Kerry: Good for the Environment

Running on regulation? (intro)

If elected president, Kerry appears set to protect workers and the environment to the chagrin of some businesses. BY THOMAS FRANK - WASHINGTON BUREAU October 14, 2004 WASHINGTON -- In the mid-1990s when Republicans in Congress were pushing to make regulations harder to enact, consumer, labor and environmental groups sought an ally committed to government oversight and capable of grasping the complexity of the rules. Their choice was John Kerry. Since coming to Congress in 1985, Kerry had advocated the stricter regulatory agenda that liberal groups say will protect consumers, workers and the environment but that businesses charge hurt the economy. Now as Kerry runs for president, many close advisers come from those special-interest groups, and his platform supports some of their causes. So would a Kerry presidency, advocates say. That's what worries business groups that have supported the Bush presidency's drive to eliminate what it describes as burdensome regulation. "If he's going to move in a different direction from this administration, it always entails costs," said Bruce Josten, executive vice president for government affairs at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Business leaders worry particularly that Kerry support for strict regulation of smokestack emissions would increase costs for manufacturers and hurt their ability to grow their companies and add jobs. Labor groups supporting Kerry welcome the possibility of a different approach. "The Kerry administration would be a lot more receptive to promulgating standards that are going to look at worker protection," said Mike Flynn, director of occupational safety and health for the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers. "They would listen to our voice," Flynn added. Kerry's advocacy for labor, environmental and consumer regulations is well-established in the Senate, where he has won high ratings from Democratic-leaning groups. "He's never voted against us on any of the safety issues we've worked on," said Joan Claybrook, president of consumer advocate Public Citizen, which works with unions and environmentalists. Kerry "played a very substantial role" defeating the Republican anti-regulatory effort in the 1990s, Claybrook said. "He's never really had a heavy industry influence in health, environmental and safety issues." ....