Types of Government and Other Regulations

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Types of Government Regulations

Will Dean

Often a fault line in American politics, government regulation is present in a lot of public life. Water and air quality fall under government regulation, as does the safety and composition of food products. Businesses are also regulated by the government, and so is the communications industry. Regulation is generally undertaken to preserve some public good, like safe drinking water and access to public resources.

Food and Medicine

• Created in 1906, though known under a different name, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ensures the safety of food and medicine sold and produced in the U.S. The FDA sets and enforces standards for the presence of dangerous or foreign compounds in foods. It also tests the danger and efficacy of any medicines produced in the U.S. Tobacco products, which are known to be dangerous, are also under the purview of the FDA.

Communications

• The airwaves are considered a public space, since there is a limit to how much information can fit in a particular bandwidth. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulates who can broadcast TV and radio signals by issuing licenses to stations. The FCC also regulates media transmitted by satellites and cable. What can and can't be broadcast is also regulated by the FCC, including profanity, nudity, violence and other things considered objectionable.

Trade

• The U.S. federal government regulates all interstate trade and businesses. Through the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the government attempts to protect consumers from unfair practices and ensure that competition is preserved. This means stopping companies from price-gouging if they are the only source for a certain good in an area. It also means stopping monopolies, where one company uses its market presence to prevent competition.

Air and Water

• With the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. government regulates the safety of the air and public waterways. This includes stopping people and companies from putting dangerous chemicals or compounds into the water and air. This is done to protect public health and preserve the environment.

References

• FDA: What We Do
• FCC: About the FCC
• FTC: About the Federal Trade Commission

Will Dean has worked as a freelance journalist and editor in Philadelphia for three years. He has written on a wide variety of topics, including local news, arts, music, history, food and urban sustainability, for a variety of publications, like the "Philadelphia City Paper" and "GRID" magazine. He is also a college graduate from the College of New Jersey.

By Will D, eHow Contributor

See also

Regulation From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Code of Federal Regulations