Brian Armstrong

Progress

The counterpart to Good Intentions: policies and projects that worked better than anyone expected, usually by removing barriers or letting builders compete.

Opening unlicensed spectrum (FCC, 1985)

Intent
Let anyone use a few radio bands without a license, as long as devices followed simple technical rules.
Outcome
Created the foundation for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and countless wireless devices, now used by billions of people every day.

Airline Deregulation Act (1978)

Intent
Remove federal control over airline fares, routes, and market entry.
Outcome
Inflation-adjusted airfares fell dramatically and flying went from a luxury to something most people can afford.

Staggers Rail Act (1980)

Intent
Give freight railroads the freedom to set their own rates and abandon unprofitable lines.
Outcome
An industry near collapse in the 1970s recovered, while freight rates fell substantially in real terms.

Opening GPS to civilian use (1983, 2000)

Intent
Make the military's satellite navigation system available to everyone, and later turn off the deliberate degradation of civilian accuracy.
Outcome
Enabled navigation in every phone, modern logistics, precision agriculture, and ride sharing, as a free public good for the entire world.

Hatch-Waxman Act (1984)

Intent
Create a faster approval path for generic drugs once patents expire.
Outcome
Generics went from a small share of U.S. prescriptions to the large majority, saving patients and taxpayers enormous amounts of money.

Orphan Drug Act (1983)

Intent
Give companies incentives to develop treatments for rare diseases that affect small numbers of patients.
Outcome
Hundreds of rare disease treatments have been approved since, compared to only a handful in the decade before.

NASA Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (2006)

Intent
Instead of designing rockets itself, NASA paid private companies fixed prices for hitting milestones in delivering cargo to the space station.
Outcome
Produced new launch vehicles and spacecraft, including Falcon 9 and Dragon, at a fraction of the cost NASA estimated for a traditional program, and helped create a thriving commercial launch industry.

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