According to RollingStone.com: Bush’s Most Radical Plan Yet, President Bush proposed the creation of a Sunset Commission that would add another 8 appointees to the thousands he has already appointed. This new commission will decide what federal agencies should be eliminated for ‘not producing results’ and only an act of Congress can cancel a majority decision of the commission. That may sound good, but who will these 8 cronies be – those with MBAs? And what results will they be looking for – those that benefit citizens or those that adversely affect their business friends?
This proposal was hidden in this year’s 2,000 page federal spending plan from the President. If enacted, how would the President apply the Peter Principle this time? What would happen to the EPA, OSHA, and/or FEMA? Should that kind of power be placed within the Executive Branch? Should Congress let this commission undo the work of previous Congresses? Is there a Constitutional issue concerning Separation of Powers? Even if there is, who will be on the Supreme Court when this proposal becomes law and then is contested?
But why worry about some small proposal that few know of and those that were aware of initially have since forgotten? Well, that was at the start of 2005. What’s happened since?
On July 14, 2005, the Federal Agency Performance Review and Sunset Act was submitted for review to the House Committee on Government Reform. Debate was held on September 25, 2005.
Andy Hailey