Federal Registry

The Federal Registry is, among other things, a massive collection of pseudo-laws called regulations created by the federal government. Unlike a law, which must be passed by both Houses of Congress and signed by the President, regulations are created by various departments, often at the direction of a new law.

The Federal Registry also includes various government notices, Presidential proclamations and executive orders.

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Speech Relevance

Reagan speaks of the Registry, by name, in 'A City Upon a Hill', comparing its size to the Encyclopedia Britannica.

Earlier in his career, in 'A Time for Choosing' he spoke on the power of regulations in skirting the protections of the Constitution.

These proliferating bureaus with their thousands of regulations have cost us many of our constitutional safeguards. How many of us realize that today federal agents can invade a man's property without a warrant? They can impose a fine without a formal hearing, let alone a trial by jury, and they can seize and sell his property in auction to enforce the payment of that fine. In Chicot County, Arkansas, James Wier overplanted his rice allotment. The government obtained a $17,000 judgment, and a U.S. marshal sold his 950-acre farm at auction. The government said it was necessary as a warning to others to make the system work.

He would also mention these Constitutional violations in his Radio Commentaries, specifically one entitled 'OSHA.'

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Source Links

Federal Register (Wikipedia)