Patrick McLaughlin

Research Fellow @HooverInst; quantifying and studying regulation and deregulation. Better regulatory management leads to more abundance.

[Patrick McLaughlin @EconPatrick]

Ten years ago, I made this video to help folks visualize overregulation. The wall of books of regulations that I piled up almost crushed me! And it has only gotten worse since then. @elonmusk @VivekGRamaswamy

Who wants to help make an updated video that shows regulatory accumulation through 2024? Probably need safety equipment, though, in case the pile of books actually falls on me this time.

[Patrick McLaughlin @EconPatrick]

What you pay for groceries includes the price of refrigeration, transportation, warehousing, energy, labor, packaging, and compliance. If government regulations raises the cost of any of those links, some of that cost eventually reaches the shelf.

[Patrick McLaughlin @EconPatrick]

Some on the hill might benefit from learning how regulating a transportation network will increase the cost of consumer goods. @RepSamGraves has it right: more regulations --> higher prices. Especially true for freight transportation.

[Vance Ginn @VanceGinn]

Why does everything cost more today?

It’s not just inflation. Regulation quietly acts like a hidden tax across the economy.

Every extra freight mandate, permitting delay, compliance burden, and transportation bottleneck raises costs for:

food
energy
housing
consumer goods

In Episode 169 of the Let People Prosper Show, I talk with @EconPatrick of the @HooverInst to break down how excessive regulation slows growth, weakens productivity, and raises prices for everyday Americans.

Good policy should focus on measurable outcomes—not symbolic rulemaking. 1/

[Patrick McLaughlin @EconPatrick]

@Protectaxpayers @RepSamGraves It would not only drive up prices but also force railroads to spend more on activities that don't increase safety... at the expense of expenditures that historically do increase safety, like better tech: https://t.co/KAIYl4kYUc

[Vance Ginn @VanceGinn]

I also talk with @EconPatrick of @HooverInst about:

✅ Why freight costs affect most products
✅ How regulatory accumulation hurts small businesses most
✅ Why Washington often confuses headlines with reform
✅ The hidden economic costs of transportation barriers
✅ What smarter, evidence-based regulation should look like

Watch/Listen/Show Notes here: https://t.co/abE4f8Pk7T 2/2

[Patrick McLaughlin @EconPatrick]

I recently had the pleasure of chatting with Vance Ginn on his podcast, Let People Prosper. It's a rare treat to be able to get into the weeds on how to measure regulation and how that affects regulatory reform efforts--but we did! Check it out: https://t.co/n0qqDbWTFu

[CASE @CASE_forAmerica]

How the Railway Safety Act Could Make Railroads Less Safe - excellent piece by @EconPatrick citing multiple studies that the RSA not only hurts rail through costly regulations, but unleashes a contagion of costs that slow the entire economy.
https://t.co/aLJScTSdqm

[The Daily Economy @thedailyeconomy]

Gains in safety historically came from innovation and operational flexibility on the ground.

Three new studies suggest Congress is approaching rail safety backward.

cc: @EconPatrick
https://t.co/RWRMUIYvtN

[Lunch Hour Podcast @TheLunchHourPod]

How and why should the Administrative Procedure Act be changed? Hear from Patrick McLaughlin @EconPatrick, Research Fellow at the @HooverInst, with host @Andrew_Langer.

[Patrick McLaughlin @EconPatrick]

https://t.co/OwBdlbLslN

[Patrick McLaughlin @EconPatrick]

Most rail safety proposals assume:

more rules → more safety

But the historical pattern looks more like:

more flexibility → more investment → more safety

The Railway Safety Act of 2026 is built on the first model.

That’s a mistake. My latest column on the RSA below.

[Andrew_Langer @Andrew_Langer]

I am particularly proud of this interview with @EconPatrick from @HooverInst. We talk regulatory costs, CMMI, etc.

https://t.co/46l07rEUmA

[Patrick McLaughlin @EconPatrick]

@jjjones166 @HooverInst @reevebull Bad news for the state’s economy then. Will be interesting to watch Virginia’s rank on CNBC’s top states for business rankings. It was #1 in 2024, #4 in 2025.

[Josh Smith @smithtjosh]

Learn something new every day.

@FERC has the highest count of general/broad delegations of authority in @PacificLegal's Nondelegation Project data.

[Patrick McLaughlin @EconPatrick]

Rail safety needs follow-through, not symbolism. As Congress writes the surface transport bill, don't revive prescriptive mandates that freeze innovation. Judge policy by measurable safety outcomes and let proven tech deploy. https://t.co/X64bELF7lu

[Kyle Koenen @realkylekoenen]

Wisconsin’s regulatory burden acts like a hidden tax on food, childcare, housing, and energy. WI is 2nd most regulated state in Midwest. If lawmakers are serious about affordability, the solution is clear: pass the Red Tape Reset

My Op-Ed w/ @EconPatrick
https://t.co/IpTDri4LXm

[Patrick McLaughlin @EconPatrick]

12/12
For more context, here’s my full take on how outdated rules and stakeholder pressures can hold back even proven safety tools:
https://t.co/hnwDooTCA9

[Patrick McLaughlin @EconPatrick]

Regulation vs. innovation: My latest take on automated track inspection and the Federal Railroad Administration's ongoing indecision linked below in the final tweet.

But first this summary thread:

[Patrick McLaughlin @EconPatrick]

11/
The key point isn’t to blame any particular administration.
It’s to ask a simple, constructive question:
Why is a safety-enhancing technology with years of evidence still waiting for a green light?
And how can we design a system where the answer isn’t so dependent on incumbent pressure or agency bandwidth?