Episode 102: Precautionary Federalism

Despite the fact that our show is pretty much the opposite of careful, we discuss precaution, regulation, and institutional choice with Sarah Light. The environmental and other effects of Uber and Lyft are complicated. If they’re very hard to calculate and understand, how should we regulate them to address their harms? With uncertain webs of causation, can the precautionary principle tell us not simply whether to regulate but who should regulate? Sarah thinks so.

This show’s links:

Sarah Light's faculty profile and writing

Sarah Light, Precautionary Federalism and the Sharing Economy

Lisa Rayle, Susan Shaheen, Nelson Chan, Danielle Dai, and Robert Cervero, App-Based, On-Demand Ride Services: Comparing Taxi and Ridesourcing Trips and Use

Shared-Use Mobility Center, Shared Mobility and the Transformation of Public TransitCass Sunstein, Beyond the Precautionary PrincipleCass Sunstein, Laws of Fear: Beyond the Precautionary PrincipleRobert Hahn and Cass Sunstein, The Precautionary Principle as a Basis for Decision Making

Special Guest: Sarah Light.