Rounds Excoriates Regulations as Economic Constraint

The prospect of carving through the Federal Budget as the impetus for turning around America’s fortunes is off the table for Mike Rounds.

In context of the deficit, Rounds is adamant that we don’t pay things down until the economy gets better. “You’re not going be able to cut your way to success. The reality is, the only way we can make this work is if we grow this economy.”

Rounds is on the campaign trail as one of five Republicans currently considering or actively campaigning for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Tim Johnson. The three-term Senator will retire rather than seek a fourth stint.

Federal debt surpasses $17 trillion not counting unfunded liabilities. Essentially, cutting is a government solution. Rounds would rather have the private sector take the lead.

“You have to start growing the economy again. Turn the businesses loose. Get the regulators off their backs. Congress has basically walked away from what their primary responsibility which is to make laws and modify laws.”

In short the Congress abdicates their responsibility by coming up with the concept then giving the responsibility to the Executive Branch to come up with the rules.

“If you start out with a lousy law to begin with, and then you turn it over to the bureaucrat and say, ‘Make it work.’ What you get is thousands and thousands of pages of bureaucracy that men and women work with and try to make a living.”

That setup allows for public comment, but little gets changed because the rule makers are not held accountable.

“You’ve got to take it back from the bureaucrat. Whether it’s the EPA, Department of Commerce, Labor or Education, Congress must do what it’s supposed to do. Can you imagine what would happen if the rules under Obamacare had to go back for approval by Congress? You’d get some people who actually thought twice about some of the rule making they gave away in the first place. Also, you’d end up protecting the men and women that are trying to employ people in this country.”

Rounds and the other Republican candidates as of the start of this year are now able to circulate their petitions and begin meeting the requirements to get on the primary ballot. Those candidates who also have expressed an interest in running for the Republican nomination include Sioux Falls doctor Annette Bosworth, S.D. State Representative Stace Nelson of Fulton, S.D. Senator Larry Rhoden and attorney Jason Ravensborg of Yankton.