According to Mitt Romney’s USA Today op-ed this morning, “the federal government has estimated the price tag for its regulations at $1.75 trillion.” It’s an eye-popping number that’s been making the rounds among conservative publications for awhile now, but it’s based on a flawed study.The figure comes from a study by Lafayette College professors Nicole and Mark Crain that was commissioned by the Small Business Administration’s Office of Advocacy, an independent unit of the agency that’s specifically tasked with finding ways to remove regulations. But after critics, like the liberal think tank Center for Progressive Reform, pointed out major concerns with the study’s accuracy, the Congressional Research Service gave it a detailed look.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://talkingpointsmemo.com/?p=107582