In an age where simplicity drives success – from viral tweets to Lean Startup principles – government remains a bastion of unnecessary complexity. Legislation, regulations, court filings and judgments regularly turn into mazes of legalese, alienating citizens, overburdening officials and obstructing justice.

It’s time for a radical but simple reform: implement a word limit to ensure brevity and clarity in government processes.

It’s not just an abstract idea; This is an achievable vision for President Trump Ministry of Government Effectiveness (DOGE). For DOGE leaders Elon Musk, whose companies thrive on efficiency and innovation, and Vivek Ramaswamy, this proposal should provide the basis for making America work better.

Trump announced that Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy will lead the Department of Government Effectiveness (DOGE) on Tuesday, November 12, 2024. (Getty Images)

The problem: a crisis of complexity

Modern governance is drowning in words. At over 6,000 pages, the U.S. tax code is a prime example of how excessive complexity creates inefficiency. Over the past 50 years, the IRS code has grown from 1.5 million words to nearly 10 million today. Federal agency regulations often span thousands of pages, filled with jargon nearly impossible for the average citizen — or even experts — to decipher.

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Legal proceedings are not better. Legal briefs can run to hundreds of pages, and judicial opinions often read more like epic sagas than simple judgments. The result? Delays, confusion, obfuscation and significant costs that disproportionately harm small businesses, individuals and under-resourced communities. Lawyers are incentivized to do the simple complex to increase their billable hours.

This tangled web not only slows progress; this breeds distrust. When government is unintelligible, it becomes inaccessible, which undermines its legitimacy.

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The solution: embrace brevity

A mandatory word limit for laws, regulations and legal documents would be a game-changer. A bit like Twitter Anticipated Character Limit Requiring users to distill their thoughts, word limits in governance would encourage disciplined writing, accessible language, and a greater focus on priorities. The government could prioritize clarity, reduce waste and streamline decision-making by limiting verbosity. Here’s what it might look like:

1. Legislation: Bills in Congress would be limited to a set number of words, accompanied by plain language summaries to ensure transparency. Congress would cap the total word count for all U.S. laws, forcing obsolete laws to be removed before new laws are passed.
2. Regulations: Federal agencies would adopt concise language guidelines, focusing on brevity, clarity and real-world applicability.
3. Filings and court judgments: Capping legal filings and judicial opinions would speed up cases, reduce costs and make justice more accessible.

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Learn from success

History shows us that brevity works. THE American Constitutionthe foundation of American governance, contains less than 5,000 words. Compare that with modern, sprawling bills like the Affordable Care Act, which spans more than 2,000 pages.

Internationally, countries like New Zealand and Singapore prioritize laws and regulations written in plain language, earning them a reputation for efficiency and transparency. America can – and must – follow suit.

Respond to reviews

Skeptics might argue that word limits oversimplify complex issues. But complexity and verbosity are not the same. Word limits would not eliminate nuance; they would force writers to clarify priorities and refine arguments. Excessive detail often obscures more than it reveals.

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Furthermore, this reform would not be a brutal instrument. Different types of documents – laws, regulations, court opinions – would have limits tailored to balance brevity and necessity.

A new way forward

The introduction of word limits could start with pilot programs – perhaps a feature of the new Ministry of Government Effectiveness. Congress could experiment with caps on nonessential laws, while agencies like the SEC or FDA could test streamlined rulemaking processes.

The benefits would ripple throughout the system: faster decisions, lower costs, and a government that people can actually understand.

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At a time when Americans are increasingly skeptical of government, a move toward brevity and clarity could restore trust.

Sometimes fewer words speak louder. Let’s start counting.

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