Staff Reports
The Biden administration has officially earned its place in the history books—specifically, the record book for strangling the economy with red tape. Over just one term, the self-proclaimed champion of the people somehow managed to impose a staggering $1.8 trillion in regulatory costs, a figure brought to light by the center-right American Action Forum. This financial ball and chain dwarfed the regulatory expenses racked up under two-term President Obama, who only managed about $493 billion, and President Trump’s $112 billion. For a commander-in-chief who touted a “restoration of normalcy,” this dubious achievement paints a different picture.
Leading the charge in this regulatory onslaught was none other than the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), accounting for a jaw-dropping $1.3 trillion in costs, all in the name of an aggressive climate change agenda. This is the same government body that thinks limiting tailpipe emissions is the key to stopping global warming, while completely ignoring solutions that don’t involve dressing up in green spandex. According to Dan Goldbeck, Director of Regulatory Policy, 2024 saw a dramatic increase in rule-making that could only be described as bureaucratic overdrive—proof that the lights are on, but nobody’s home.
🚨💸 Did you know? The Biden administration's green light to federal regulators led to a massive $1.8 trillion in regulatory costs and 356 million new hours of paperwork. Hold onto your wallets, folks! 💸🚨info below 👇 pic.twitter.com/zeP2lBQqCL
— Dr. CZ (@AngelMD1103) January 30, 2025
At the head of this regulatory train wreck sits the exorbitant “Model Year 2027 and Later” tailpipe emissions rule, costing a mere $870 billion. It’s as if the administration decided that phase-out gas-powered vehicles was a better idea than, say, letting the free market figure it out. Even without considering that monstrosity, the EPA alone still surpassed the costs of the next five agencies combined. Following closely behind was the Department of Health and Human Services, which added its own pile of rules racking up costs in the billions—a mind-boggling display of how more regulation equals more costs for the average American.
In terms of sheer misery, Biden’s regulatory regime added an unimaginable 356 million extra hours of paperwork for American workers. The crown jewel of complexity came during the dark days of 2021-2022, when Biden rolled out his vaccine-or-test mandate for large employers, burdening businesses with an additional 79 million hours of red tape. It’s almost as if the goal was to see how much indecision the workforce could handle without losing their sanity.
However, with President Trump re-entering the political scene and making a beeline toward the White House, the tides are set to change. The former president has emphasized a return to deregulation, vowing to prune the exorbitant government overreach left in Biden’s wake. His approach isn’t staying in the classroom; it’s kicking down the schoolhouse doors. Trump’s promises of “drill baby drill” and full-blown repudiation of Biden’s so-called Green New Deal will undoubtedly thrill the many citizens yearning for a return to common sense in energy policy.
As Trump reinstates a more rational regulatory environment, key players like EPA director Lee Zeldin are gearing up to dismantle the heavy chains of Biden’s costly emissions rules. Republican Senator John Barrasso perfectly encapsulated the sentiments of many when he remarked on the last four years being a relentless regulatory rampage, indicating that the EPA has turned its back on American families and businesses alike. The hope is that with Trump’s leadership, the days of costly and cumbersome regulations may be numbered, restoring both common sense and economic vitality.
