The Competitive Enterprise Institute Daily Update
Issues in the News
1. ENVIRONMENT
Scientists record the quietest hurricane season in 10 years, confounding alarmist predictions.
CEI Expert Available to Comment: Senior Fellows Marlo Lewis and Iain Murray on the public policy impact of Hurricane Katrina:
“Despite the lack so far of any hurricanes hitting America this hurricane season (at time of writing), environmental activists are using the memories of last year’s intense season to argue for tough policies on global warming. For example, on August 20, in an emotional Washington Post op-ed, Mike Tidwell of the self-styled ‘U.S. Climate Emergency Council’ asserted that, ‘Barring a rapid change in our nation’s relationship to fossil fuels, every American within shouting distance of an ocean…will become de facto New Orleanians.’”
2. HEALTH
News reports timed for the Thanksgiving holiday suggest positive health benefits from eating cranberries.
CEI Expert Available to Comment: Adjunct Analyst Steven Milloy on the science behind the health claims:
“It is a commonly-held notion — including by many physicians — that cranberry juice can either prevent and/or treat urinary tract infections, particularly in women. The AP article catered to this belief by stating, “Drinking cranberry juice can block urinary infections by binding to bacteria so they can’t adhere to cell walls. To the casual reader, the AP statement appears to reaffirm the conventional wisdom about the benefits of cranberry juice. But in reality, the AP statement seems more misleading than reaffirming.”
3. BUSINESS
Wal-Mart announces plans to expand operations in India, with hundreds of new stores.
CEI Experts Available to Comment: Adjunct Analyst Zachary Courser on how Wal-Mart has been a boon for U.S. consumers:
“What has been Wal-Mart’s real effect on the U.S. economy, and is it as dire as some of the critics suggest? The answer is that Wal-Mart has proven to be an enormously positive influence on the economy, single-handedly increasing overall productivity and keeping retail prices low throughout America. The company has managed this while maintaining pay and benefits for its workers well in line with the rest of the retail industry. Considering the facts, on balance, Wal-Mart has been — and continues to be — good for America.”