Regulatory Reform

Archive Report

Administrative Action

Reagan's Pledge to Trim Big Government

Ronald reagan swept into washington three and one-half years ago pledging to “get government off the backs” of business and the American people through “regulatory reform.” Since then, Reagan has cut back both the number of new regulations and the paperwork federal regulations generally entail, rescinded some rules in effect when he took office and continued the deregulation of specific economic sectors such as transportation.

But federal health, safety and environmental laws, the primary target of Reagan's regulatory reform promise, remain largely unchanged. As a consequence, critics say, the administration has eased the regulatory impact by reducing enforcement. And in recent months there has been a backlash to some of the actions the administration has taken. Federal courts have ...

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