[epolanski]

> America is drowning in unnecessary regulations/taxes/red tape

Which regulations are unnecessary?

Those that make it more difficult to hire foreigners?

Those that put requirements on energy providers to invest in excess capacity so you don't end up in blackouts every time the grids are stressed?

Those that prevent companies from collecting minor data online?

Those that force major websites and devices to serve people with disabilities?

Or the national standards for healthcare data privacy?

I could go on and on, but every time people complain about regulations, they seem to be coming from a place where they don't realize that regulations have a purpose in general, they ain't there for the lulz.

Sure, there's always things to look at and review, that's the nature of progress, but to say that companies are drowning in regulations, what are those regulations?

Are you sure we can't find plenty of examples that would require more?

[pjc50]

I'm very sympathetic to this point - regulations are usually there for a reason, and it's important to know what it is - but there's always a grey area between genuine public need and regulatory capture by special interests, which the incredibly dysfunctional nature of US politics hides.

The big ones are probably zoning and protectionist car regulations.

(Note that having a one party state makes a lot of the problems of partisanship go away. However, the problems of "working towards the leader" and the tendency to hide unfavorable news leading to poor decisions are still there. The tradeoff that China has is that, so long as high levels of growth can be delivered, political unrest can be contained, or dealt with by blaming "corrupt local officials" who can then be "dealt with".)

[epolanski]

Yes, in China the government comes, takes your land, pays you pennies, and builds a railroad on it.

Yes, in China there's less regulations when building nuclear plants, that makes it easier to do so there. Where would you rather live, close to a Chinese or an American one knowing the second had to nail 10 times more rules and inspections?

[meekaaku]

Some are necessary and some are not, or can be streamlined. In the context of the article, where it discuses China can develop things fast while America cannot, lets take California highspeed rail. - The Buy America law hinders supply choice - Crash test standards are much higher than Europe - Lot of consultation/assessment and pretty much any lobby group could block the construction - Sue friendly environment, so makes things costly.