Staff Reports
Under the Biden-Harris administration, American households are feeling the crunch as regulations rain down like confetti at a far-left parade. A new report indicates that these regulatory restrictions cost families a staggering $15,000 each year, totaling a jaw-dropping $2.1 trillion for the nation—more money than most households spend on essentials like food, clothing, and education combined. This hefty “swamp” tax underscores the point: while families scramble to make ends meet, federal agencies seem intent on squeezing every last dime from their wallets.
The Competitive Enterprise Institute has pulled back the curtain on the regulatory behemoth with their annual report, cleverly titled “Ten Thousand Commandments.” This report has revealed the administration’s sneaky maneuvering to change transparency rules shortly after taking office, effectively masking the true costs of these regulations. Clyde Wayne Crews, a regulatory expert at CEI and author of this enlightening report, suggests that the actual burden on families is likely far greater than the numbers indicate.
Regulations cost families $15,000, Biden-Harris-Swamp plans more
New Ten Thousand Commandments report from @ceidotorg
Regs Czar @wayne_crews 'Far worse than what we imagine.'https://t.co/A8ZEmyBBKj via @dcexaminer pic.twitter.com/95gTKbqZGL
— Paul Bedard (@SecretsBedard) July 30, 2024
In a particularly eye-opening part of the report, Crews documents a staggering ratio of regulatory power run amok: 3,018 final rules approved by agencies compared to only 68 laws passed in Congress. That’s a regulatory rule explosion at a ratio of 44 to 1! With this kind of bureaucratic gymnastics, one has to wonder if Congress is just serving as a rubber stamp for federal agencies rather than fulfilling its constitutional duty. It’s clear that the Biden administration has found a way to function without the usual political checks and balances, sidestepping any pesky bipartisan debate to push through its liberal agenda.
Highlighting the detrimental impact of this cascade of rules, the report calls attention to 97 “economically significant” regulations that each carry a cost of $100 million or more, and they popped up in just the last six months. This overwhelming load of regulations is heavier than a sumo wrestler on a seesaw, and it’s businesses and families that are feeling the strain. While the number of official rules is at a two-decade low, the sheer volume and complexity of the pages in the Federal Register tell a different story. “Fewer rules, but broader in scope!” Crews summarizes astutely, proving that the regulators can do just as much damage with a single swipe of their pens.
To make matters worse, Crews argues that the long tentacles of these regulations lead to higher prices, job loss, and a general drag on economic growth. Regulators have managed to create a business environment where compliance costs are so high that innovation becomes as rare as a unicorn sighting. The report points to the recent Supreme Court decision that rolled back the “Chevron doctrine” as a glimmer of hope, reinstating the importance of the separation of powers. This ruling signals that perhaps Congress should finally get off its hands and start wrangling the wild regulatory machine.
As the report suggests possible avenues for reform, one can almost hear conservatives everywhere clapping their hands and cheering from the sidelines. The case for regulatory reform has never been clearer, and the costs keep climbing. Unless there’s a significant pushback against the overreach of federal agencies, it seems taxpayers will continue to shoulder this excessive burden. With the specter of rising costs looming over households, there’s no better time for Congress to reign in these runaway regulations that are as unwelcome as a summer cold.
