This video looks at the prolific and undemocratic implementation of “midnight regulations” by President Bush during his last days in office. These regulations may be issued by the executive with little legislative or judicial oversight, and represent a collaboration between the administration and lobbyists hoping to push through “pet projects”. Of late, such regulations have included limits to workplace protections for laborers, relaxed environmental standards and regulations that allow the coal industry to dump debris in water bodies. Midnight regulations may be repealed by the incoming president, but the process of rolling back such regulations is exceedingly complex. As one political economist explained, Bill Clinton succeeded in repealing only 9 percent of the midnight regulations put in place by President H.W. Bush. As of now, George W. Bush is on track to put in place more regulations than any other president in history.

—Marissa Colón-Margolies

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