Regulations and Inequality: How Government Overreach Hurts the Poor

Regulations advance product safety, environmental quality, and sound business practices, but the consequences of poorly designed and implemented rules are more severe than previously thought. Regulatory accumulation has a disproportionately negative impact on the poorest and most vulnerable Americans. From increased poverty and income inequality to reduced entrepreneurialism and upward mobility, the consequences of bad policy are grave.

Karen Czarnecki, Vice President of Outreach at the Mercatus Center moderates a discussion between Patrick McLaughlin, Senior Research Fellow and Director of Policy Analytics at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, Dustin Chambers, Senior Affiliated Scholar Professor of Economics at Salisbury University, and Colin O'Reilly, Associate Professor at Heider College of Business where they chat about regulation myths, regulations suspended during COVID-19, what policy makers can do with existing regulations to improve the lives of marginalized communities, and much more.

Want to request a meeting with one of our speakers or ask them a question? Please email mercatusoutreach@mercatus.gmu.edu for more information.