To Fight Poverty, Cut Regulations

(Mar. 17) – When policymakers create or expand regulations, they often assume that the cost of compliance falls on businesses. While businesses do shoulder many of the burdens of regulation, consumers ultimately end up paying for regulations through higher prices or decreased competition. But these costs do not affect all consumers equally—they disproportionately fall on low-income households. Mercatus Center senior research fellow Patrick McLaughlin testified on this point last month for the House Judiciary Committee.