The 'abundance agenda' and permitting reform

The new approach follows the 2025 book "Abundance" by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson, which argued that the aggressive administrative state favored by liberals and progressives drives up costs and inhibits the development of both public- and private-sector projects. As Politico put it last month, there's "an old complaint that the government is too slow, especially in blue states where environmental and labor regulations are strongest."

The agenda represents a remarkable epiphany for those on the left. But whether it prevails among Democratic loyalists — most of whom have traditionally put their faith in a corpulent bureaucracy and an activist judiciary to achieve their goals — remains to be seen. An early test will be a permitting reform bill pending in Congress.

In September, Senate leaders introduced the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act of 2026. Its sponsors are ranking members of both parties who sit on the Energy and Natural Resources Committee or the Environment and Public Works Committee. The legislation amends several existing laws that can serve as roadblocks for infrastructure, energy or other projects.

"There is widespread recognition that a permitting system created to protect the environment against industrial pollution more than 50 years ago has morphed into a system that is bad for both the economy and the environment," the Bipartisan Policy Center noted this month. "Reviews that once were completed in weeks or months now take years or decades."

The proposal, among other things, imposes clear deadlines for environmental reviews while limiting opportunities for opponents to manipulate the judicial system to delay or kill projects. It streamlines efforts to repair or replace existing infrastructure. The legislation also strives to eliminate duplicative reviews while making it more difficult for the federal government to rescind existing permits, providing more certainty for those involved.

The bill is the result of more than a year of negotiations. Republicans have long championed this type of reform. Democrats have come on board because the legislation applies to green energy projects — often bottled up in the courts by progressive opposition or defunded by the Trump White House — and includes provisions to ensure that data center developers don't saddle consumers with higher grid costs.

Trimming back red tape makes sense as the country strives to meet growing energy and infrastructure needs. Will Democrats walk the walk on "abundance"? The fate of this bill will tell the tale.

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