Kerby Anderson

“A billion here, a billion there, and pretty soon you’re talking real money.” That’s a phrase we often use that has been attributed to Everett Dirksen, though it is doubtful he ever said it. But let me suggest a variation of it. “A regulation here, and a regulation there, and soon you are talking about real money.”

Over the years, I have talked about the economic costs of more and more regulations. Recently, a consumer watchdog organization calculated the cost of this administration’s climate regulations. The estimated cost was over $9,000.

The Alliance for Consumers put together an infographic with the title: “Biden’s Dream House.” Price tags were attached to household appliances calculated using the administration’s energy standards and climate regulations. Those regulations will make appliances more expensive.

As I mentioned in a previous commentary, the Biden administration regulations would require that 90 percent of gas stoves would have to be redesigned. The consumer watchdog group estimated that would raise the upfront cost of stove products by as much as $3,250.

Rules targeting air-conditioning refrigerants would raise the cost of air-conditioning units by $1,100. New energy standards for water heaters would raise the price another $2,800. Gas furnace efficiency standards are supposed to reduce greenhouse emissions but will add an additional $494 to the cost.

This administration wants to regulate every aspect of our lives with little regard to the overall cost. Many government regulations are necessary, but they must be subjected to a cost-benefit analysis. I doubt you have an additional $9,000 laying around ready to spend on appliances that were made more expensive by these government regulations.