After nearly eight years, President Obama has earned the title of “regulator in chief,” imposing an historic number of major rules, unfunded mandates and red tape, according to a sweeping analysis of administration’s actions.
The economic impact to taxpayers so far: $2,496 per person, per year, an amazing four times higher than the average annual household heating bill.
The shocking figure comes from the American Action Forum’s regulatory policy director Sam Batkins who has charted the impact of federal regulations under Obama, now a major part of the lame duck president’s legacy.
In his latest report, provided to Secrets, Batkins reveals that the Obama administration has imposed 101 unfunded mandates on states, local governments and businesses, nearly double the number under former President Bush. Those alone cost $1,842 per person in added expenses and paperwork.
The rest of the cost per person is made up of major regulations, many resulting from Obamacare, environmental rules and Wall Street governance, also records for a White House.
“The Obama administration has set several notable records in the regulatory world: 600 major regulations and counting, more than 10 billion hours of federal paperwork, and the costliest single year in regulation in recent history. It’s time for another record: 101 unfunded regulatory mandates imposed on states, local governments, and businesses,” said the new AAF report.
“Broadly, an unfunded mandate is defined as a regulation, without explicit Congressional consent or adequate federal funding, which may displace state or local priorities. President Obama managed to easily top 13 years of unfunded mandates in less than eight,” said the report.
The explosion of regulations and unfunded mandates was predicted by Obama when he threatened congressional Republicans that if they ignored his requests he would act alone.
“We’re not just going to be waiting for legislation in order to make sure that we’re providing Americans the kind of help they need. I’ve got a pen and I’ve got a phone,” he said.
Batkins found that Obama’s unfunded mandates cost $596 billion and add 101 million paperwork hours. “For perspective, it would take 50,506 individuals employed by states and businesses (working 2,000 hours annually) to complete a single year of these new paperwork requirements,” said the report.
The costliest unfunded mandates are part of Obama’s environmental agenda to reduce vehicle emissions and make refrigerators more efficient.
What’s more, the administration has indicated that it plans to super-charge the issuance of regulations if Republican Donald Trump beats Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton next month.
“101 unfunded mandates and counting. By Inauguration Day next year, that number will surely to grow. It’s not just a number; the impact of that many unfunded mandates equates to more than $596 billion in total costs and 101 million paperwork burden hours,” concluded Batkins. “It’s clear states and local governments will wrestle with the implications of these regulations for years to come,” he added.
Paul Bedard, the Washington Examiner’s “Washington Secrets” columnist, can be contacted at [email protected]
