I typically do not write about political issues.  I’m very much an idiot when it comes to such things.  

Case in point, I didn’t know that exiting Presidents have a habit of passing all sorts of regulations right before they leave office that effect some pretty scary stuff.  It’s known as Midnight Regulations.  Basically, 60 and 30 days before a President leaves office, they can push through new regulations to become law.  If they are passed before the term is up on January 19^th, it is possible for the new president to overturn them, but it takes a considerable amount of time and the effects of the laws while enacted can be very detrimental.

Here are some of the new regulations that will take effect on or near Jan. 19^th : (Taken from OMB Watch)

Truck driver hours of service, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (Department of Transportation) — The rule would allow truck drivers to drive up to 11 consecutive hours. Because of the effects of fatigue, longer hours-of-service periods put both truck drivers and other motorists at risk.

Woot, can’t wait to end up on the road with some of these really tired truck drivers.  But just wait,  it gets worse - here’s some really cool ones about the environment:

Mountaintop mining, Office of Surface Mining (Interior) — The rule would allow mining companies to dump the waste (i.e. excess rock and dirt) from mountaintop mining into rivers and streams.

Endangered species consultation, Department of the Interior — The rule would alter implementation of the Endangered Species Act by allowing federal land-use managers to approve projects like infrastructure creation, minerals extraction, or logging without consulting federal habitat managers and biological health experts responsible for species protection. Currently, consultation is required.

Air pollution reporting from farms, Environmental Protection Agency — The rule would exempt factory farms from reporting air pollution emissions from animal waste.

That last one is also super cool, since they have already put into effect that factory farms can allow runoff to pollute waterways without a permit.  That was put into effect December 20^th – that is a big happy pig sewage filled Christmas present and  wonderful shit scented air during the New Year from our lovely Mr. Bush.

Moving on.....

Burning of hazardous waste, Environmental Protection Agency — The rule would reclassify thousands of tons of hazardous waste as fuel, allowing it to be burned instead of sensitively disposed of. The emissions generated by burning the waste would be more toxic than emissions from burning fossil fuels. The chemical industry is advocating for more categories of waste to be reclassified.

If you aren’t a tree hugger, here some new regulations that affect workers.  While you are praying nothing happens to your job, hope nothing happens to your family either.

Family and medical leave, Employment Standards Administration (Labor) — The rule would limit employee access to family and medical leave. Among other things, the rule would make it more difficult for workers to use paid vacation or personal time to take leave and would allow employers to speak directly to an employee's health care provider.

And you are screwed if you are a woman as well:

Access to reproductive health services, Department of Health and Human Services — The rule could reduce women's access to reproductive health services. The rule would require health care providers to certify they will allow their employees to withhold services on the basis of religious or moral grounds or risk losing federal funding.

This rule is so broadly written that it can include administration or janitorial staff.  So if you want an appointment at your doctor’s office and he takes federal funding of any kind, you better hope that the receptionist is not morally opposed to the medical service you need.

Gun safety in national parks, National Park Service (Interior) — The rule would end the 25-year-old ban on carrying loaded weapons in national parks.

This one is kind of weird, but there is speculation that there will be an increase in impulse killings in national parks, affecting the cute wildlife that lives there.  Considering we have people who can’t tell a Llama from an Elk in this country, we might want to be a little worried about this one as well. 

Obama had enough to worry about in his first 100 days.  I'm sure he appreciates this and the extra work he will have to put into changing some of these things ON TOP OF WORRING ABOUT THE ECONOMY.

Find (what I think is) a complete list of Midnight Regulations and their statuses here.