The Washington Free Beacon reports:
Administration efforts to cut red tape have actually added $23 billion in costs to the economy this year, according to a new report released by the American Action Forum (AAF).
Cabinet agencies are required to issue a “retrospective review” every six months on how they are improving burdensome regulations, in order to comply with Executive Order 13563, which was issued by President Barack Obama in January 2011. However, AAF has found that these efforts rarely reduce the costs of regulation.
“Despite attempts to reduce red tape and ‘promote economic growth,’ recent regulatory reform plans from the administration actually added more than $23 billion in costs and 8.9 million paperwork burden hours,” AAF said. “Only three agencies managed to reduce costs.”
The AAF found regulatory agencies used the six month reviews to expand their regulations rather than streamline them. The Department of Transportation, for example, managed to cut $1.7 billion a year and eliminate 46.6 million paperwork-burden hours, but also added $5 billion in new requirements.
“On net, DOT’s new ‘reform measures’ will increase costs by more than $5.7 billion,” the report said.
The regulatory monstrosity in DC costs the economy billions of dollars each year and, as you can see, shows no signs of shrinking. Even token efforts to lighten the regulatory burden result in its expansion.
It’s time the American people stand up and say enough is enough. D.C. will never shrink its power — it’s up to us, and Article V gives us the means to do it.
A Convention of States can limit the power and jurisdiction of the federal government once and for all. Learn more and join the fight today.
