45 million 18-29 year olds will be eligible to vote in this year's presidential election, representing the largest potential voting bloc in the country. Learn more about the issues, register to vote and get involved with MTV's Power of 12. Today, we've got another "Jargon Buster" for you.
regulation, noun: a rule, law or set of laws overseen by the government
deregulation, noun: a reduction in government authority, allowing greater freedom of operation
Regulation on the government level means that authorities decide things for you on certain issues -- energy, transportation, and communication, for example. Those in favor of regulation believe that it protects the people; fans of deregulation say it aims to allow more freedom to choose. As a general guidepost, Democrats tend to favor regulation while Republicans lean toward deregulation. The ol' more government vs. less government argument. We've seen lots of drama over the regulation and deregulation of financial institutions in the past few years, and much to-do has been made (and will continue to be made) regarding communication -- specifically, that thing called the Internet. ("The Internet? That thing's still around?" - Homer Simpson)
Expect to hear lots of regulation talk on the campaign trail, comin' right up.
And now, a word from the original Regulator. Let's see you sing this one, Obama.