I have previously published my concerns regarding the US administrative state [1]. The amount of control over our behavior continues to increase, which decreases our amount of freedom.

The total number of pages in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) as of 2021 = 188,343 [2]. The number of regulations/personal “restrictions” [3] [4] “…increased to 1,089,462 by 2022.” [5]

“…Executive agencies publish 3,000 to 4,500 new rules per year, and these regulations have a substantial impact on the American economy. Compounding the problem, courts have ratified that presidential power grab by enacting a series of judge-made rules that require federal courts to defer to the decisions of executive agencies.” [6]

 

[1] See my March 2018 article, “Government Regulation = Lawsuits & Loss of Freedom”.

[2] 2022_Cfr_Page_Breakdown.pdf (federalregister.gov)

[3] A new and more sophisticated measure of federal regulation, devised by economists at George Mason University’s Mercatus Center, consists in counting the number of CFR “restrictions” indicated by the keywords “shall,” “must,” “may not,” “required,” and “prohibited.”

[4] Was Trump a Deregulator? | Cato Institute

[5] Ibid.; 2022_Cfr_Page_Breakdown.pdf (federalregister.gov).

[6] Opinion | Overturning ‘Chevron’ Can Help Rebalance the Constitutional Order – The New York Times (nytimes.com)

 

Like many, I had hoped and believed that the current Republican Party would realize the errors of their ways in continuing to support Trump solely for gaining and maintaining political power. Given the last 4+ years culminating on January 6th, those who continue to maintain their allegiance and support for this Party must recognize their complicity of the thus far unsuccessful insurrection attempt. If members of the party believe I am mistaken, please note the results of your “Sounds of Silence” for over 4 years. The Republican Party needs to be dissolved and replaced.

 

I vote by mail and have for many years.

Mr. Trump states my mail in vote is not legal.

Mr. Trump maintains his mail in vote is legal.

Mr. Trump continues to blame his loss on widespread voting fraud, primarily from mail in voting done before election day. Mr. Trump lets start with you. Your vote is legal and you are the real Fraud! There is only one person trying to “steal the election”, and that is YOU.

I never thought that in the 21st century, we would have a President who did all he could in his power to undermine the VOTE!

As Ben Franklin stated “You have a Republic if you can keep it.”

There is nothing more important in any free society/democracy/republic than the vote. All freedoms emanate from the VOTE!

Do you want to keep your freedoms; Your ability to publicly agree and disagree with your government? Do you want to keep this Republic?

Republican, Democrat, whatever your political affiliation, we can not allow this kind of President again.

UNFUNDED STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT RETIREMENT OBLIGATIONS. If this analysis ended here, the total long-term debt owed by California’s state and local government entities would total $383.0 billion (including $27.8 billion in state budgetary borrowings which is arguably short-term debt).   Source:   http://californiapolicycenter.org/calculating-californias-total-state-and-local-government-debt.    And yet the state is spending an additional $68 billion with money we do not have on a train and we can not even keep the current roads repaired without additional taxes! REALLY?

It is easy and normal [unfortunately] to believe that government control is the answer. Government regulations and control is not going to change human behavior [never has review history]. More government control is not got to prevent bad/sick people from acting inappropriately [never has, review history]. Our current federal, state and local governments do not even enforce laws and regulations on the books! Let’s start there!