Daily update for 02/16/10

Lead global warming and Climategate scientist Phil Jones admits to losing crucial climate data.

President Obama announces plans to ramp up use of executive powers.

The White House releases its annual Economic Report of the President and the Council of Economic Advisors.

Climategate, Executive Power Abuse, and U.S. Trade Policy

1.  ENVIRONMENT Lead global warming and Climategate scientist Phil Jones admitted this week to losing crucial climate data and to the fact that the Earth hasn’t warmed in 15 years, despite dire predictions of global warming.

CEI Experts Available to Comment:  Energy policy expert Michael Fumento on Climategate and the long-standing flaws with global warming alarmism.

“Now Professor Phil Jones, director the University of East Anglia Climatic Research Center and the central figure in the ‘Climategate’ affair, has conceded there’s been no ‘statistically significant’ warming. Naturally he said it was a “blip” and not a trend, and he may well prove right. But that doesn’t eliminate the problem that this “blip” has been occurring with historic GHG emissions, therefore the grossly simplistic formula of GHG emissions = warming is false.”

2. GOVERNMENT

President Obama plans to use executive power to advance an array of policy goals.

CEI Expert Available to Comment: Vice President for Policy Wayne Crews on the self-empowering strategy of big-government.

“Note how the proposed uses of executive power represent expansions of the state rather than pro-liberty reductions, like say, banning income-tax withholding by Treasury, or creation of a commission specifically commanded to propose reductions in regulations on small business, or a commission to eliminate government agencies altogether.”

3. TRADE

The White House just released the Economic Report of the President and the Council of Economic Advisors’ Annual Report 2010.

CEI Expert Available to Comment: Adjunct Fellow Fran Smith on the report’s international trade chapter.

“What to do about those people who don’t benefit quickly and equally from trade?  Here’s where the true message is revealed.  The CEA report notes that the federal government already has numerous programs on “trade adjustment assistance, worker retraining, and temporary relief programs,” to help them, but much more is needed – progressive taxation, expansion of the social safety net, as well as changes in the health care and education systems.”