1. VIDEO OVERVIEW

Title: “Taking the Reins: How Conservatives Can Win the Regulations Game”

Runtime: 43:15

Speaker: Roger Severino

YouTube: Project 2025 Private Training Video: Passing New Regulations (Transcript)

This video, part of Project 2025’s Presidential Administration Academy, focuses on how conservatives can effectively use the regulatory process to advance their agenda in a future administration. Roger Severino, a Vice President for Domestic Policy at the Heritage Foundation and former Director of the Office for Civil Rights at HHS under President Trump, draws on his experience in the Trump administration to offer insights and strategies for conservative appointees.

The video’s significance lies in its explicit call for a more aggressive and strategic approach to regulation, using the regulatory process not just to roll back existing rules but also to implement new conservative policies. Severino encourages appointees to be proactive, to challenge the status quo, and to use all available tools to advance their agenda, even if it means circumventing traditional norms or facing opposition from career staff and the “administrative state.”

2. KEY THEMES & FRAMEWORKS

  • “Winning the Regulations Game”: Severino frames the regulatory process as a “game” that conservatives can and must win, suggesting a strategic and even adversarial approach to regulation.
  • Proactive Regulation: He emphasizes the importance of proactive regulation, using the regulatory process not just to roll back existing rules but also to implement new conservative policies. This reflects a shift from a defensive to an offensive posture on regulation.
  • Executive Power and Agency Control: Severino stresses the importance of executive power in controlling the regulatory process, arguing that the President and his appointees must assert their authority over agencies and career staff.
  • “Unwinding” the Administrative State: The video aligns with Project 2025’s broader goal of dismantling the “administrative state,” suggesting that conservatives should use the regulatory process to shrink the size and scope of government and to reduce the power of the bureaucracy.
  • Conservative Values and Principles: Severino encourages appointees to be guided by conservative values and principles in their approach to regulation, suggesting that regulations should promote individual liberty, free markets, and traditional values.

3. DETAILED BREAKDOWN

3.1 Introduction: “Taking the Reins”

Severino begins by arguing that conservatives need to “take the reins” of the regulatory process and to use it effectively to advance their agenda. He criticizes the Obama and Biden administrations for their “regulatory overreach” and suggests that a future conservative administration must be more assertive in controlling the bureaucracy.

Quote: “We need to take the reins of the regulatory process and use it to advance our agenda. We can’t just play defense; we need to play offense.”

3.2 Lessons Learned from the Trump Administration

Severino discusses what he sees as the successes and failures of the Trump administration in terms of regulatory policy. He highlights the importance of:

  • Early Action: Taking action early in the administration to roll back regulations and to implement new policies.
  • Strong Leadership: Appointing strong leaders to agencies who are committed to a conservative agenda.
  • Working with Congress: Working with Congress to pass legislation that supports the administration’s regulatory goals.
  • Using the Courts: Using the courts to challenge regulations that are deemed unlawful or unconstitutional.

Quote: “The Trump administration made significant progress in rolling back regulations, but we also learned some valuable lessons about how to be more effective in the future.”

3.3 Proactive Regulation: “Don’t Just Play Defense”

Severino emphasizes the importance of proactive regulation, arguing that conservatives should not just focus on rolling back existing rules but should also use the regulatory process to implement new policies that advance their agenda. He suggests that this can be done by:

  • Issuing New Rules: Promulgating new regulations that promote conservative values and principles.
  • Reinterpreting Existing Rules: Reinterpreting existing regulations in a way that is more favorable to conservative interests.
  • Using Guidance Documents: Issuing guidance documents to agencies to direct their enforcement priorities and to shape their interpretation of regulations.

Quote: “We need to be proactive in using the regulatory process to advance our agenda. We can’t just play defense; we need to play offense.”

3.4 Executive Power and Agency Control

Severino stresses the importance of executive power in controlling the regulatory process. He argues that the President and his appointees must assert their authority over agencies and career staff to ensure that regulations align with the administration’s priorities.

  • Appointing Loyalists: Appointing individuals who are committed to a conservative agenda to key positions within agencies.
  • Issuing Executive Orders: Issuing executive orders to direct agencies to take specific actions or to implement certain policies.
  • Controlling the Budget: Using the budget process to incentivize agencies to adopt a conservative approach to regulation.

Quote: “The President has the authority to control the regulatory process. He needs to use that authority to make sure that agencies are implementing his agenda.”

3.5 “Unwinding” the Administrative State

Severino aligns his recommendations with Project 2025’s broader goal of dismantling the “administrative state.” He argues that conservatives should use the regulatory process to shrink the size and scope of government and to reduce the power of the bureaucracy.

  • Reducing Regulations: Eliminating or weakening regulations that are deemed burdensome or unnecessary.
  • Streamlining the Regulatory Process: Making the regulatory process more efficient and less costly.
  • Shifting Power to States: Devolving regulatory authority to states and local governments.

Quote: “We need to unwind the administrative state. We need to reduce the size and scope of government and to empower states and local communities.”

3.6 Conclusion: A “Conservative Regulatory Revolution”

Severino concludes by calling for a “conservative regulatory revolution” that will “transform the regulatory landscape” and “unleash the power of the free market.” He argues that this revolution is necessary to “restore American prosperity” and to “make America great again.”

4. POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS

  • Be Proactive: Use the regulatory process to implement new conservative policies, not just to roll back existing rules.
  • Appoint Loyalists: Appoint individuals who are committed to a conservative agenda to key positions within agencies.
  • Issue Executive Orders: Issue executive orders to direct agencies to implement conservative policies.
  • Control the Budget: Use the budget process to incentivize agencies to adopt a conservative approach to regulation.
  • Reduce Regulations: Eliminate or weaken regulations that are deemed burdensome or unnecessary.
  • Streamline the Regulatory Process: Make the regulatory process more efficient and less costly.
  • Shift Power to States: Devolve regulatory authority to states and local governments.

5. STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES

  • Advance a Conservative Agenda: Use the regulatory process to implement a conservative policy agenda across all areas of government.
  • Dismantle the Administrative State: Reduce the size, scope, and power of the federal bureaucracy.
  • Empower the Executive Branch: Increase the power of the President and his appointees to control the regulatory process.
  • Promote Free Markets: Create a more favorable regulatory environment for businesses and reduce government intervention in the economy.
  • Shape the Narrative: Control the public narrative around regulation, portraying conservative approaches as beneficial and liberal approaches as harmful.

6. HISTORICAL CONTEXT

Severino draws heavily on his experience in the Trump administration, arguing that conservatives learned valuable lessons about how to use the regulatory process effectively. He cites examples of successful deregulation efforts and highlights the importance of early action, strong leadership, and a willingness to challenge the status quo.

7. POTENTIAL IMPACTS

  • Weakening of Protections: The chapter’s emphasis on deregulation and a reduced role for government could lead to a weakening of protections for consumers, workers, and the environment, potentially harming public health, safety, and the planet.
  • Increased Corporate Power: A more business-friendly regulatory environment could empower corporations to engage in harmful practices, such as pollution, fraud, and exploitation of workers, without fear of consequences.
  • Erosion of Public Trust: The chapter’s portrayal of the regulatory process as a “game” and its emphasis on “winning” could further erode public trust in government and its ability to act in the public interest.

8. CRITICISMS & COUNTERARGUMENTS

  • Disregard for Public Interest: Critics might argue that the chapter’s focus on advancing a conservative agenda ignores the broader public interest and could lead to policies that harm consumers, workers, and the environment.
  • Undermining Democratic Accountability: Opponents might argue that the chapter’s emphasis on executive power and its call for a reduction in congressional oversight would undermine democratic accountability and concentrate too much power in the hands of the President.
  • Short-Sighted Approach: Critics might argue that the chapter’s focus on deregulation and a reduced role for government ignores the importance of government regulation in addressing market failures, protecting vulnerable populations, and promoting long-term economic stability.

9. KEY QUOTES

  • “We need to take the reins of the regulatory process and use it to advance our agenda. We can’t just play defense; we need to play offense.” This quote reflects the chapter’s call for a more proactive and aggressive approach to regulation.
  • “The Trump administration made significant progress in rolling back regulations, but we also learned some valuable lessons about how to be more effective in the future.” This quote suggests that conservatives view the Trump administration’s regulatory record as a success and are seeking to build on it.
  • “We need to be proactive in using the regulatory process to advance our agenda. We can’t just play defense; we need to play offense.” This quote emphasizes the importance of using regulation to implement new conservative policies.
  • “The President has the authority to control the regulatory process. He needs to use that authority to make sure that agencies are implementing his agenda.” This quote highlights the chapter’s emphasis on executive power.
  • “We need to unwind the administrative state. We need to reduce the size and scope of government and to empower states and local communities.” This quote reflects the chapter’s alignment with Project 2025’s broader goal of dismantling the “administrative state.”

10. RHETORICAL ANALYSIS

Severino’s presentation is characterized by a sense of urgency and a call to action, using language that frames the regulatory process as a battle between conservatives and liberals. He emphasizes the need for conservatives to be “bold,” “courageous,” and “relentless” in their pursuit of a conservative regulatory agenda. He also uses anecdotes from his experience in the Trump administration to illustrate his points and to suggest that conservatives can be successful in achieving their regulatory goals.

11. SUMMARY & SIGNIFICANCE

Chapter 17 of “Project 2025: Mandate for Leadership” provides a blueprint for a conservative regulatory revolution, outlining a strategy for using the regulatory process to advance a conservative agenda, dismantle the “administrative state,” and reshape the relationship between government and the private sector. The chapter’s recommendations, if implemented, could have a significant impact on the regulatory landscape in the United States, potentially leading to a weakening of consumer and environmental protections, an increase in corporate power, and a decline in public trust in government.

This chapter reflects a broader conservative movement to reduce the role of government in regulating the economy and to promote a more market-oriented approach to governance. It highlights the importance of understanding the conservative perspective on regulation and the potential consequences of their agenda for American society.