Administration Quote by Frank Zappa
![“Well the thing is that under the [Ronald] Reagan administration, excesses have occurred in terms of over regulating certain types of behavior, and excesses have occurred in the opposite direction, in de-regulating other types of behavior. As a matter of fact, if they continue to regulate the…” quote by Frank Zappa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/0b2/frank-zappa-702_administration_well-the-thing-is-that-under-the-ronald_672679.jpg)
“Well the thing is that under the [Ronald] Reagan administration, excesses have occurred in terms of over regulating certain types of behavior, and excesses have occurred in the opposite direction, in de-regulating other types of behavior. As a matter of fact, if they continue to regulate the airlines, we might have safer skies, and if they slack off on the radio, we might have better radio. If they just use it as a threat, eventually there's going to be another test case like the one that the 7 dirty words ruling came out of, and basically, its extortion.”
About This Quote
Source Interview: 1993, The New York Times
Regulation swings both ways, too much or too little harms different sectors.
In simple terms: Balancing regulation is needed.
Key Takeaway
Seek balanced policy.
Themes
regulation
government
public safety
Mood
critical
analytical
Type
political
commentary
When to use this quote
- airline safety
- broadcast standards
- media censorship
- consumer protection
Key Concepts
policy analysis
regulatory capture
public interest
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we find optimal regulatory balance?
- What mechanisms ensure accountability?
A Different Perspective
Over‑regulation can stifle innovation; under‑regulation can endanger safety.
