Robert Verchick writes at The Hill:
From the outside, it’s hard to know what’s going on. Some costly regulations are, no doubt, snarled in the complicated and often dubious process of “cost-benefit analysis.” Some observers fear the White House office has also become a one-stop shop for industry lobbying. A 2011 report by the Center for Progressive Reform found that during the review process for a rule, OIRA staff met with industry groups at a rate of 4 to 1 for public interest organizations. They found that those rules lobbied on by industry groups were much more likely to be significantly altered and weaker when submitted in final form. Industry groups apply pressure, and the Administration backs down.