Cass Sunstein has been confirmed by the U.S. Senate to be the new Administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA). In this position Sunstein will “review and approve or reject all regulations promulgated by the Obama administration, thus giving him great power to influence these regulations.” This, according to an article in the Oklahoma Farm Report.Sunstein’s nomination was not without controversy, which helps explain why 40 Senators voted against his confirmation. This biggest concern of those involved in agriculture is Mr. Sunstein’s previous history as an animal rights advocate. The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association issued this statement:
While we have no doubt that Mr. Sunstein is otherwise qualified for this job, NCBA remains concerned about Mr. Sunstein's long history of academic work in animal rights and anti-livestock advocacy, including a book in which he asserted that animals should have the right to bring suits against humans, with humans as their legal representatives. We are encouraged by Mr. Sunstein's recent letter to Senator Chambliss (R-Ga.) in which he clarified that he does not favor and would not support such a right, and that his primary concern would be to ensure that regulations are consistent with the Constitution, the law was enacted by Congress, and the principles reflected in governing Executive Orders. We hope that he will indeed follow through on this pledge, and that as he looks at regulations impacting livestock production, he will reach out to the animal agriculture community and make decisions based on sound science, not personal feelings.
For their part, the American Farm Bureau Federation lobbied on behalf of Sunstein’s confirmation, as did the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
Sunstein also faced opposition from the Left when he was first nominated. The Center for Progressive Reform issued a white paper that alleged Sunstein’s regulatory track record was too conservative. The group also opposed Sunstein’s reliance on “cost-benefit analysis.” ABC’s blog quotes the group as stating that cost-benefit analysis "relies on overstated cost estimates (often from industry sources), and drastically understated estimates of regulatory benefits. Indeed, some benefits defy monetization altogether and are simply dropped from the equation, yielding results that are incomplete and distorted."
Despite the opinions of various organizations and individuals on both sides of the political spectrum, Sunstein is the new “Regulatory Czar.” It is worth noting that newly minted Senate Agriculture Committee Chair Blanche Lincoln (AR) voted against confirmation.
To see a vote breakdown click here.
Posted: 09/11/09
