Mackinac Center Director of Research Michael Van Beek was the keynote speaker at an Upper Peninsula business meeting this week, an event covered by multiple news outlets.

During his speech at Operation Action U.P. – a Marquette conference attended by members of the business and academic communities – Van Beek discussed the hidden cost of government, particularly by way of regulations.

“I hope to equip them with principles of identifying bad regulations and then, also, equip them with information with how to better interact with their legislator down in Lansing and communicate with them in such a way that they can have an impact on improving the kinds of regulations that might impact their businesses,” Van Beek told ABC 10 News.

Van Beek told TV6 and Fox UP that much of government’s cost to consumers and businesses is the result of over regulation.

"A lot of the focus on regulation and particularly the problem of over-regulation is done at the federal level and that is certainly an issue, but there are problems here at the state level too.”

Read and watch the full report by ABC 10 News here.

Read and watch the full report by TV6 and Fox UP here.

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