August 27, 2004

Another Reason for the Bush Boom

President Bush's administration has imposed lower regulatory cost burdens on the economy than any president since the government began keeping records back in 1987, according to the New York Times. This is a story best told with a graphic, which you can click to see a larger, more legible version:

I often blame the Bush tax cuts for the economy's strong growth over the last year or so. Of course, not burdening the economy with billions of dollars in added costs for new regulations is helping too. As you study the graphic you might notice that the level of regulatory burden on industry began to rise sharply toward the end of the first President Bush's term, and also at the end of Clinton's second term. In both cases, a recession soon befell the economy. The current President Bush leads more wisely, and the economy is responding positively.

If you're an entrepreneur, a mid-sized business owner or a corporate executive - or even if you simply work for an entrepreneur or a mid-sized business or a big corporation or own stock in a business - keep in mind as you vote on November 2 that John Kerry is much more apt to regulate, regulate, regulate than is President Bush. [Hat tip: Chris Alden]