It is true: government regulations save lives. Best to not mince words: Congress has blood on its hands. For 50 years, at the behest of their lobbyist puppet masters, they throttled regulations the National Transportation Safety Board meant for railroads to adopt. What did the lobbyists win?

Reprieve from having to install automatic braking equipment, called positive train control. Again and again Congress extended the implementation deadline.

The cost to the American people since 1970: 298 deaths, 6,763 injuries and some $385 million in property damage from 150 crashes, the Associated Pres...