Regulation hypocrisy

There are a number of stereotypes in politics. While a few tend to have some basis in reality most are propagated to further a political agenda. One such stereotype is the belief that Republicans are against regulations and Democrats are for them.

The reality is that Republicans love regulations just as much as Democrats. The only real difference is the type of regulations they support.

While Republicans are more that willing to oppose any regulations on business, guns and the environment, that doesn't mean they are against adding regulations when they are in charge. Below is a short list of recent examples.

- The voters of Michigan recently approved the use of medical marijuana. Republicans who control both the state house and senate are looking at adding regulations to the law.

- For decades public workers and local government have been given the opportunity to negotiate a compensation package that works best for both parties. Republicans have recently adopted legislation mandating the amount of health care costs that public employees must cover.

- The greatest judges in the greatest legal system in the world decided that a woman's right to an abortion was protected by the constitution. Republicans in multiple states are exercising the much loathed practice of government overreach and adding significant amounts of regulations to Abortion clinics in an effort to circumvent the supreme court's decision.

- Regardless of the reality that there seems to be no tangible evidence of voter fraud Republicans in multiple states are passing voter ID requirements.

- In Michigan the Emergency Manager legislation has further complicated the job of local officials as Republicans add legal justification for usurping power in the name of "fiscal responsibility".

- Tort reform is a Republican mainstay, that many Republicans in power are now pushing for to add new regulations to our court system.

- Given that social issues are at the top of the Republican agenda it should come as no surprise that the Internet and in particular Internet porn is an area rife with Republican regulations.

- Michigan voters recently passed a law allowing embryonic stem cell research which Republicans have attached new regulations to.

- Possibly the most prevalent area of Republicans fervor for regulations are the state immigration laws that are being passed, with Arizona and Georgia leading the pack.

Politician's all have their own agenda which consists of adding regulations on things they don't like and removing regulations on the areas they support. Democrat or Republican it makes no difference. The hyperbole around regulation is nothing more than rhetoric staking out a fallacious position in an effort to gain votes without presenting any actual facts.