Debra Thompson is a contributing columnist for The Globe and Mail.
As part of its larger plan to reduce the size of the American government and simultaneously increase its efficiency, Donald Trump’s administration has put plans in motion to repeal or alter hundreds of government regulations.
While the removal of regulatory rules may not seem as critical to the operation of American democracy as, say, attacking birthright citizenship while offering new pathways to permanent residency for the ultrarich, or defying judicial orders and catapulting two of the three branches of government into a constitutional crisis, the relatively mundane operation of rules and compliance measures in key policy areas such as health, food safety, and transportation are designed to keep Americans safe and the government accountable.
In February, Mr. Trump directed officials to compile a list of regulations to be axed in an effort to deconstruct “the overbearing and burdensome administrative state.” In particular, the executive order targets rules that “harm the national interest” by impeding technological innovation, inflation reduction, energy production, and private enterprise and entrepreneurship.
The task of executing the deregulation will be overseen by Russell Vought, the director of the Office of Management and Budget. In 2022, Mr. Vought outlined a plan to dramatically shrink the “woke and weaponized” federal government, in terms of its size, spending and, importantly, reach. The work of Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in decimating the federal public service is a key element of this strategy.
The most obvious deregulatory strike will hit the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Lee Zeldin, the Trump appointee leading the agency, has already identified dozens of regulations that run counter to its new mission, to “lower the cost of buying a car, heating a home and running a business.” One of the most consequential will be reducing the EPA’s legal authority to regulate the amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gasses emitted into the air.
The scope of the order is broad enough, however, that it could include virtually any regulation in any department. The 60-day deadline for agency heads to compile their list of targets has already passed; we will soon know which regulations are on the cutting block.
A key belief among Republicans is that government is too big, too inefficient, too stymied by massive amounts of red tape that dog every attempt to initiate change quickly or to stay on top of a rapidly changing work force and economy. They’re not wrong. New regulations enacted and layered upon existing ones creates a nebulous and incoherent labyrinth of rules that are difficult to navigate. Regulations frequently ensnare brilliant ideas and innovations, creating heavy administrative burdens on both organizations and individuals that ultimately prevent them from becoming actualized.
More rules don’t necessarily mean accessing state benefits or adhering to compliance orders will be fairer, more transparent, or more accountable, and they most certainly do not lead to more efficiency. And as frustrating as red tape might be for industry and entrepreneurs, it’s far worse for citizens. The more burdensome it is to access state benefits, the more time it takes, the more hoops to jump through, the fewer citizens will attempt to find the resources and support they might desperately need.
Of course, many regulations play a crucial role in protecting the public. From ensuring food and drug safety to safeguarding agricultural practices and workers’ safety, regulations help ensure that profit doesn’t come at the expense of people’s health and well-being. If the pending deregulations are set to happen quietly, however, the ensuing changes could overhaul entire industries, with potentially devastating consequences for Americans.
Moreover, the Trump administration appears uninterested in making surviving programs and services more accessible after cutting regulations. By circumventing the legal requirement to seek public comment on any proposed changes to regulations, the White House plans to simply cancel any rules it deems unnecessary. The slash-and-burn style of political change that has characterized Mr. Trump’s first three months in office suggests that no one has considered what unforeseen consequences might occur when hundreds of regulations are suddenly repealed.
The deregulation of America isn’t just about improving efficiency; it also opens doors for powerful corporate interests to push for the removal of pesky rules. Industry lobbyists are likely working hard to ensure that the regulations that they see as standing in the way of profit maximization will disappear into the ether.
Reviewing and updating the regulations that govern public health, workplace safety, and the like isn’t a bad idea. Doing it recklessly and with abandon, however, is a terrible one.