CEI Daily Update
Issues in the News
1. CONGRESS
President Bush prepares to present his final State of the Union address.
CEI Expert Available to Comment: Vice President for Policy Wayne Crews on CEI’s own recommendations for members of Congress:
Vice President for Policy on CEI’s own recommendations :
“During the last Congress, Republicans massively expanded the federal government—and the voters reacted negatively. Now the Democrats have been entrusted to set aright the ship of state. In a globalized world, they will retain their majority only by eschewing the anti-market rhetoric of their party’s past. They, along with President Bush, hope to cement a legacy. There is no reason why that could not crystallize around a revitalized economic liberalization program.”
2. ECONOMICS
President Bush proposes a $150 billion economic stimulus package.
CEI Expert Available to Comment: Special Projects Counsel Hans Bader on the perverse incentives in the stimulus proposal:
Special Projects Counsel on the perverse incentives in :
“As I noted earlier, the ‘stimulus’ plan would also give expanded lending authority to the government-backed mortgage giant Fannie Mae, whose management engaged in Enron-style accounting fraud. Fannie Mae is one of the entities chiefly responsible for the real estate bubble that now threatens to cause a recession. If Fannie Mae goes under, the taxpayers are expected to pick up its tab.”
3. TECHNOLOGY
Auction bids for wireless spectrum reach $3.7 billion.
CEI Expert Available to Comment: Technology Policy Analyst Cord Blomquist on how the auction highlights the inefficiencies of the FCC:
Technology Policy Analyst on how the auction highlights :
“The intellectual work has been done on this issue, but for reform to actually occur, the issue of the FCC and its inefficiency and threat to American competitiveness needs to be pushed to the forefront of the public debate. CEI is working on a paper outlining the litany of abuses that have come out of the FCC and just how much of the communications potential of the United States goes unused because of the lack of markets in spectrum. Others need to join the fight as the XM/Sirius and 700Mhz issues move forward. If the road to reform is obvious and the benefits made known, Congress might act, but not until we force the issue.”
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