Growing Skepticism About Government Regulations

Results of a new national survey conducted for the American Energy Alliance reveal healthy skepticism among likely voters regarding the real value of Federal Government regulations. According to the survey results,  a large majority of Americans now believe that increasing regulations on energy and manufacturing companies often result in more cost than benefit.

Sixty five percent of survey respondents agreed that federal regulation result in more cost than benefits. The President has argued that federal regulations spur innovation and technological progress, however just 22% of respondents believe that is true.

“Federal regulations are increasingly onerous, and a growing majority of the American people recognize how overregulation costs them every day,” said Thomas Pyle, President of the American Energy Alliance. “Consumers clearly understand that when the federal regulators increase the cost of doing business for energy and manufacturing industries, ultimately those costs are going to be paid by the consumers themselves.”

The survey also revealed sentiments regarding the dysfunctional nature of federal rulemaking More than half (52%) strongly agree (77% total agree) that the federal government needs to adopt a more reasonable approach to regulation.  Almost all respondents (87%) think that the government should allow time to determine if existing regulations are effective before adding additional burdens on industry.

These sentiments about overreaching government regulation were even present among self-identified liberals. For example:

• 78% of moderates and 55% of liberals think that the federal government must adopt a more reasonable approach to regulations;
• 64% of moderates and 49% of liberals think that federal agencies sometimes demand changes that result in little or no environmental benefit;
• 29% of moderates and 17% of liberals think that federal regulations get in the way of innovation and technological progress all or most of the time;
• 58% of moderates and 36% of liberals think that federal regulation results in more costs than benefits.