Designing Deregulation: The POTUS's Place in the Process

29 Pages Posted: 18 Mar 2019 Last revised: 6 Jun 2019

Date Written: June 2019

Abstract

Candidates for U.S. president — like those for any elected office or leadership position — make promises about what they will do if they are elected to office. If we take time to think through what must be done to fulfill those promises, however, we may find that the action or forbearance of Congress, the federal courts, or others is required to achieve the pledged objectives. Nevertheless, we expect the president to make good on those campaign commitments — and more. Our current president, for example, ran a campaign in which deregulation was a centerpiece.

This essay interrogates the role of the president in deregulation at the federal level. The interrogation is designed to serve two principle goals. First, the essay sets out to identify and explain the president’s role in the deregulatory process from a legal and practical perspective. Second, with the knowledge gained in better understanding the nature of the president’s optimal role in deregulating, the essay offers a perspective and practical advice for use by a president in constructing and implementing a deregulatory agenda.

Ultimately, the essay suggests that the president assume the roles of change leader and fiduciary in meeting deregulatory promises and expectations. The role of change leader focuses the president on processes geared to foster lasting change; the role of fiduciary focuses the president on trustworthy conduct in a relationship with the public that allows for discretion yet demands accountability. The two roles are not mutually exclusive. They have the capacity to work together as complements.

Keywords: president, deregulation, change leader, fiduciary

JEL Classification: K18, K20, K23, Z18

Suggested Citation

Heminway, Joan MacLeod, Designing Deregulation: The POTUS's Place in the Process (June 2019). 87 UMKC Law Review 653 (2019), University of Tennessee Legal Studies Research Paper No. 370, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3346838

Joan MacLeod Heminway (Contact Author)

University of Tennessee College of Law ( email )

1505 West Cumberland Avenue
Knoxville, TN 37996
United States
865-974-3813 (Phone)
865-974-0681 (Fax)

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