Blog: The Fine Print / posts by Katherine McFate
Ghosts of Christmases Past, Present, and Yet-to-Come
Dec 20, 2012 by Katherine McFate
When A Christmas Carol was written in 1843, England's early industrial revolution was unencumbered by employment law, workplace safety standards, or any semblance of public health standards.
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Cost-Benefit Analysis: The Stunning Triumph of a Flawed Tool
Sep 18, 2012 by Katherine McFate
Last Thursday, Cass Sunstein, the former administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), argued that “cost-benefit analysis has become part of the informal constitution of the U.S. regulatory state” and that this represents a “stunning triumph.” While it’s true that cost-benefit analyses are being applied to rulemaking across an array of laws and programs, we believe that this represents the triumph of a flawed analytic tool and is not a triumph for American citizens. It is simply not appropriate to apply cost-benefit analysis to many aspects of policymaking, and the results from such analyses should not be the final determinant of the value of many proposed standards or safeguards.
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The Disconnect Between American Voters and Members of Congress
Jul 25, 2012 by Katherine McFate
This afternoon, the Senate voted 51-48 to restore reasonable tax rates on the top two percent of Americans. Ending the Bush tax cuts for households making more than $250,000 would generate almost a trillion dollars in revenue over the next ten years. This revenue could be used to pay down the deficit and build a platform for future growth by investing in education, infrastructure, research, clean energy, and more. With this vote, a majority of senators acknowledged the need for more revenue and for a fairer tax system.
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Regulatory Accountability Act Would Undermine Crucial Protections for the American People
Nov 17, 2011 by Katherine McFate
Eliminating lead in children's toys. Requiring seatbelts in automobiles. Reducing coal dust in mines. Preventing unsafe drugs and foods from entering the marketplace. Outlawing predatory loan rates and lending practices. If the bill deliberately mislabeled the Regulatory Accountability Act (RAA) had been put in place in 1960, none of these protections for the American people could have been developed.
read in fullLeading OMB Watch into a New Era
Jul 15, 2011 by Katherine McFate
I am proud to take the helm of this important organization. That OMB Watch is so widely respected for its timely, accurate policy analysis and outstanding record of public interest advocacy is a testament to the values, expertise, and commitment of founder Gary Bass. Thanks to Gary, I have inherited a talented staff; an engaged, supportive Board; and an organization with openness, collegiality, and hard work hard-wired into its culture. Gary has been incredibly generous with his time and wisdom during this transition and I am deeply grateful. He'll always be the "wise head" of the OMB Watch family.
