re: #166 William Barnett-Lewis

There are some regulatory schemes that are cumbersome and could use streamlining. Some permitting for infrastructure can be like that - and the permitting process adds costs to do those kinds of infrastructure projects, or used as an attempt to block the needed projects altogether.

But a regulation that limits what a company can dispose of into waterways, or which requires companies to maintain strict handling of wastes? Totally reasonable. Regulations that require food producers to limit contamination and minimize risk of contaminating food supply? Totally reasonable.

Regulations that require automakers to improve fuel economy and safety? Totally reasonable.

But I’m guessing that these folks think the market will decide what’s safe and good.

Heck, the American Truckers Association is actually working with the feds on a regulation that would require installing engine governors to limit the speed on big rigs. It would improve safety, fuel economy, but some truckers think it would reduce their safety (like in passing on highways where the speed limits are higher) or that it would increase their costs since they couldn’t haul as much over time as if they were able to reach destinations incrementally faster.