
This 4th of July holiday, enjoy the barbecue hot dogs and burgers, potato salad and pasta salad with family and friends but don’t forget about the freedoms that you hold dear. What freedoms do you cherish? Are reproductive rights important to you? How about the environment, the costs of healthcare, or gun control legislation? Well, if you haven’t heard already, the United States Supreme Court, in Loper Bright Enters. v. Raimondo, has just recently ruled that Courts
must exercise their independent judgment in deciding whether an agency has acted within its statutory authority. Deference to the Chevron doctrine prevents courts from exercising the judicial power vested in them by Article III. This decision usurps the power of federal agencies to interpret the laws that they administer. Now, if an environmental law or food and drug administration law is vague or ambiguous, judges without expertise, rather than the federal
government which employs scientists and experts with specialized knowledge, could re-define “clean air” and “clean water.” They could decide that these terms are subject to interpretation. The ramifications for our environment could be devastating. This judicial activism will continue to profoundly affect our freedoms, health, and well-being.
Freedom…but at what cost?
Some of us want more freedom from government regulation. This may sound good but it can be dangerous if it leads to the public’s increased exposure to hazardous substances, products, and chemicals that can result in disease and fatalities. Many environmental protection agency regulations have already been rolled back causing damage to our air and water, driving us deeper into climate change, and leaving our environment worse off for the next generation. It is plain to see the path these policies put our country on. These past summers, it has been hotter than normal due to climate change and/or less government regulation. Nonetheless, enjoy the sunshine while you still can. Just keep the sunscreen handy and hydrate.