The Competitive Enterprise Institute Daily Update

1. BUSINESS

Wal-Mart expands discounts on generic drugs.

CEI Expert Available to Comment: Adjunct Analyst Zachary Courser on why 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.”

2. LEGAL

Florida developers sue local officials over their decision not to employ eminent domain.

CEI Expert Available to Comment: Special Projects Counsel Hans Bader on the disappointing Supreme Court ruling on eminent domain in the case of Kelo v. New London.:

“The Court’s decision contradicts the language and intent of the Fifth Amendment. The Constitution says you can’t take private property except for ‘public use.’ But when government seizes land and hands it over to business interests to jack up tax revenue, the public isn’t ‘using’ the land.”

3. TECHNOLOGY

The FBI attempts to pressure ISPs into recording customers’ online activities, for possible future use by law enforcement.

CEI Expert Available to Comment: Technology Analyst Peter Suderman on the problems with the FBI’s proposal:

“First, as the article points out, what the legislation would entail isn’t entirely clear. The default position on expansive, vague legislation—especially one allowing the government to access private records—should always be one of suspicion, and nothing in any of the proposals that promises much more than the possibility of serious government overreach in terms of privacy violations and huge hassles for ISPs that would raise costs on Internet access.”