My political studies through college focused on the bureaucracy — the complicated web of federal agencies that actually produces most of what people consider “law.” I consider myself an expert on the regulatory and rule-making process. I write today about the single greatest threat to America’s lawmaking process — the Regulatory Accountability Act.

Regulatory reform is the magic phrase Republicans swarm to when trying to share their business-friendly ideals. They forget, however, that regulations save lives and are the product of the best minds in the field.

It starts when Congress passes a statute granting an agency the power to regulate a field because that agency is best equipped to do so. I mean no offense to the lawmakers who represent me in the Second Congressional District, but I trust the non-partisan environmental professionals at the Environmental Protection Agency more than Rep. Bruce Poliquin when it comes to issues of carbon emittance and what is best for the Earth.

Congress is where good ideas go to die. The Regulatory Accountability Act is a death sentence for thousands of rules that come with detailed analysis and thoughtful consideration of those who know far more about the subject than any one lawmaker.

I hope Sens. Angus King and Susan Collins will strongly oppose the bill, and I am disappointed in Rep. Poliquin for putting his name on such a naive 87 pages of thoughtless legislation.

Gabriel Chapin, Oxford