The Origins of Environmentalism, a Shady Attorney General and Immigration Lawsuits
1. ENVIRONMENT
The inability of the Democratic majority in Congress to pass a climate change bill causes activists to question the state of the environmental movement.
CEI Expert Available to Comment: Adjunct Scholar R.J. Smith discusses the history of the movement.
“The war in Vietnam ended. But it was interesting that all these young kids – who had sort of been radicalized, were sort of anti-free market, anti-capitalism, anti-profit system, anti-private property rights — kept on marching. Except what they did, they switched their Bible. Instead of holding up Chairman Mao’s Little Red Book they were holding up Rachel Carson’s little green book.”
2. LEGAL
CEI releases a report on America’s worst Attorneys General.
CEI Expert Available to Comment: Senior Attorney Hans Bader adds Jim Hood to his list of worst attorneys general.
“All of these politicians use lawsuits as a weapon to redistribute wealth from businesses and consumers to wealthy trial lawyers and their political cronies. What sets Jerry Brown apart, and makes him the worst state attorney general in America, is his refusal to defend state laws and agencies against frivolous lawsuits, based on ridiculous reasoning that could endanger state-constitutional guarantees; and his destruction of California jobs through lawsuits (and threatened lawsuits) against California businesses and local governments.”
3. IMMIGRATION
A U.S. District Court judge strikes down part of Arizona’s controversial immigration law.
CEI Expert Available to Comment: Policy Analyst Alex Nowrasteh on the ruling and its impact:
“Judge Susan R. Bolton issued an injunction against some parts of SB 1070, raising constitutional concerns about the law. But regardless of the question over the constitutionality of SB 1070, it remains bad public policy that will hurt Arizona’s economy, increase crime, and bankrupt the state… If Arizona really wants to do something about illegal immigration, the state should end public assistance and welfare programs for illegal immigrants, not seek to expand Soviet style federal immigration laws.”