Should the Administrative State Be Abolished?

Paul J. Ray and Phillip Blond took the stage to discuss the question “who should rule?”

While conservatives and liberals have long debated these developments, it is the former who have promised to reform the administrative state and end the delegation of Congressional power to a class of “administrative experts” in agencies like ATF, CDC, and EPA. However, not everyone on the right sees broad executive power as a challenge to a free society; on the contrary, some argue that the development of administrative government frees Americans to live their lives without worrying about the complexities of modern life, and not fear that they will be left behind by society.

Whatever one’s perspective, the administrative state invites debate over its impact on family and community, law and order, strong borders, strong families, the dignity of work, and a thriving economy. This debate helped to broaden perspectives and raise important questions.