CEI Daily Update

Issues in the News

1. Trade

Four international trade agreements await action in Congress.

CEI Expert Available to Comment: Adjunct Scholar Fran Smith on the politics of free trade agreements:

With protectionist sentiment high on the Hill, the Democratic leadership is pushing for trade agreements to include stringent labor and environmental provisions – mandates that will hobble the ability of developing countries to benefit from more open trade.

2. Legal

President Bush commutes the prison sentence of Vice Presidential advisor Lewis “Scooter” Libby.

CEI Expert Available to Comment: Special Projects Counsel Hans Bader on the case for clemency:

Bush has just commuted Scooter Libby’s sentence, eliminating his prison sentence, while leaving his $250,000 fine intact….Supporters of having Libby serve his entire sentence argue it is hypocritical for Libby’s conservative defenders to criticize his perjury conviction while supporting impeachment of Bill Clinton for perjury in the Paula Jones sexual harassment lawsuit. (I discussed the Paula Jones lawsuit against Bill Clinton, and how Bill Clinton’s own policies ironically paved the way for that lawsuit against him, here and here).

3.  Environment

Environmentalists raise fears that “urban sprawl” will endanger species like the bald eagle.

CEI Expert Available to Comment: Director of Risk & Environmental Policy Angela Logomasini compares the current scare to the campaign against DDT. 

Some researchers are building a case the impact was insignificant for the species survival even when DDT was used in the environment. And there is plenty evidence that the eagles will do fine in ‘sprawling’ neighborhoods. In fact, the Business and Media Institute points out that NBC fails to ever note that Bald Eagles are successfully cohabitating in large, sprawling suburbs like Philadelphia’s. Unfortunately, many of Carson’s followers don’t let the facts get in the way of their quest to deny the rest of us basic freedoms.

Blog feature: For more news and analysis, updated throughout the day, visit CEI’s blog, Open Market.

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