Putting Regulations to the Test

Bad politics are filled with hoopla and hyper-charged rhetoric, while good government is often dull, so anyone can be forgiven for missing Executive Order 13563 — one of this year’s few governmental bright spots. The order instituted retrospective cost-benefit analysis of federal regulations, and Massachusetts needs to follow its lead. The federal government should encourage states down the cost-benefit path by providing technical expertise, with something akin to a Congressional Budget Office for state policies.