Record Red Tape

Over at Big Government today I noted the Federal Register of 2011 has almost reached the level of last year’s record. Given that 2011’s still with us for the remainder of the week, we’re looking at another record year.

The Federal Register is the daily depository of proposed and final regulations, plus presidential documents, executive orders, agency directives, and other notices.

Today’s edition (Tuesday, December 27, 2011) reached 81,245 pages for the year, with three days left in 2011 for still more rules.

Tomorrow’s Federal Register stands to surpass last year’s all-time high of 81,405, as cataloged in the latest “Ten Thousand Commandments.” We were all hoping for federal budgetary control and economic recovery this year, but things aren’t getting better on the regulatory front either.

Last year’s Register contained 82,480 pages, with 1,075 skipped or blank pages among them. I always net out the blanks in my annual tally. Wish it was enough to help.