In case you missed it: The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and other Big Business critics of regulation assert that there has been a “regulatory tsunami” during the past few years. A recent editorial by The New York Times exposed this false claim and showed that many important rules remain stuck in the pipeline.

As the Times deftly noted, this phony debate over public protections has resulted in demands for false choices between clean air and jobs, between safe food and a growing economy, between clean water and higher industry profits. This unsound approach, woven into the deluge of "regulatory reform" bills pending on Capitol Hill, ignores the reality that we can have a strong economy and protect Americans from pollution, foodborne illnesses, and irresponsible behavior on Wall Street.