, Columnist
Trump's Regulatory Gimmick That Just Might Work
For every new rule, he promises to get rid of two old ones.
You get the idea.
Photograph: General Photographic Agency/Getty ImagesThis article is for subscribers only.
Donald Trump promises to impose, soon after his inauguration, a new requirement on federal agencies: If they want to issue a new regulation, they have to rescind two regulations that are now on the books. The idea of “one in, two out” has rhetorical appeal, but it’s going to be extremely hard to pull off.
In the abstract, of course, it sounds like a gimmick, and it’s a pretty dumb idea. As presidents from Ronald Reagan to Barack Obama have recognized, the real question is whether regulations, whether new or old, are justified. That requires a careful analysis of their costs and their benefits.