A basic fact that politicians seem unable or unwilling to comprehend. Witness the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, which, in the name of “cracking down on corporate crime,” micro-manages the composition, and responsibilities, of the board of directors of every business in the nation. Board members are also held criminally liable if they do not catch accounting errors.

Like the Patriot Act, this legislation was rushed through Congress and most members where so eager to appear to be “preventing future Enrons” they did not even bother to read the bill before voting for it.

These politicians may soon have second thoughts since the $5.5 billion it will cost business to comply with this act is partially responsible for the economy’s sluggish job growth.