Commentary
In preparation for his new position as chairman of the Oversight and Governmental Reform Committee, Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) sent a letter out in January to companies and trade groups, asking for input in identifying burdensome regulations.
Issa stated in the letter, a portion of which was posted by MSNBC: “I ask for your assistance in identifying existing and proposed regulations that have negatively impacted job growth in your members’ industry. Additionally, suggestions on reforming identified regulations and the rulemaking process would be appreciated.”
Statistics used in the letter were apparently pulled from a report released in October by the conservative think tank The Heritage Foundation, titled “Red Tape Rising: Obama’s Torrent of New Regulation.”
The Heritage Foundation states that its analysis of data from the Government Accountability Office shows that “an unprecedented 43 major new regulations were imposed by Washington [in 2010].” The foundation goes on to claim that the cost of these rules add up to a record-setting $26.5 billion. “These costs will affect Americans in many ways, raising the price of the cars they buy and the food they eat, while destroying an untold number of jobs,” states the report.
Beyond the Heritage Foundation, the theme among conservative and libertarian economists is that the expansion of government bureaucracies—despite good intentions—has and will continue to have a negative impact on economic recovery.
In July 2010, the conservative Mises Institute issued an article called “Our Totalitarian Regulatory Bureaucracy,” by economics professor Thomas J. DiLorenzo, illustrating a libertarian view on expansive regulation and bureaucracy. “The more time any business person spends catering to the demands and dictates of government bureaucrats, the less time it is spent serving consumers in order to earn profits and survive economically,” states the article.
According to DiLorenzo, “Government expenditures at all levels of government account for about 40 percent of national income,” and if off-budget agency expenditures were included, “Expenditures as a percentage of national income would be at least 45 percent.”
But this is at odds with the stated policy of the current administration. “If there are rules on the books that are needlessly stifling job creation and economic growth, we will fix them,” President Obama said in a speech to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in February. But in the executive branch alone, according to DiLorenzo, there are nine departments that regulate, control, and regiment housing, transportation, health care, education, energy, mining, agriculture, labor, and commerce.
Consequence
The people of a nation like America expect a certain standard of performance from their government, and those who do business. But any desire to curb government involvement and regulation requires a certain standard at the individual level. That includes an increase in personal responsibility—not just in lifestyle, but in education, the arts, and government.
If personal responsibility were a theme starting at the individual level, corruption would decline, and altruism would become a theme of service and business, rather than a campaign message or marketing strategy.
This same sense of responsibility also requires a shift to making actual judgments about cultural excesses and trends, and allowing conservative/libertarian approaches and viewpoints equal time in our education system, entertainment, and culture.
This need not be done by government mandate, but by demand from the consuming public—you and I.
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