Obama calls for elimination of Commerce Dept, streamlining of other functions

[Inthemiddle]

R.I.P., Department of Commerce? President Obama Seeks to Consolidate Government Agencies - Yahoo! News

The president noted that there are "five different entities dealing with housing; more than a dozen agencies involved in food safety. And my favorite example, which I mentioned in last year's State of the Union Address. As it turns out, the Interior Department is in charge of salmon in fresh water, but the Commerce Department handles them in saltwater.

I predict that Obama's biggest obstacle to achieving this goal will be the Democrats.

 

[occupied]

R.I.P., Department of Commerce? President Obama Seeks to Consolidate Government Agencies - Yahoo! News

The president noted that there are "five different entities dealing with housing; more than a dozen agencies involved in food safety. And my favorite example, which I mentioned in last year's State of the Union Address. As it turns out, the Interior Department is in charge of salmon in fresh water, but the Commerce Department handles them in saltwater.

I predict that Obama's biggest obstacle to achieving this goal will be the Democrats.

Hardly, the republicans will fight this just because they are republicans.

 

[TakeAStepBack]

Pony show'd.

 

[jaybags]

i guess rick perry nailed this one. now what are the other 2 departments to cut?

 

[g5000]

The business and trade functions of the Commerce Department along with the U.S. Trade Representative, the Export-Import Bank, the Overseas Private Investment Corp., the Trade and Development Agency and the Small Business Administration would be consolidated into one department. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration would move from Commerce to the Interior Department.

Negotiator as Arbiter
Currently, the trade representative negotiates free-trade and multilateral agreements while Commerce enforces them, filing complaints over violations and promotes exports.

Lumping those functions together could hurt both. Negotiators may be more likely to add exceptions to accords, hampering enforcement, said William Reinsch, the president of the National Foreign Trade Council.

“You don’t want your trade negotiator to be the arbiter of trade law and enforcement,” Reinsch said. “The concessions to trade laws would be overwhelming.”

Obama’s Reorganization Raises Concerns About Trade Effectiveness

 

[Katzndogz]

Since he can run everything by edict eliminate them all.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

R.I.P., Department of Commerce? President Obama Seeks to Consolidate Government Agencies - Yahoo! News

The president noted that there are "five different entities dealing with housing; more than a dozen agencies involved in food safety. And my favorite example, which I mentioned in last year's State of the Union Address. As it turns out, the Interior Department is in charge of salmon in fresh water, but the Commerce Department handles them in saltwater.

I predict that Obama's biggest obstacle to achieving this goal will be the Democrats.

Finally, someone is making sense. My guess is that the Democrats will block it though.

 

[rightwinger]

If it was a Republican idea, they would be all for it

In an election year, they will block it

 

[Mustang]

R.I.P., Department of Commerce? President Obama Seeks to Consolidate Government Agencies - Yahoo! News

The president noted that there are "five different entities dealing with housing; more than a dozen agencies involved in food safety. And my favorite example, which I mentioned in last year's State of the Union Address. As it turns out, the Interior Department is in charge of salmon in fresh water, but the Commerce Department handles them in saltwater.

I predict that Obama's biggest obstacle to achieving this goal will be the Democrats.

This is great news for Rick Perry because he'll now only have two cabinet depts (Education and Energy) to remember in future debates.