GOVERNMENT REGULATIONS, UNCERTAINTY AND THE RADIO GASBAGS

(h/t Andrew Sullivan)

Fats, The Baby Jesus, Foamer and many GOP politicians have been whining about how excessive government regulations are holding the economy down. As far as I know, they never give an example and they never discuss the possible benefits. For example, Brad Plumer at the WaPo found that the EPA regulation that would shut down some of the older coal plants has large, tangible benefits and a much lower cost than the Edison Institute claims.

The gasbags also talk about the "regulatory uncertainty" that businesses face as another factor that hinders economic growth but they never mention that the Bagger's threat to let the U.S. default was the biggest uncertainty America has faced in decades. In fact, the concept of economic uncertainty is much more complicated than any of these gasbags can contemplate.

I am not suggesting that there are no stupid regulations but we can't begin to get rid of them unless we honestly discuss the issue.