10 Areas of Life Under the Most Government Control

COMMENTARY Government Regulation

10 Areas of Life Under the Most Government Control

Oct 1, 2017 1 min read
COMMENTARY BY

Diane Katz

Former Senior Research Fellow in Regulatory Policy

Diane Katz was a research fellow in regulatory policy at The Heritage Foundation.
Every facet of daily life is controlled by government’s ballooning compendium of dos and don’ts.  Photo: iStock

This week, President Trump directed his cabinet agencies to ramp up deregulation efforts and to increase public involvement in the regulatory process. Indeed, every facet of daily life, including how Americans heat their homes and light their rooms, what food they buy and how they cook it, the toys that occupy their children and the volume of their television commercials, are controlled by government’s ballooning compendium of dos and don’ts. 

Washington does not track the total burdens imposed by its expansive rulemaking. However, Heritage scholars do, and dozens of papers on a variety of regulatory topics are available at heritage.org. Below is a list of 10 “must reads” on regulatory policy.

1
Environmental Conservation: Eight Principles of the American Conservation Ethic

The American Conservation Ethic is built around eight principles that are grounded in experience, science, wisdom, and the enduring values of a free people. Keep reading.

2
The Many Problems of the EPA’s Clean Power Plan and Climate Regulations: A Primer

This summer, the Obama Administration will finalize climate regulations for new and existing power plants under the Clean Air Act. While the regulations largely target coal-fired power plants, the costs of more expensive energy will be borne by all Americans. Keep reading. 

 

3
Prosperity Unleashed: Smarter Financial Regulation

Smarter financial regulations: solutions to core regulatory problems that have existed in U.S. financial markets for decades. Policymakers can implement these solutions to make U.S. financial markets more dynamic, resilient, equitable, and accountable than ever before. Keep reading. 

4
Consumer Protection Predates the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is arguably the most powerful and unaccountable regulatory agency in existence. Keep reading. 

 

5
Eliminating and Reducing Regulatory Obstacles in Agriculture

Too often, federal agricultural policy focuses on helping farmers through massive programs rather than on determining how government itself creates problems for farmers and ranchers. Regulations, in particular, make agricultural production and innovation more difficult by limiting farmers’ and ranchers’ ability to address agricultural risk, work their land, and meet market needs. Keep reading. 

6
Saving Internet Freedom

In the space of barely 20 years, the world has been changed immeasurably by the advent of the Internet and other communications technologies. These breathtaking advances have not only expanded the economy but have improved the quality of life for billions of people around the globe. Keep reading. 

7
Taking the REINS on Regulation

Should Congress be held accountable for the regulatory policies of the federal government? Most people would say so, and this week the House Judiciary Committee plans to vote on a bill to make Congress explicitly accountable for federal regulations. Keep reading. 

8
Big Government Policies that Hurt the Poor and How to Address Them

Concern for the poor is often equated with expanding government. In reality, government policies often make it difficult for those striving to make ends meet. Keep reading. 

9
Cutting Red Tape: Four Higher Education Regulations that Should Be Eliminated

The Obama Administration’s mark on higher education was defined by an overreach of federal intervention that tied the hands of colleges and universities and put up barriers to innovation. Keep reading. 

10
The Birth of the Administrative State: Where It Came From and What It Means for Limited Government

For those who hold the Constitution of the United States in high regard and who are concerned about the fate of its principles in our contemporary practice of government, the modern state ought to receive significant attention. Keep reading. 

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