Nearly 250 years ago, the authors of the Declaration of Independence made a bold claim: that our rights come not from government, but from our Creator, and that governments exist to secure those rights, not to obstruct them. When government grows too powerful, too distant, or too tangled in red tape, it drifts from that founding purpose. Few policy areas illustrate this truth more clearly today than regulatory reform.
Across the country, well-intentioned but outdated regulations often stand between people and their ability to work, serve their communities, and pursue the American Dream. These rules don’t just create inconvenience; they deny dignity and opportunity. And too often, they protect entrenched interests rather than the public good.
Consider William Burt in Iowa: After serving time in prison, William worked to rebuild his life through barbering, a skill that gave him purpose and stability. He saw a need in his community: seniors in nursing homes, people in shelters, and others who struggled to access basic grooming services. William wanted to bring haircuts to them through a mobile barbershop, but Iowa law made that simple idea illegal. A regulation written for a different time shut the door on both his livelihood and his ability to serve others.
Instead of giving up, William spoke up. He organized, shared his story, and partnered with advocates who believed that government should remove barriers, not create them. In 2020, Iowa lawmakers fixed the law. Today, William runs a mobile barbering unit and his own shop, and countless Iowans benefit from services that were once blocked by bureaucracy.
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In Wisconsin, Will Glass encountered a different kind of regulatory overreach, one that intruded directly into his family life. When Will tried to open a brewery, a state official told him the law treated his marriage as a problem. Because his wife owned a bar, outdated alcohol regulations effectively suggested he should divorce her to comply. The rule was protectionist, unreasonable, and threatened to destroy a business he had poured his life savings into.
Through education, grassroots engagement, and legislative reform, Wisconsin modernized its alcohol laws. Today, the state is among the most business-friendly in the industry, and entrepreneurs like Will can focus on innovation instead of navigating absurd legal obstacles.
Then there’s Tony Harrison in Georgia. After leaving corporate America to start a food truck, Tony discovered he needed a separate permit for every county he operated in—all 159 of them. The cost, paperwork, and conflicting rules made growth nearly impossible. What should have been a straightforward small business became a regulatory maze.
Reform changed that. Georgia replaced 159 permits with a single statewide license. The result? Food truck owners can expand, hire, and provide for their families, proof that smart, limited government benefits everyone.
The Declaration of Independence reminds us that self-governance works best when power is restrained and accountability is local. Regulatory reform isn’t about eliminating rules; it’s about ensuring they are fair, modern, and truly serve the people. When government respects those limits, individuals don’t just comply, they thrive.
Now it’s your turn.
Be part of the movement.
Signing the Declaration of Independence is your way of standing for the principles that built this country.
Take your small step and sign the Declaration of Independence.
David From is the host of the American Potential Podcast.
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