CEI Daily Update
Issues in the News
1. LEGAL
The Supreme Court is expected to rule in favor of a law requiring citizens to present photo identification before voting.
CEI Expert Available to Comment: Special Projects Counsel Hans Bader on what the courts have said about voter ID laws in the past:
Special Projects Counsel on what the courts have said about in the past:
“Federal district judge Harold Murphy, who was appointed by Jimmy Carter, initially barred Georgia from enforcing its voter ID laws after the NAACP and others claimed it prevented minorities from voting. But Judge Murphy changed his mind and upheld the law after he discovered these claims were bogus. The law’s challengers presented the Judge with “evidence” claiming that some voters lacked photo ID. But among the voters opponents of the law listed as supposedly lacking ID was the Judge himself! The judge of course has multiple forms of photo ID. It turned out that their claims about voters lacking ID were just bunk.”
2. ENERGY
State officials in California want the power to control thermostats in private homes.
CEI Expert Available to Comment: Energy Policy Analyst William Yeatman on what utility officials should be working on instead:
Energy Policy Analyst on what should be working on instead:
“California is considering a measure by which ‘California utilities would control the temperature of new homes and commercial buildings in emergencies with a radio-controlled thermostat.’ By ‘emergencies,’ California regulators mean power crunches. To recap the madcap, the State of California, has decided to dictate the room temperature of its citizens instead of increasing energy supply to meet increasing demand. What kind of energy policy is this?”
3. ECONOMICS
Republicans in the House of Representatives release a new book on government waste.
CEI Expert Available to Comment: Director of Communications Christine Hall on some of the examples of fraud and abuse:
Director of Communications on some of the examples of :
“House Republican leaders, led by Rep. John Boehner of Ohio, have penned a little book on all the ways the federal government squanders the hard-earned money of its citizens. The little book relies extensively on CEI’s 10,000 Commandments report on the cost of government. But the little book also comes up with some fine examples of ridiculous expenditures – Pentagon Pays $998,798 to Ship Two 19-Cent Washers: “A small South Carolina parts supplier collected about $20.5 million over six years from the Pentagon for fraudulent shipping costs, including $998,798 for sending two 19-cent washers to an Army base in Texas, U.S. officials said.’”
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