Strike The Root

There are a thousand hacking at the branches of evil to one who is striking at the root.

  Federal Register Watch

by Mike Powers

November 18 - November 22, 2002  

What freedoms have you lost this week?

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.

NOVEMBER 18, 2002 :

Department of Energy –

Notice Regarding the Disposal of Nearly One Metric Ton of Plutonium-Bearing Materials Produced by the Government

Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site, located outside of Denver , Colorado , was used by the federal government from 1952 until 1989 to manufacture nuclear weapons components using radioactive material such as plutonium and uranium.  Nearly 40 years of nuclear weapons production left behind a legacy of contaminated facilities, soils, and ground water. 

The majority of Rocky Flats’ 100-plus tons of plutonium-content “leftovers,” called residues, will be disposed as transuranic waste (material contaminated with certain uranium and plutonium isotopes).  These residues contain 3.2 tons of plutonium spread throughout more than 8,000 containers!  

Designated a Superfund cleanup site in 1995, DOE officials estimate that cleanup will cost taxpayers between $6 billion and $8 billion.  Your tax dollars at work!  

http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/14mar20010800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2002/02-29161.htm  

International Trade Commission -

Import Investigation of Pedal Actuators from China

The ITC’s investigation concludes that pedal actuators from China are being imported into the United States “in such quantities as to cause market disruption to the domestic producers of directly competitive products.”  Pedestal actuators are components used in motor scooters, wheelchairs, and related equipment.  As a remedy, the ITC recommends that the President impose quantitative trade restrictions on these imports.  

Motion Systems Corporation of Eatontown , New Jersey , initiated the investigation when they filed a Section 421 “market disruption petition” with the ITC.  This is a classic example of a private company using government force to restrict competition.

The International Trade Commission is nothing more than an anti-free trade obstructionist organization designed to suppress competition and prevent consumer choice.  Governments, not free markets, create monopolies.

http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/14mar20010800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2002/02-29220.htm  

Postal Service –

Regulations for Inspecting Postage Meter Production Facilities Located Outside the United States

This rule requires postage meter manufacturers to reimburse the Postal Service for costs incurred by inspections mandated by the Postal Service!  Government organizations can make some pretty outrageous demands when they have a monopoly on the service they provide.

http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/14mar20010800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2002/02-29097.htm 

United States Institute of Peace –

Announcement of the Spring 2003 Solicited Grant Competition

The solicited grant competition is restricted to projects that fit specific themes and topics identified by the Institute of Peace .  Oddly enough, the funds made available for these grants were collected via forceful means through taxation.  How ironic.

http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/14mar20010800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2002/02-29111.htm  

NOVEMBER 20, 2002 :   

Internal Revenue Service –

Restriction of Outbound Liquidations to Foreign Corporations

This ruling applies to outbound transfers to a foreign corporation in a complete liquidation of a domestic corporation.  It prevents foreign companies from liquidating appreciated assets in the United States to avoid corporate taxes.  In their relentless pursuit of other people’s money, the greedy IRS is imposing additional regulations that will ultimately curb foreign investment in the United States .

http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/14mar20010800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2002/02-29508.htm  

International Trade Administration –

Antidumping Duty Administrative Review of Petroleum Wax Candles from the People’s Republic of China

The federal government imposes antidumping duties on imported goods to “protect” less efficient domestic producers of similar goods and services.  Yet, these protectionist duties merely increase prices for consumers. 

The current antidumping duty rate on petroleum wax candles imported from China is an astounding 54.2%!

http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/14mar20010800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2002/02-29495.htm  

Tennessee Valley Authority –

Proposed Information Collection Request for TVA Accounts Payable Customer Satisfaction Survey

Wholly owned by the federal government, the TVA was established by Congress in 1933 primarily to provide flood control, river navigation, and agricultural and industrial development.  Poor management caused the TVA to build up a staggering debt of over $27 billion that left the agency paying 35 cents of every budget dollar for interest payments, over twice the 16 cents on the dollar the average power authority spends on debt service.  Despite generous tax breaks, subsidies, and regulatory exemptions, the TVA power monopoly charges higher rates than other power providers in the Southeast. 

You can bet the “real” TVA customers – the taxpayers – aren’t satisfied.

http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/14mar20010800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2002/02-29413.htm 

NOVEMBER 21, 2002 :

Agricultural Marketing Service –

Miscellaneous Nanny State Rules on Producers

Kiwifruit Grown In California – This rule allows handlers to pack more individual pieces of fruit per 8-pound sample for three size designations.  It takes a federal ruling to decide this?

http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/14mar20010800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2002/02-29530.htm  

Grapefruit Grown In Florida – This rule limits the volume of small, red, seedless grapefruit entering the market.

http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/14mar20010800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2002/02-29533.htm  

Agricultural Marketing Service -

Notice of Grant Funds Available Under the Federal-State Marketing Improvement Program

Announcement of $1.3 million in grants available for FY 2003 to be used for marketing research activities aimed at developing new and efficient methods of packaging, processing, handling, and storing food and other agricultural products. 

Yet another agribusinesses subsidy.

http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/14mar20010800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2002/02-29531.htm  

Employment and Training Administration –

Petitions for Trade Adjustment Assistance

A list of about three dozen companies whose employees or labor unions have filed for “trade adjustment assistance” – taxpayer handouts to employees of companies that the Department of Labor determines have been “significantly harmed” by U.S. trade policies (in other words, free trade policies). 

The law allows workers to apply for adjustment assistance if they lose their jobs or have less work because increased imports are directly competitive with those produced by their company. 

Trade adjustment assistance includes reemployment services, job search allowances, relocation allowances, and “free” training.  It also provides weekly trade readjustment allowances for eligible workers who exhaust their unemployment insurance benefits!  All at taxpayer expense.

http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/14mar20010800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2002/02-29627.htm  

Fish and Wildlife Service –

Proposal to Designate a Critical Habitat for the Scotts Valley Polygonum

According to the Fish and Wildlife Service, the polygonum hickmanii is "a small, erect, taprooted annual in the buckwheat family. It grows from 1 to 2 inches tall, and can be either single stemmed or profusely branching near the base in more mature plants.”

Costs to designate critical habitat for the polygonum are estimated at between $165,000 and $565,000 over a ten-year period. 

It’s a freaking weed, for Christ’s sake. 

http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/14mar20010800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2002/02-29621.htm  

Foreign Agricultural Service –

Notice of Special Safeguard Duty on Imports of American Cheese

According to the Secretary of Agriculture, imports of American-type cheese have hit “special safeguard trigger levels,” necessitating an additional duty of 35.2 cents per kilogram on all American-type cheese imports for the rest of the year.

http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/14mar20010800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2002/02-29599.htm  

NOVEMBER 22, 2002 :

Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements –

Preferential Treatment for Certain Textile Imports

Under the African Growth and Opportunity Act, imports of handloomed articles from the sub-Saharan African country of Lesotho qualify for duty-free treatment.  Only politically correct imports are free from tariffs.

http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/14mar20010800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2002/02-29750.htm  

Department of Defense –

Proposal to Permit Incentive Payments for the Use of Indian Organizations as Subcontractors

The proposal will amend a clause in the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) to provide incentive payments to contractors that use Indian-owned enterprises as subcontractors.  DoD contracting officers will be authorized to issue an incentive payment of five percent of the estimated cost included in the contract awarded to the Indian organization or Indian-owned economic enterprise.

The government makes frequent use of racial profiling, at the expense of taxpayers.  The cost and quality of the good or service procured is not as important as the race of the provider.

http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/14mar20010800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2002/02-29465.htm