President Obama famously declared in this year’s State of the Union: “I’ve approved fewer regulations in the first three years of my presidency than my Republican predecessor did in his.” Heritage’s James Gattuso and Diane Katz have run the numbers. And Obama shouldn’t be bragging.
Obama’s comparison encompassed all regulations, including federal rules for such things as Medicare rates, migratory birds and fireworks safety. And on that point, he was telling the truth.
This week’s chart tests Obama’s claim by looking at the number of major regulations imposed by each administration. Major regulations, as defined by the government, are regulations that cost up to $100 million or more each year.
In his first three years of presidency, President George W. Bush imposed 28 major regulations at a cost of $8.1 billion. Obama imposed 106 major regulations at a cost of $46 billion.
“This is almost four times the number—and more than five times the cost—of the major regulations issued by George W. Bush during his first three years,” according to the report.
Gattuso and Katz’s report, Red Tape Rising, documents how the Obama administration has greatly increased government regulations.
A few notable findings from the report:
- A majority of the major regulations came as a consequence of the Dodd-Frank financial regulation law, Obamacare and the EPA’s global warming crusade.
- The report used information given by the agencies that have no incentive to report accurately, so the costs estimated are understated, giving agencies the benefit of the doubt.
- More regulations are looming. Obamacare is imposing rules faster than the regulators can write them.
In order to help the economy and put a stop to regulations, Katz and Gattuso suggest three prongs of strong oversight: approval of new major regulations by Congress, a congressional Office of Regulatory Analysis, and sunset dates for existing regulations.
Katz spoke about the report at The Bloggers Briefing, which is available on Livestream and BlogTalkRadio.
expose sunstein and obamas claim to less regulations than bush 5 min spots tv and radio even local weeklys
When will we all understand that Obama is not capable of speaking the truth. He lie and distorts in order to get his aganda pass the people that know no better or don't have the time to learn what is the truth. Every one of his "regulations" are spcifinally designed and implemented to futher his agenda to drive this nation into total government control of our lives, i.e. socialism.
Oh noes! Soshulism! Keep Government out of my Social Security and Medicare!!
There are plenty of socialist countries around the globe, but there is only ONE America. If you like socialism so much, well I'm not forcing you to stay here. I personally don't want to follow a path that has proven over and over that it does not work. I want America back.
Bush had fewer regulations. Obama has more. More proof that Obama's the anti-Bush.
Guess that makes him orders of magnitude better for this country.
I would prefer a reduction of regulations, not to mention that if the congress passes a bil without regulations they have failed there responsibilities.
Wonder how much alternative energy stock Obama owns?
Well he does have the CEO of GE on his staff
Rule of thumb: Whatever Obama utters… believe the opposite and you'll have the truth.
everything that's wrong with this country that Mr. President is adding to, is compared to what's been done! what "change?" Common sense and reasoning is productive. The President's repetition in areas, neglect in others, going out of his way (unconstitutionally,) excusing his limitless costs and sacrifices on people, is not.
The problem with all those Dodd-Frank regulations is that they didn't regulate. All they did was put millions of lobbying dollars into the pockets of Frank, Dobbs, and the rest of those guys. The financial industry is still unregulated. Those guys should be in jail.
One of my major concerns about Obama is his insistence on boondoggle wind-power investment even though wind-power has been established as a useless form of energy production, an assault on human and wild life. This man needs to atone.
A major cause and effect of a sluggish economy..
How come you guys never include the pertinent FACT: GeoWBush wiped out over 400, yes 400 environmental laws that had been put in place over the years, during his first month in office, in 2000?
Then that set the path to excoriate whomever attempts to put them all back in place!!! So clever, isnt it?
Big Business (oil) vs The Earth. We only have ONE Earth, people!!
It's just too bad he didn't reinstate the Glass Stegall act that was wiped out by Clinton then we would not have had the mess we are in now that is the REAL PERTINENT FACT that democrats fail to mention when talking about the collapse of the economy.