Regulations Are 'Laws' 

    Part 2

     "Regulations affect healthcare, transgender ideology, the unborn and other issues. Wordiness is the practice. Since January, agencies have published more than 75,540 pages of explanation for proposed and approved rules. Most of those pages are in small print, triple columns. 

     "Proposed" is the word. During proposal stages, the public and groups can submit comments. Anyone can comment on the Register's website, with or without identity, long or short. You can respond to one or many aspects. You can ask questions, even share personal stories. Freedom, right?

WORLD magazine

     "Once the comment period ends, an agency continues to modify (or withdraw) its proposal. Then the Office of Management and Budget reviews. Individuals or groups can meet with federal officials. After all that, a regulation can become law. 

     "Here's the catch: Federal agencies are required to respond to comments. If an agency fails to provide a reasoned response to comments raised, a court may consider the final rule unlawful. Issues like abortion, marriage and sexuality draw comments from well-organized groups on the left. That can distort perception of public support. 

     "The agencies can say, 'Well, 70 percent of comments were in favor of the proposal.' Attorney Eric Kniffin of the Ethics and Public Policy Center (EPPC) said, 'I watched a group of liberals weaponize the Affordable Care Act. They wanted to push for a contraception mandate. They succeeded, and Christian-owned businesses were forced to fight back in court.' 

     "'They sought to force doctors to perform and insurance to cover medical interventions supporting gender transitions,' he said. 'If there had been more of a spotlight on it...maybe we could have stopped it." 

 Tomorrow: public awareness?