Overregulated: Too many rules put bureaucracies ahead of public well-being

There is something to be said for regulations.

They prevent abuse and protect the citizenry from those whose motives are more about profit than what's best for the country.

But there is a darker, less-than-desirable side of the regulation business, and we see it often in government agencies.

And it can take its toll on the economy.

The problem becomes when regulation becomes more of a partisan tool and an ideological weapon and the rules become so ridiculous that they stop any hope of innovation -- and discourage honest business owners from starting new ventures.

And there is a simple reason why.

There is an innate instinct in any bureaucracy to perpetuate itself. If there are no abuses to rail about, the next step is to put more obstacles in the path of those who want to develop, to build or to expand.

When is the last time you heard a government agency say, "Heck, we have too many employees. We can combine that job and eliminate that one to trim our budget a bit. And we can eliminate that bunch of paperwork and streamline that process so we are more efficient and push less paper."

Yep, we haven't heard it either.

So what happens when a government agency is justifying why it needs more staff and more resources?

Out comes the rule book.

More rules mean more need for more regulators. Costs go up and the number of new employers goes down. When industries face huge obstacles in setting up shop, they tend to lose interest. Guess what that does to local economies.

One of the worst offenders is the Environmental Protection Agency, which has really become an unwatched, unchecked monolith that is making decisions that are more about ideology than actual practice and real world circumstance.

Want to see the future? Just look at the Internal Revenue Service. That's what happens when nobody is watching.

There is a need to keep an eye on what is going on with regard to the environment. And there should be reasonable rules.

But when those rules become a chore because of their ambiguity or silliness, someone needs to stand up and say so.

And it is more than time.

A complete audit of what goes on when an application is submitted for a permit to build or to expand would reveal whether it is time to put the brakes on the EPA.

And when we cull out the waste, the excess paperwork and the rules that are more about perpetuating the bureaucracy than protecting the communities, we can start this economy rolling again.

If you want proof that regulation and hoops to jump through can be done with the needs of the community and the business in mind, take a look around the state. When the process is made simpler, and the rules are reasonable and achievable, great things happen and states prosper.

And right now, getting people in jobs -- and keeping them there -- is of critical importance.

And there is no reason why we can't have both economic development and a clean and safe environment.

But we will have to insist on it.

Published in Editorials on December 5, 2014 11:45 AM