My newsletter discusses an interesting by-product of the abortion debate here, as the legislature discusses a bill that would, among other things, require the physical presence of a physician in the room when an abortion is performed and have HHS regulate abortion clinics similar to outpatient surgery centers:
The proposed regulations have produced an epiphany among the political left in North Carolina. Increasing state regulations harm the regulated industry by making it harder and more expensive to conduct its business.
In response, they have discovered a nascent, this-issue-only libertarianism with respect to regulating abortion clinics. …
One would almost find this welcome suspicion of government regulation from the usual cheerleaders of big government encouraging — but for the fact that the outrage is so highly centered around the single issue of abortion, which is of particular importance to the left. Abortion is no doubt the priority here, as opposed to vociferously pushing the state to adopt a more laissez-faire stance to regulation.
Otherwise, why have there been no protests about North Carolina regulators trying to force the closure of, or restrict access to, outpatient surgery centers?
The newsletter goes on to discuss regulation’s costs, regulatory reform, and the opportunity for state lawmakers to pass periodic review.
