Kids’ Safety, The War on Obesity and Che’s Legacy

New safety rules for children’s clothes generate controversy.

Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick launches a new anti-obesity campaign.

Director Steven Soderbergh prepares to release his two-part biopic on infamous Argentine revolutionary Che Guevara.

More headlines: listen to the LibertyWeek podcast.

1. CONSUMER 

New safety rules for children’s clothes generate controversy.

CEI Expert Available to Comment: Special Projects Counsel Hans Bader on the unfortunate consequences of the new regulations: 

“Obama promised change, and it’s already happening, at the expense of the poor, consumers, and small business. Regulations set to take effect next month could force thousands of clothing retailers and thrift stores to throw away trunkloads of children’s clothing. That’s the result of a law championed by Obama and trial lawyers, the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, which imposes draconian requirements and penalties on sellers of children’s toys and clothing. As a result, used clothing stores for poor kids, like Kid to Kid, are going out of business. Price increases in children’s toys and clothing will also likely result.”

 

2. HEALTH

Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick launches a new anti-obesity campaign.

CEI Expert Available to Comment: Policy Analyst Cord Blomquist on how the government might end up keeping us skinny after all

“The obesity epidemic is an interesting side effect of being a very wealthy nation. Turns out, we can all easily afford to eat and many of us really like eating. If any politicians are to be successful at curbing our appetites, it’s like to be the politicos in Congress and those in the White House. The previous bunch of political elites helped to drive the economy into the ground and the next will ensure that it stays there by driving up inflation, accelerating the growth of the national debt, and regulating businesses out of existence. That should keep us all very thin for quite a while.”

 

3. CULTURE

Director Steven Soderbergh prepares to release his two-part biopic on infamous Argentine revolutionary Che Guevara.

CEI Expert Available to Comment: Editorial Director Ivan Osorio on Soderbergh selective revisionism

“Soderbergh portrays the making of his film as a process of discovery on its subject, for which he should be congratulated. Yet his description of this ‘process’ seems selective and confused. Soderbergh’s explanation of his treatment of the most infamous episode in Che’s life — his directing of firing squads at the La Cabaña prison– meanders between meaningless contortions, antiseptic amorality, and self-congratulation at his talking to detractors.”

 

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