With Government Like This, No Wonder People Call for #NationalDivorce
Washington’s bureaucrats are sinking the states
Washington’s bureaucrats are sinking the states
Since the 1970s, the administrative state has grown significantly, with the addition of agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and the Department of Energy. Over the decades, Congress has delegated much of its authority to these agencies.
As states face a growing federal administrative state, they have simultaneously increased their dependency on federal dollars. The latest data indicate that the average state receives 37% of its revenue from Washington, D.C. These dollars and the strings they often come with affect how states budget and govern.
But Washington’s overreach doesn’t stop with funding strings. It also imposes its will through “guidance” — a form of agency communication that provides directions to individuals, companies, and state and local governments seeking to comply with federal law. While most guidance is intended to be clarifying, it does not carry the force of law, even though some bureaucrats would love for states to believe it does. In fact, states are not required to adopt the recommendations from federally issued guidance. Unfortunately, some federal agencies prey on a state’s lack of awareness and occasionally use guidance to circumvent the rulemaking process, imposing directives on the states.
During the Biden administration, the Department of Agriculture issued guidance after the…