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Republican Darrell Issa, the new chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, blames slow job creation on regulation of all kinds. The California Representative in November made waves by calling President Obama “one of the most corrupt presidents in modern times” during an interview with Rush Limbaugh. He backpeddled from the comment later, but he maintains that the Obama administration has overseen a raft of regulations and reforms that are worth investigating as road-blocks to economic recovery. Politico reported on Monday that Issa began dialogues with major business interests in December and he has since solicited opinions from over 150 associations, think tanks, and individual companies. In letters to these interests Issa asserts that 2010 was, “the single highest year increase in estimated [regulatory] burden on record, resulting in thousands of lost jobs.” He is asking businesses to tell him which regulations have hurt them the most. Recipients of the letters include the American Petroleum Institute, The Association of American Railroads, and Toyota. Politico reports that the invitation has garnered complaints against a wide-range of regulations. Environmental protections have drawn lots of criticism. Everything from limiting waste-water flows from construction sites, to greenhouse gas and hazardous air pollutant controls, have been attacked. in the name of economic growth industries are also requesting repeals or blocks on everything from labor safety regulations, financial reforms, and consumer safety.

GUEST: Robert Weisman, President of Public Citizen, former director of the corporate accountability organization Essential Action, and former editor of the Multinational Monitor, a magazine that tracks corporate actors worldwide.