CounterPunch.org | Abundance Jumps the Shark by Dean Baker AI generated summary, Read the full article for complete information. Dean Baker’s “Abundance Jumps the Shark” argues that the popular “abundance” mantra— which blames excessive government regulation for scarcity and high prices—oversimplifies a complex reality. While some rules indeed block useful projects such as EV‑charging stations or broadband expansion, many regulations chiefly protect wealthy interests, from patent monopolies that keep drugs and medical equipment expensive to bankruptcy laws that let private‑equity firms shed debts and enrich themselves. The piece contends that the housing‑crisis narrative, which blames restrictive zoning, ignores broader factors: a pre‑2006 building boom, a post‑pandemic surge in demand, and Vancouver’s rapid population growth, which together drive up prices regardless of zoning flexibility. Baker warns that a blanket push to eliminate regulations—especially by Silicon‑Valley‑backed “abundance” funders—risks discarding rules that actually curb waste and protect the public, and urges a careful, case‑by‑case assessment before dismantling any regulation. (Originally published on Dean Baker’s Beat the Press blog.) Read more: https://www.counterpunch.org/2026/06/29/abundance-jumps-the-shark/ #DeanBaker #EzraKlein #DerekThompson #SiliconValley #economics