From the very beginning, our lives are governed by rules, whether we’re on playgrounds, in classrooms or at home. The practical – look both ways before you cross the street – and the moral – don’t bite your fellow toddlers – are the building blocks of becoming a functional member of the greater society.

Those early rules, though most children don’t realize it (and those who do chafe against it), are also an early introduction to a world brimming with laws and regulations, “guidelines” and “best practices.”

Wherever life takes those kids, whether it’s behind a computer, a sketchpad, a scalpel or a production line, there are rules and regulations to learn and obey. Nothing is certain but death, taxes and visiting inspectors.

Lenders and real estate agents, of course, know all too well the crushing burden of complying with rules and regulations someone else created and imposed. The governmental reaction to the Great Recession was to bury the problems in paperwork, leaving smaller banks struggling to not only understand new regulations, but also implement changes and keep records showing they have met new requirements.

The list of the rules and regulations to which banks must bow, and of the regulatory agencies they must obey, are long enough to fill the pages of this magazine – to say nothing of the length of the actual content of those rules and regs and their attendant guidelines and clarifications.

And despite the odds – and reams of paper – stacked against them, many lenders and agents continue to thrive. This year’s list of Top Loan Originators illustrates that beyond a doubt.
And sometimes, the authorities recognize the truth in the old adage about flies, honey and vinegar, and offer more charm than punishment. Such is the case with housing incentive programs, and renewed interest in 2008’s incentive housing zone program may bring more developers – and sorely needed housing – to towns across the state.

Perhaps regulators will eventually realize that punishing those who were not responsible for creating a nationwide recession – and contributing to a worldwide recession – only results in angry resentment. It’s unwise to anger the people who control the country’s financial system. Money, particularly in the form of lobbying dollars, really does talk – and this is an election year, after all.

At times it seems the sheer number of rules, laws and regulations that govern nearly every aspect of our lives is unmanageable and out of control. Laws are of course important – to punish the bad guys, to compensate the good guys, and the whole “don’t bite your fellow toddler” thing really can’t be overstated – but perhaps it’s time to consider the risks and the opportunity for much greater rewards.