Don Young Wants to Annihilate the Last 20 Years of Federal Regulation.
Don Young… what can you say? He’s Alaska’s one and only congressman, and he’s been Alaska’s one and only congressman since 1973. That’s 38 regular years, which feels like 95 in Don Young years. He defies explanation. He’s sort of a combination of the old curmudgeon in the neighborhood that sits on the porch telling the local kids to get off his lawn; the crazy uncle you see at family gatherings that drives you nuts, but loves dressing up like Santa; and the monkey with the typewriter who occasionally types a word, but the rest of the time flings poo. It’s impossible to sum him up, but all you really need to say around these parts is, “Don Young,” and the response will likely be, “What did he say now?”
What I wouldn’t have given to be at the meeting of the Downtown Anchorage Rotary Club on Tuesday.
Things started off great, when the monkey at the typewriter waxed poetic for a brief moment about how today’s congress was too partisan, and how moderation is desperately needed. Why, Uncle Don is even taking those new crazy Republican freshmen under his wing and explaining how we all need to learn how to talk to each other and learn how to work together to be effective.
Then the monkey grabbed the typewriter by the return carriage and flung it out the window.
Next up – Cranky Lawn Guy. Apparently, the congressman suggested that he was crafting a bill. This bill, it seems, would… (get ready)… abolish every federal regulation that has been enacted since 1991. Who needs ’em? It’s the ultimate “we don’t want the damn feds tellin’ us what to do” legislation. We don’t know yet if it will actually be called the “Get Off My Lawn Bill,” but it seems pretty clear.
I can’t imagine what it must be like to hold the position of Don Young’s spokesperson. It’s probably like how many people who have served in war time describe it – long periods of boredom, punctuated by moments of abject terror and messy clean-up.
There were a few folks at the Rotary Club meeting who, after picking their lower jaws off the table, had some questions about this bill which would wipe out two decades of federal regulations about everything from aviation safety, to food inspection, banking, pesticide use, and hundreds of others.
One man at the luncheon stood and asked Young whether the congressman felt there should be any regulation of Wall Street.
Young responded he was not an expert on financial regulation but does believe there’s a role for it, so long as the government doesn’t go too far.
One would think that after 30 years of voting on the bills, and being a career politician, you’d be a bit of an expert, but let’s not interfere with the beginning of the back pedaling.
so…… the last 20 yrs that don was in D.C. were all wasted time . will he give back the 20 yrs of pay?
Maybe along with rolling back the regulations he should also roll back congressional pay and benefits as well as changes in the tax rates to 1991. I hate to say it, but the man is a narcissistic anachronism and seems to be getting senile. He needs to be replaced by someone with a clue.
-james
WC has been embarrassed by Don Young since he lost that election to Nick Begich, who was dead at the time…
/WC
Isn’t the scrutiny of rules and regs something POTUS has already asked each department/agency to do? To get rid of redundant, out-of-date, conflicting rules and regulations, etc., so the departments/agencies *can* work efficiently and benefit citizens? If I recall correctly, the huge hue and cry over his vetoing the [latest] EPA reg/rule was *not* about his dismissal of the necessity for environmental safeguards and protections (as he was charged with doing), it was *precisely* because the proposed reg was a short-term measure/remedy that would be on the books forever and would *not* fundamentally change a darned thing (other regs already covered the majority of it.)
beth.
That was worded poorly… people were terribly upset that he vetoed it — they did not realize the *reason* he did so. b.
“The idea behind the legislation is simple; if an agency cannot justify the benefit of a regulation, then it has no business being on the books. The intent of this legislation is to reverse the regulatory overreach by the federal government, not to repeal regulations that are critical to the safety of Alaskans.”
This would paralyze government. Every agency would spend YEARS trying to justify to Don Young and other’s biased approval the benefits of each and every regulation. There would be no progress forward by any measure.
I used to be on a state board. When we drafted regulations, we documented the reasons for and what was intended to be accomplished. I’m guessing (only guessing here) that similar things happen when regulations are drafted on a national basis; reasons for, accomplishments expected. Back when W pushed thru his tax rollbacks for the rich, he listed what he expected these tax breaks to accomplish. In July 2011, on the 10th anniversity of these cuts, Annie Lowrey posted an article detailing the failure of the cuts, using his own goals and expectations. http://www.slate.com/articles/business/moneybox/2011/06/happy_10th_birthday_bush_tax_cuts.html
So, evaluate regulation which should have reasoning behind it and ascertain how much this regulation accomplished in the way of the goals stated. Now that makes sense to me, but the blanket revocation of all federal reguations, “open mouth, insert foot to hip” doesn’t come close to explaining that. Wait, it’s Don Young.
I do understand why some people like him and vote for him; he’s loud and strokes their derterminedly ignorant conceptions of how the world works.
They believe they are right and no amount of facts to the opposite will ever get them to change their minds. Agreed, we need someone to replace the old man – hopefully with someone who makes more sense or at least will consider facts.
So which wingnut is appointed to define “justify the benefit of a regulation”,when the only benefit rethugs provide is to the wealthy? Oh,I guess I just provided the definition for the lazy bastards. Nutters seem to enjoy regs-like free photo voter I.D.s in Wisconsin that they sell for 28 bucks a piece. It only benefits nutters when the poor and minorities can’t afford the free stuff and therefore don’t vote.
This is the epitome of a half-baked idea.
He really must be voted down next year . . . for sure.
I got mail from Don Young’s office. Both my first and last names were spelled incorrectly. I’m crushed, I tell you, crushed.
So Mud, did you or Shanny slip Uncle Don a ‘I’m not sure what planet I’m on’ mickey before that meeting??? You sure?
Someone has surely, finally done him in… It’s time for him to go fishin – for good….
My first response upon reading this was, WTF? Then, I remembered it’s Yon Dung under discussion. Enough said.
People at that luncheon must have walked out of there feeling like they had whip lash – or maybe wishing they’d been in a car that gave them whip lash. It would make more sense.
I have to ask the obvious question, though, – who keeps voting for this nitwit to keep him in office, and can’t the democrats find anyone who can beat him? Or can’t the republicans come up with someone better? Yeah, maybe they can’t.
Pat, I don’t know if I can speak for other Alaskans, but here in our town most folks seem pretty pleased with him. He does stand up for Alaskan values, at least as he sees them. And when someone contacts him about something that involves the federal government infringing on their rights, he totally gets charged up.
That’s Don.
I’m the city clerk here. I know how the votes usually go, and Don always gets the votes. People in rural Alaska don’t want the federal government messin’ with them.
Just sayin’. Not my personal opinion at all one way or the other, just observation.
Ahh, just think of all the corporate donations that one bill will rake in for Don Young.
Congressman Dung is gross.
If the tea party affiliation is diminishing, why do politicians keep coming up with government destroying ideas that appeal to that group?
I’m surprised he didn’t say “Repeal all of the twentieth century.”
it’s a given…. he’s Republican
Man, talk about the crazy. My grandma was like this just before full-blown dementia. Curiously, she wasn’t a Republican. She just sounded like one.
….sounds like the early signs of dementia……
he’s always been this stupid.
always.
Pi ….I PROMISE to send you,Firecracker and Bear Woman vids this weekend !
thanks!
What does that say about those who continue to vote him into office? (Shaking my head over that one…)
that they buy the BS that Alaska needs a rep who has seniority because we only have one rep…
Sad to say, most of my community votes for him. He really took our community’s side when we had a major confrontation with National Park Service last year. Of course, that was a no-brainer for him. He doesn’t want any federal regulation messing with Alaska.
My *personal* feeling is that he needs someone to replace him. But my community feels he is that lone dog standing in there, speaking for them.
Hey, I just live here …….
So Don Young, after 38 years, doesn’t understand that “the agency” doesn’t make the Law, but the Legislators do, then “the agency” makes the Regulation.
A cart always runs better in front of the horse, Don, or in your case, put the dogs on the sled and you pull it.
Of course.
I’m still shaking my head.
I wouldn’t want to hitch my cart to that ass-hat.