substance to the public dialog.
Wages had soared after unification in 1990; the budget was burdened with big transfers to the former East Germany; excessive regulation was stifling the economy.
