OMBUDSMAN

Once repeal of the 17th Amendment is reality, we will extend our best efforts to get the Legislatures to push Congress into creating an independent ombudsman which will function as a friendly intermediary for the States, businesses and individuals who run aground on one federal regulation or another. As we envision it, the powers of the ombudsman will include but not be limited to the following:

a. Currently, by law, the regulatory agencies are required to hold public hearings before implementing any new regulations. Also, they are required to maintain a process whereby a "miscreant" can appeal the decisions of the agency. Both of these functions, are loaded in favor of the agency. Therefore, we will seek to have both of these functions removed from the regulatory agencies to the jurisdiction of the ombudsman.

b. A "miscreant" need not employ expensive attorneys to appeal to the ombudsman. Representation by lawyers will be permitted but not required.

c. A decision by the Ombudsman in favor of the "miscreant" will be final. A decision in favor of the bureaucracy can be appealed to federal courts.