Republicans have developed a reputation for ridiculing nanny state policies of the United States government that regulate an array of activities and products as if Americans are all infants or toddlers unable to look out for their own best interests. Nonetheless, the Republican United States House of Representatives leadership has announced it is putting on the House floor for votes this week several bills that seek to expand the power and scope of the nanny state.
Tag: regulation
Over the last few decades the United States government has been working on degrading Americans’ homes one piece at a time. A new proposal the US government is considering would add gas stoves commonly used in the kitchens of homes across the country to its list of forbidden yet highly valued home items.
Maybe you thought the United States government legalizing marijuana would just mean the US government would butt out, leaving people alone to smoke joints or eat chocolate chip and marijuana cookies in peace. Unfortunately, national marijuana legalization will not be like that if 12 organizations behind a new report have their way.
The Washington, DC machine is kicking into gear to ensure that national marijuana legalization, which looks inevitable given public support, is laden with many new US government dictates. Among other goals, the 12 organizations are advocating in the new report that the US government micromanage marijuana so much that US law effectively builds a wall between marijuana and both alcohol and tobacco.
It does not seem fair. This week, Johnson & Johnson was called out by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for problems with Johnson & Johnson’s experimental coronavirus vaccine. While experimental coronavirus vaccine competitors Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech skated by without censure despite their shots appearing likely to cause the same problems, the FDA put out a warning regarding the Johnson & Johnson shot.
Last month the executive director of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), who many people would expect to support the United States government butting out of marijuana matters, was urging the US government to tightly regulate the marijuana market. On Wednesday, two major marijuana industry associations joined in, urging the US government to impose regulations on marijuana businesses.
United States Department of Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, in a Monday press conference, attacked cryptocurrencies, including Facebook’s planned Libra. Mnuchin charged that Libra and other cryptocurrencies “could be misused by money launderers and terrorist financiers” and are a “national security issue.” Further stated Mnuchin: “Cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin have been exploited to support billions of dollars of illicit activity like cybercrime, tax evasion, extortion, ransomware, illicit drugs and human trafficking.”
Mnuchin, however, likely has no real reason for such concerns about Libra. It looks like backers of Libra are prepared to help the US government crack down on cryptocurrencies and financial privacy.