Waterloo Records
Minimize or Eliminate Regulations and It Will Be Utopia!
RECEIVED Thu., Jan. 27, 2005
Dear Editor,
Michael Ventura laments the areas where the U.S. is not ranked No. 1. I'd like to suggest a couple of reasons ["Letters @ 3AM," Jan. 21].
Educational deficiencies are not created overnight; it takes prolonged neglect and systematic refusal to adhere to strong standards. During the Sixties, teachers unions in general, and the NEA in particular, began "relaxing" standards for their members and forcing school boards to march to their drummer. I graduated in 1970. In 1973, my school lost its state accreditation and did not reacquire it until many years had passed. When I'd meet some of my former teachers and talk about this, most said it was because teachers were no longer held accountable for their students' success, and this was traceable to the NEA and other teachers unions. They were, by and large, appalled at the changes within their profession and said it would be detrimental. Seems their fears were well founded!
On the economic front, we can lay much of the United States' decline at the feet of the EPA. When established, the EPA had merit. There were issues, and some regulations were needed. EPA set standards that were said to be based on human-health requirements. A few years on, when the standards were met, EPA got nervous. Not wanting to be eliminated or relegated to an advisory board, EPA began the cycle we see today, with a new round of "needed" standards imposed every few years. Since humans change little, and their health needs were to be well protected by the standards imposed in 1971-72, you'll pardon me if I smell a rat! I think U.S. emission and pollution standards have cost us our competitive advantage. Regulations, both environmental and otherwise, were the downfall of our manufacturing base, and the solid payrolls and health care coverage that accrued from that sector.
Minimize or eliminate regulations, and watch the U.S. economy prosper!
Michael Ventura laments the areas where the U.S. is not ranked No. 1. I'd like to suggest a couple of reasons ["Letters @ 3AM," Jan. 21].
Educational deficiencies are not created overnight; it takes prolonged neglect and systematic refusal to adhere to strong standards. During the Sixties, teachers unions in general, and the NEA in particular, began "relaxing" standards for their members and forcing school boards to march to their drummer. I graduated in 1970. In 1973, my school lost its state accreditation and did not reacquire it until many years had passed. When I'd meet some of my former teachers and talk about this, most said it was because teachers were no longer held accountable for their students' success, and this was traceable to the NEA and other teachers unions. They were, by and large, appalled at the changes within their profession and said it would be detrimental. Seems their fears were well founded!
On the economic front, we can lay much of the United States' decline at the feet of the EPA. When established, the EPA had merit. There were issues, and some regulations were needed. EPA set standards that were said to be based on human-health requirements. A few years on, when the standards were met, EPA got nervous. Not wanting to be eliminated or relegated to an advisory board, EPA began the cycle we see today, with a new round of "needed" standards imposed every few years. Since humans change little, and their health needs were to be well protected by the standards imposed in 1971-72, you'll pardon me if I smell a rat! I think U.S. emission and pollution standards have cost us our competitive advantage. Regulations, both environmental and otherwise, were the downfall of our manufacturing base, and the solid payrolls and health care coverage that accrued from that sector.
Minimize or eliminate regulations, and watch the U.S. economy prosper!
Sincerely,
Keith Batcher
Keith Batcher
