| Topic: |
Politics > Politics-USA |
| User: |
"Harry Hope" |
| Date: |
03 Jan 2004 09:52:40 AM |
| Object: |
Hypocrite Republicans' "enthusiasm" for states rights wanes |
From The Associated Press, 1/3/04:
http://www.detnews.com/2004/politics/0401/03/politics-25195.htm
By Jim Abrams / Associated Press
Some laws and rules enacted or proposed during the Bush administration
that would extend federal authority, sometimes at the expense of
states' rights:
-- No Child Left Behind Act. Signed into law by President Bush in
2002, the measure requires schools to test students and show adequate
yearly progress in raising achievement levels. Federal intervention
increases for schools that receive federal low-income aid but don't
improve.
-- Fair Credit Reporting Act. Bush last month signed the bill
retaining national credit reporting standards while giving consumers
new protections against identity theft. Critics said it would stop
states from setting separate tougher rules on how businesses use,
share and report data on individual consumers.
-- The Patriot Act. Enacted weeks after the Sept. 11 attacks, it
expanded government surveillance capabilities, toughened criminal
penalties for terrorists and allowed greater sharing of intelligence
information. Critics say tools to fight terrorism have been used to
infringe on personal rights and usurp state and local crime-fighting
activities. One hot issue is Patriot Act authority to seize library
reading lists and other personal records.
-- Partial birth abortion. Bush in November signed into law the first
federal ban on a type of abortion since the Supreme Court confirmed
abortion rights 30 years ago. The ban on what opponents call partial
birth abortion parallels similar state laws that have generally been
struck down by the courts.
-- Class-action lawsuits. The House passed legislation in 2003 that
would shift many class-action liability lawsuits from state courts,
where businesses complain that juries are too generous to plaintiffs,
to federal courts. Democrats blocked the measure in the Senate last
year, but Republicans said they will try again to pass it in 2004.
-- Medical malpractice. Republicans tried unsuccessfully to pass
legislation limiting damage awards in medical malpractice suits.
Opponents said the measure would protect HMOs and insurance companies
and noted that many states have already passed or are considering
effective laws to cut down on abusive lawsuits.
-- Internet access tax moratorium. Congress tried, without success, to
pass legislation in the final days of the session to permanently ban
taxes on Internet access. Lawmakers from both parties expressed
concern that state and local governments could lose millions in taxes
from phones, music and movies that are migrating to the Internet.
-- Congress is considering legislation that would expand investors'
rights and the authority of the Securities and Exchange Commission to
subpoena and impose fines on company executives. Sponsors say it puts
no limits on state prosecutions of security fraud, but some state
officials say it would preclude states from signing settlements with
investment banking firms that mandate changes in business practices.
-- The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency has proposed rules
saying the authority of national banks and their affiliates to lend
money cannot by hindered by the states. The National Association of
Attorneys General has protested, saying it is a pre-emption of state
consumer protection laws.
____________________________________________________
Now the right wing sez -- What is this states rights *****. Quite a
right wing flip flop,eh?
Harry
"Hypocrisy is the vaseline of political intercourse."
Billy Connolly
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