A Conversation with Cass Sunstein
April 30, 2012
5:00 pm – 6:30 pm
40 Washington Square South
Greenberg Lounge of Vanderbilt Hall
NYU School of Law
Cass Sunstein is the Administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs in the Office of Management and Budget, where he oversees the Obama administration’s regulatory agenda. In one of only a few public speaking engagements this spring, Sunstein visited the Institute for Policy Integrity at the New York University School of Law.
Careful economic analysis in public policymaking is extremely important. Too much regulation can put too heavy a burden on companies, but too little can endanger public health and the environment. Bringing rigorous economic principles to regulatory questions with an even-handed approach means balancing private interests with the public good.
Sunstein has a long and prestigious career as a renowned legal scholar and best-selling author on these matters. His recent book Nudge established the case for creating “choice architecture” that encourages people to make smarter choices without limiting their options. For 27 years, Sunstein taught at the University of Chicago Law School, and he was a faculty member at Harvard Law School prior to joining the Obama administration.
As Administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Mr. Sunstein works to create a twenty-first century regulatory system, using state-of-the-art tools and smart approaches to protect public welfare while promoting economic growth and job creation.