The primary focus of the Competitive Enterprise Institute since its founding in 1984 has been to promote deregulation. Government regulation of the economy blocks innovation and wealth creation. It also encourages damaging behavior such as rent-seeking and cronyism. Finally, it crowds out more effective forms of regulation such as market discipline.
The beneficial effects of deregulation were plain in the airline and freight rail industries. Deregulation begun in the Carter administration led to more flights at lower cost and to better rail infrastructure and much lower shipping costs. Yet, since the 1990s, successive administrations of different political stripes have piled on regulations, burdening the economy needlessly. We chart this problem every year in our Ten Thousand Commandments report.
The power of regulators now raises constitutional concerns. Regulators are often unaccountable, and their insulation from the checks and balances of the constitutional system suggests that they may in effect form a fourth branch of government. The use of guidance documents to avoid rulemaking procedures, for instance, can amount to government by decree. Deregulation is therefore essential to restore good constitutional order.
CEI advocates for both overall regulatory reform – changing the ways in which rules are made to make them more transparent and easier to remove – and for specific regulatory changes. Recent successes include recognition of our concerns in Executive Orders promoting deregulation and curtailing the use of guidance, and in the reflection of our comments in rules promulgated by agencies such as the Department of Labor and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
Deregulation Issue Areas
Featured Posts
Allies
Antitrust and the Federal Trade Commission in 2023
Excerpt from Mark Jamison’s piece, Antitrust and the Federal Trade Commission in 2023 in the Washington Examiner. “Generally, Republicans have a limited…
Study
Terrible Tech Bills from the 117th Congress
Congress is considering an onslaught of legislation targeting the largest tech platforms in the U.S., addressing topics such as mobile apps, advertising,…
Blog
This Week in Ridiculous Regulations
The big news is that the Food and Drug Administration is poised to follow several other countries’ lead in approving one or more coronavirus…
Studies
Toward a Renewed and Improved USMCA
Cross-border trade in North America has been an engine of prosperity for the United States, Mexico, and Canada. But the agreement governing…
The Protection Paradox
The everyday American expects certain basic services from her government. She expects her roads to be maintained, her mail to be delivered, and her…
Permitting Reform for a Freer and More Prosperous Nation
Contents Special Advisors The Importance of Permitting Reform Part 1: 11 Principles for Permitting Reform Part 2: Statute-by-Statute Analysis for Permitting…
Blog
Argentina’s chainsaw president keeps slashing away
Horror-movie slashers aren’t the only ones revving their chainsaws this Halloween. As Argentine President Javier Milei enters his final year in office before he…
Free the Economy podcast: Affording the American Dream with Akash Chougule
In this week’s episode we cover what’s making housing so expensive, the common good of the Constitution, and more jawboning…
New CEI paper: Renewing and improving the USMCA
Trade agreements are not as dramatic as trade wars, but they are essential to sound trade policy. President Trump’s tariffs have harmed the domestic…
News
GDP grows in the third quarter, caution still warranted on economic health: CEI analysis
Third quarter GDP growth sat at 3.4 percent, according to a BEA report released Thursday, higher than expected and above what experts consider…
Report urges upgrades + renewal for US-Mexico-Canada (USMCA) trade agreement
A new Competitive Enterprise Institute report urges US trade negotiators to improve and extend the beleaguered free trade agreement with Mexico…
Federal Reserve holds rates steady as inflation turmoil continues: CEI analysis
The Fed has decided to keep interest rates steady as it continues to battle against rising inflation and economic uncertainty, made worse by…
Op-Eds
The Hill
Make some medications more affordable by cutting one piece of red tape
One piece of red tape is keeping the prices of critical medications too high. These medicines treat autoimmune diseases, diabetes, cancer, and certain other…
National Review
America’s Misplaced Income Priorities
The national inequality debate is asking the wrong questions. Pundits are cheering a recent Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report showing a…
National Review
The Affordability Crisis Hits Air-Conditioning
Do you think groceries, gasoline, medications, utility bills, and other necessities are too expensive? Consider yourself very lucky if you don’t have to buy…
Staff & Scholars
Kent Lassman
President and CEO
- Capitalism
- Deregulation
- Innovation
Clyde Wayne Crews
Fred L. Smith Fellow in Regulatory Studies
- Business and Government
- Consumer Freedom
- Deregulation
Ryan Young
Senior Economist and Director of Publications
- Antitrust
- Business and Government
- Regulatory Reform
Iain Murray
Vice President for Strategy and Senior Fellow
- Banking and Finance
- Trade and International
Marlo Lewis, Jr.
Senior Fellow
- Climate
- Energy
- Energy and Environment
Steve Swedberg
Finance and Monetary Policy Analyst
- Banking and Finance
- Deregulation
- Financial Regulation
Soriya Chhe
Senior Counsel
- CEI Litigation
- Law and Litigation
- Legal Studies
Marin Murdock
Associate Counsel
- CEI Litigation
- Law and Litigation
Ondray T. Harris
General Counsel
- Law and Litigation