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Federal
Register Watch by Mike Powers May
12 - 16, 2003
The Federal
Register is the official daily publication for Rules, Proposed Rules,
and Notices of Federal agencies and organizations, as well as Executive
Orders and other Presidential Documents.
This column attempts to summarize the highlights (or lowlights)
of the Federal Register during the preceding week. Instructions
for subscribing to the Federal Register can be found at the end of the
column. MAY
12, 2003: INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE (IRS) – This
document contains amendments to regulations under sections 263A and 448
of the IRS
code that are designed to "simplify" accounting methods for
taxpayers. Despite
ample competition for the bureaucratic inefficiency crown, the
IRS is perhaps the most inept federal government agency of all.
Individuals and businesses endure tremendous financial burdens in
their attempts to comply with the multitudes of IRS rules and
regulations. Consider the following facts: ·
The
costs of federal tax compliance are in the order of $200
billion - about 10 percent of
total tax revenue collected by the government. ·
Tax
laws, regulations, and related documentation include more than 700 tax
forms and span nearly 46,000 pages. ·
The
federal tax code has endured more than 6,000 changes since 1986. ·
There
were 441 changes to the tax rules in last year's tax-cut law alone. It is estimated that the average American family pays more in taxes than they do for food, clothing and shelter COMBINED. Utilizing their endless resolve to separate individuals and businesses from their property, governments at every level continue to deprive Americans of the ability to live freer, more prosperous lives. http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/14mar20010800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2003/03-11765.htm MAY
14, 2003: INTERNATIONAL
TRADE ADMINISTRATION (ITA) – The
ITA determined that Beijing Concord Auto Technology, Inc., a Chinese
manufacturer of brake rotors, were selling their goods at “less
than fair value” in the American markets, imposing
“anti-dumping” duties as a result.
Under
the Tariff Act of 1930, U.S. industries may petition the government for
relief from imports that are sold in the United States at “less than
fair value” ("dumped") or which benefit from subsidies
provided through foreign government programs. The
Coalition for the Preservation of American Brake Drum and Rotor
Aftermarket Manufacturers petitioned for the review in order to
protect their market share. The
protectionist measure worked for the Coalition, as Beijing Concord will
now pay a 43% tariff on brake rotor imports – ensuring that Americans will
pay more for these parts. The
ITA singled out Beijing Concord for the duties because they failed to
“provide requested information and did not properly notify the
Department of its difficulty in meeting our requirements in accordance
with section 782(copyright) of the Act.” Yet,
it is consumers who will ultimately pay the duties via higher prices for
brake parts. http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/14mar20010800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2003/03-12031.htm PRESIDENTIAL
DOCUMENTS – President Bush declares May 17-23, 2003, as “National Safe Boating Week” and encourages all boaters to “learn about proper boating practices, including the wearing of life jackets, and to take advantage of boating safety programs throughout the year.” You
know, if it weren’t for President Bush’s recommendations, I would
probably have no regard for my own personal safety or the safety of
others while on the nation’s waterways.
Thanks, President Bush! http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/14mar20010800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2003/03-12198.htm MAY
15, 2003: FEDERAL
ELECTION COMMISSION – This
notice extends the public comment period on the Federal Election
Commission's notice of proposed rulemaking on public
financing of presidential candidates and nominating conventions. In the 2000 presidential election, George Bush and Al Gore received a combined $150 million in taxpayer-funded “federal matching funds.” Bush collected $67.5 million while Gore received $83 million. What do we get for our involuntary support of these candidates? Higher taxes, more government spending, more bureaucratic regulation, less freedom. Only in America! http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/14mar20010800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2003/03-11978.htm
NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITY (NCD) – MEETING OF THE CULTURAL DIVERSITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE The
purpose of the CDAC is “to provide advice and recommendations to NCD
on issues affecting people with
disabilities from culturally diverse backgrounds.” Specifically,
the committee helps to “identify issues, expand outreach, infuse
participation, and elevate the voices of underserved and unserved
segments of this nation's population that will help NCD develop federal
policy that will address the needs and advance the civil and human
rights of people from diverse cultures.” Non-diverse
disabled persons need not apply! http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/14mar20010800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2003/03-12167.htm MAY
16, 2003: CENTERS FOR MEDICARE AND MEDICAID SERVICES – This
proposed rule updates the prospective payment rates for inpatient
rehabilitation facilities (IRFs) for Federal fiscal year 2004. This 52-page document is just one of many rules and regulations that health care providers must follow in order to comply with the Medicare program. Recent
cuts in Medicare disbursements have prompted many physicians to complain
that payments no longer cover the cost of caring for the elderly.
To no one’s surprise, a growing number of doctors are refusing to treat new Medicare patients.
Yet, politicians continue to add benefits while reducing Medicare
payments to doctors. The
situation will surely get worse before it gets better. http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/14mar20010800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2003/03-11829.htm CHILDREN AND FAMILIES ADMINISTRATION (ACF) – This
program is designed to provide mentoring service for children whose
parents are incarcerated. According
to the ACF, the number of children with a parent in a federal or state
correctional facility increased by more than 100 percent between
1991 and 1999, from approximately 900,000 to approximately 2,000,000.
Not
coincidentally, drug arrests
increased by 50% during the same period.
In 2000 alone, 1.5 million Americans were arrested for drug
offenses, and half of those were for simple marijuana possession. The
ACF continues: “Like their parents, children of criminal offenders
reflect the racial disparities of the justice system. Seven percent of
African American children have an incarcerated parent, almost three
percent of Hispanic children have an incarcerated parent while less than
one percent of white children have an incarcerated parent.” Again,
the War on Drugs has traditionally targeted minorities.
Blacks comprise 38% of those arrested for drug offenses and 59%
of those convicted for drug offenses. The
War on Drugs is a war on the American people
- impoverishing families, destroying civil liberties, increasing crime
rates, and fostering dependency upon a government that created the
problem in the first place. An
end to the War on Drugs would reduce the need for programs like this. http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/14mar20010800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2003/03-12242.htm EMPLOYMENT
STANDARDS ADMINISTRATION – The Davis-Bacon Act of 1931 requires that federal construction contractors pay their workers "prevailing wages." The original intent of the legislation was to favor white workers who belonged to white-only unions over non-unionized black workers. The
act continues to have discriminatory effects today by favoring
disproportionately white, skilled and unionized construction workers
over disproportionately black, unskilled and non-unionized construction
workers. http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/14mar20010800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2003/03-11887.htm To
subscribe to the Federal Register Table of Contents LISTSERV electronic
mailing list, go to http://listserv.access.gpo.gov
and select Online mailing list archives, FEDREGTOC-L, Join or leave the
list (or change settings); then follow the instructions. Link to the current edition of Federal Register Watch at www.strike-the-root.com/3/frw/frw.html
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