I talked about this last week with Neal Boortz, and thought I should follow up on my blog. Have you ever read the Federal Register? It might show you the bureaucratic power that the federal government represents.

The Federal Register is the "official daily publication for rules, proposed rules, and notices of Federal agencies and organizations, as well as executive orders and other presidential documents," according to its home page.

It lists a daily roundup of all types of actions by the federal government, many of which might make people pull their hair out and scream.

For example, in the Federal Register for today, March 21, you can find out all kinds of stuff - just go see at http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/search/getfrtoc.action

There is background information from the Agriculture Department on the "importation of Garlic From the European Union and Other Countries," to be reviewed.

How about "New Performance Standards for Salmonella and Campylobacter in Young Chicken and Turkey Slaughter Establishments."

There is a proposed rule change on the import of fresh baby kiwi from Chile.

You can also read a bunch about a proposed rule change in national school lunch programs dealing with the addition of new dietary guidelines.

The updated guidelines "include a new Red-Orange vegetable subgroup, while the proposed meal patterns include an Orange vegetable subgroup and group the Red vegetables under the category of Other vegetables," a summary reads.

There are 13 other proposed rules in today's Federal Register, including "anchorage regulations" on Narragansett Bay and Rhode Island Sound, new Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Quotas, performance standards for pollution and a revision of guidelins on non-radiogenic cancers with regard to an occupational illness compensation program.

What is all of this about? These are the rules and regulations for federal laws.

Congress passes the laws. The Executive Branch then comes up with the rules and regulations to enforce them.

Sometimes the Congress is specific about what should be done. Most of the time, lawmakers leave a wide range of options for the bureaucracy.

You may not be interested in the publication of "Special local regulations for Marine Events" on the Potomac River south of Washington, D.C.

But someone sure is.

You might not care about the final decision not to recognize the Juaneno Band of Mission Indians.

But someone else does.

Take a read through the Federal Register sometimes. You will understand why the Congress has such a difficult job doing oversight on the Executive Branch.