Never Assume Regulation Kills Efficiency if You Want a Market That Actually Works

Tue, 01 Sep 2026 09:00:00 -0400

Never walk into a policy debate assuming regulation is a cuss word. I get why people do it. The term conjures images of stacked paperwork, permitting delays, and some mid-level official demanding a third environmental assessment for a storage shed. That version of regulation deserves its bad reputation.

But here’s the uncomfortable truth: every market that has ever functioned at scale has been built on a foundation of rules. Every single one. The question was never whether to regulate. It was always how, and how much, and in whose interest.

Regulation on Rational America

Never Assume Regulation Kills Efficiency if You Want a Market That Actually Works