Suspending the "prevailing wage" to help hurricane cleanup -good or bad?

In order to speed the Gulf Coast cleanup and recovery efforts, President Bush has temporarily suspended the requirement that federal contractors pay local "prevailing wages" to their employees. The move has been criticized by many prominent liberals, including Senators John Kedwards, the Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sen. Ted Kennedy, AFL-CIO head John Sweeny, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi.

Though I realize it's something they may be unaccustomed to, liberals need to face the reality of what has happened. Katrina left behind an unprecedented trail of devastation, and as Hurricane Rita sets her sights on Texas, it looks as if there is much more to come. Many federal regulations impede the work of cleanup and recovery, so it is essential to identify those that stand in the way and to either suspend or repeal them. That is exactly what the President has done in this instance, and he should be commended for it.