The Wall Street Journal
The Lawyer Who Helped Spark This Week’s Affordable Care Act Rulings
Months after the Affordable Care Act became law, employment benefits lawyer Thomas Christina paced in his Greenville, S.C., office with its oil portrait of a…
Blog
Uber, Regulation, and Free Markets
Libertarians are justifiably excited about the prospects of ridesharing companies such as Uber and equally justified in their disgust of regulators intent on preventing the…
Business Insurance
D.C. Appeals Court Strikes Down ACA Insurance Subsidies for Federal Exchanges
Daily Mail
Obamacare In Chaos As Federal Court Strikes Down Tax Credits For Low-Income Americans Who Buy Insurance In 36 States – But Different Court Backs Policy Within Hours
The future of Obamacare was uncertain today after a federal court in Washington, D.C. struck down tax subsidies for Americans who bought insurance through federally-funded…
Forbes
Greens’ Attempt To Ban Bisphenol A Will Endanger Public Health
Thanks to green alarmism, Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) recently introduced the “Ban Poisonous Additives Act of 2014,” which would eliminate the chemical Bisphenol A from…
Reuters
Latest Obamacare Legal Knot Won’t Be Easy To Untangle
U.S. judges have their work cut out for them untangling a legal knot created on Tuesday when two federal appeals courts released conflicting rulings hours…
The Skeptical Libertarian
Reasons Libertarians Should Be Skeptical of Uber Politics
Libertarians, we may have an Uber problem. Don’t get me wrong, friends of freedom. I love Uber. I use Uber at least once a week.
Blog
America’s Energy Advantage Dodges the Question
America’s Energy Advantage has responded to my July 1 post criticizing its stance on the Domestic Prosperity and Global Freedom Act. That bill would liberalize…
Legal Brief
King v. Burwell: U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit Decision
In a 3-0 ruling on July 22, 2014, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit in Richmond, Va., ruled in King v. Burwell that the Affordable…
Legal Brief
Halbig v. Burwell: US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit Decision
Read the full decision here In a 2-1 ruling, the court struck down an IRS rule that extended Obamacare’s insurance subsidies to…
Blog
Risky Public Pension Plans Unsafe for Taxpayers, Bad for Business Growth
In new analysis published by the Competitive Enterprise Institute, economist Robert Sarvis ranks states based on the severity of their unfunded pension liabilities, and explains…
NBC News
Latest Obamacare Legal Knot Won’t Be Easy To Untangle
U.S. judges have their work cut out for them untangling a legal knot created on Tuesday when two federal appeals courts released conflicting rulings hours…
USA Today
Appeals Court Panels Issue Split Decision on Obamacare
A divided federal appeals court panel dealt a potentially major blow to President Obama's health care law Tuesday, ruling that participants in health exchanges run…
Daily Press
D.C. Court Ruling Deals New Blow to Affordable Care Act
President Obama's healthcare law was dealt a new blow Tuesday as a federal appeals court ruled that due…
Yahoo News
Latest Obamacare Legal Knot Won’t Be Easy To Untangle
NEW YORK (Reuters) – U.S. judges have their work cut out for them untangling a legal knot created on Tuesday when two federal appeals…
McClatchy DC
D.C. Court Ruling Deals New Blow to Affordable Care Act
President Obama's health care law was dealt a new blow Tuesday as a federal appeals court ruled that due to a wording glitch in the…
Fox Business
Federal Court Throws Out Subsidies: What Happens Now?
Millions of Americans rely on subsidies to afford health insurance under the Affordable Care Act’s mandate, but the fate of those cost-saving tax credits is…
USA Today
A Victory for the Rule of Law: Opposing View
The D.C. Circuit's decision Tuesday morning in Halbig v. Burwell is a major victory for the rule of law. And correspondingly, the Fourth Circuit's contrary ruling…
Chicago Tribune
Latest Obamacare Legal Knot Won’t Be Easy To Untangle
U.S. judges have their work cut out for them untangling a legal knot created on Tuesday when two federal appeals courts released conflicting rulings hours…
News Release
Court Strikes Down IRS Rule in CEI’s Obamacare Case
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Annie Dwyer, 202-331-2765, Christine Hall, 202-331-2258 Federal Appeals Court Strikes Down IRS Obamacare Rule; Protects “Refusenik”…
Comment
CEI Comments to the Federal Communication Commission on Open Internet
Blog
Happy There’s-No-Such-Thing-as-Junk-Food Day!
Whomever it is that decides the dates for the ever multiplying obscure holidays apparently designated today, July 21, as “Junk Food Day.” While the origin and…
Blog
Red Tapeworm 2014: Federal Regulatory Agenda Consistently Tops 3,000 Rules
This is Part 19 of a series taking a walk through some sections of Ten Thousand Commandments: An Annual Snapshot of the Federal…
Blog
Did Former Labor Secretary Hilda Solis Violate the Hatch Act?
Sadly, but unsurprisingly, it appears that former Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis may have violated the Hatch Act—which prohibits federal employees from engaging in political…
Blog
CEI’s Battered Business Bureau: The Week in Regulation
In addition to 100 final regulations, 62 proposed regulations made their way to the Federal Register last week.
Human Events
Of Obsolete Regulations and Post-Prohibition Haggis
What comes to mind when you think of Scotland? Bagpipes, certainly, perhaps Scotch whisky, maybe William Wallace (or at least a version that looks suspiciously…
The National Review
The Federal Reserve Overreaches
Is the Federal Reserve after your debit and credit cards? In a move little noticed except by those in the payments industry, the Federal Reserve…
Blog
The Future of the Internet in America
Blog
Labor and Employment Scorecard: Pension Smoothing as a “Pay-For” in Highway and Transportation Funding Act
On July 15, 2014, the Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI) scored U.S. House of Representatives Roll Call Vote #414 on final passage of the Highway and…
Blog
Red Tapeworm 2014: Federal Regulatory Disclosure Becomes More Confused
Forbes
Techno-Libertarianism: Building The Case For Separation Of Technology And State
Can we keep government’s hands off the technology frontier? I like to think it makes sense that libertarianism—or classical liberal ideas–would resonate in places like…
Town Hall
Lois Lerner’s Illegal Instant Message Trick
I asked the leading force for government transparency in the country, Chris Horner of the Competitive Enterprise Institute, whether it was legal for the IRS…
Blog
Labor and Employment Scorecard: Pension Smoothing as a “Pay-For” in Highway and Transportation Funding Act
On July 15, 2014, the Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI) scored U.S. House of Representatives Roll Call Vote #414 on final passage of the Highway and…
Study
An Interstate Analysis of Right to Work Laws
There is compelling evidence suggesting a substantial, significant, and positive relationship between economic growth in a state and the presence of a right to work laws. This paper…
News Release
State Right-to-Work Laws Show Real Payoffs for Wages and Economic Growth, Study Finds
WASHINGTON, July 16 – Today, the Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI) released the second installment in CEI’s three-part series, The High Cost of Big Labor, that…
Blog
Your Tax Dollars at Work: Justice Department Investigates Anti-Obama Parade Float
The Justice Department has responded to an anti-Obama float in a parade by treating it as a “discrimination dispute” necessitating federal intervention. One more…
Blog
Ten Reasons to Abolish the Export-Import Bank
Blog
CEI Podcast for July 15, 2014: Time to Close the Export-Import Bank
Legal Brief
CEI v. EPA – Complaint for Declaratory and Injunctive Relief and Writ of Mandamus
View Full Complaint Here The Competitive Enterprise Institute filed a lawsuit against the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to compel the agency to…
Study
Ten Reasons to Abolish the Export-Import Bank
This year’s Ex-Im Bank reauthorization is gearing up to be an even bigger fight. Here's 10 reasons why the Export-Import Bank should be abolished.
Huffington Post
Women Victorious In U.S. Supreme Court’s Harris V. Quinn
This post was coauthored with Julie Gunlock, Senior Fellow with the Independent Women's Forum. Women just scored a significant victory in the U.S. Supreme Court. In…
Blog
Red Tapeworm 2014: When Regulations Get Delayed
I tend to think bureaucratic regulation often creates tremendous harm, so it’s interesting when those who disagree decide to hold off on regulation when it…
Blog
FDA’s Trans Fat “Ban” a First Foray into Controlling Americans’ Diets
Last November, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced its plan to revoke the “Generally Recognized As Safe” designation for partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs),…
Blog
CEI’s Battered Business Bureau: The Week in Regulation
63 new regulations, from poultry plans to headaches. …
Products
Obamacare is a Game of Jenga
With the help of CEI, a group of small business owners from six states sued the federal government over an IRS regulation imposed under the…
The Washington Examiner
Big Ideas: On Dodd-Frank,
As with Obamacare, unintended consequences of [the 2010 Dodd-Frank financial reform law] almost immediately began to surface. First, there was a sharp reduction in free…
Blog
Greece’s Mythical Government Austerity: Big Government Stifles Economic Recovery
1776
Commercial Drones Face Sky-High Regulatory Barriers
The widespread adoption of commercial unmanned aircraft systems—commonly called “drones”—should be right around the corner. But overcautious, burdensome regulation threatens to hold it back. To…
The National Review
How the High Costs of Public-Sector Pensions Affect States’ Economic Growth
Today my colleagues and I on the labor team at the Competitive Enterprise Institute released the first installment in CEI’s new three-part series ”The High…
The Washington Free Beacon
UAW Continues Unionization Efforts at Volkswagen Plant in Tennessee
Labor experts told the Washington Free Beacon that the union is unlikely to face any consequences for breaking the agreement. It is up to the…
Pensions and Investments
Public Policy Group Calls For Risk-Free Public Pension Discount Rate
State governments could provide a clearer picture of public pension debt as it relates to state budgets by using a low-risk discount rate, said a…
The National Review
Dodd-Frank Is Like Obamacare
"If you like your life, home, and auto insurance, you can keep them.” President Obama didn’t make this promise when he signed into law the…
Blog
CEI Podcast for July 10, 2014: The Wire Act and Online Gambling
Michelle Minton argues that the Wire Act applies only to interstate sports gambling, not online gambling as a whole. The Wire Act's 50-year history…
Citation
Worried Moms: Global Warming Endangers Our Kids
From CBN News: WASHINGTON — Moms who are hot to stop global warming came with their kids to ask Congress Wednesday to…
Blog
Letter to Chicago Lawyer Magazine
To the editor: Your June 2014 article “Cy pres success” contains a material misstatement of the…
Blog
CEI Ranks States’ Pension Debt and Analyzes the Consequences
Today, the Competitive Enterprise Institute released the first installment of CEI’s new three-part series, The High Cost of Big Labor, which looks at the economic…
The Freeman
Breathtaking Lawlessness
America’s federal executive branch has met some setbacks as of late. Two recent Supreme Court rulings have constrained the administration’s impulse to act as it…
Citation
Chris Horner discusses EPA overreach with Neil Cavuto
Blog
Court Ruling Imminent in Challenge to Illegal Obamacare Exchange Subsidies
According to the explicit language in the Affordable Care Act, tax credits for purchasing federally-regulated health insurance on the “Obamacare” exchanges are only supposed…
Blog
CEI Ranks States’ Pension Debt and Analyzes the Consequences
Today, the Competitive Enterprise Institute released the first installment of CEI’s new three-part series, The High Cost of Big Labor, which looks at the economic…
Study
Understanding Public Pension Debt
Today, many states face budget crunches due to massive pension debts that have accumulated over the past two decades, often in the billions of dollars. State…
News Release
State Pension Shortfalls Ranked in New Report
WASHINGTON, July 9 – Today, the Competitive Enterprise Institute released the first installment in CEI’s new three-part series, The High Cost of Big Labor, that…
Blog
Puerto Rico Governor Vetoes Workplace Bullying Bill Passed by Legislature
Puerto Rico’s economy has been in recession for years, and its public utilities are on the verge of defaulting on their debts. Judging from a recent …
Blog
Cronyism and the Export-Import Bank
Over at Rare, I have a piece on the cronyism angle of the Export-Import Bank debate. The Senate will likely vote this on month on whether…
Products
Proof and Campus Rape
To the Editor: Re “New Rules to Address Campus Rape” (editorial, June 30): It is unfortunate that the federal government now seeks to restrict…
Letters
An Open Letter to the United States Congress: Protect Taxpayers and Empower the States by Reforming Transportation Spending
Full Coalition Letter Available Here Congress is set to consider major transportation spending legislation this year. The Competitive Enterprise Institute, Americans for Prosperity and…
Human Events
No One Likes Stereotypes
Rare
Why Ronald Reagan would kill the Export-Import Bank
One of my favorite economics jokes is the Tullock Economic Development Plan. Devised by the influential public choice economist Gordon Tullock, it involves taxing everyone…
Blog
Dodd-Frank Is Obamacare for Non-Health Insurance
“If you like your life, home, and auto insurance, you can keep them.” President Obama didn’t make this promise when he signed into law the…
Legal Brief
Amicus Brief on Unionization of Student Athletes
Full Brief Available Here "Big Labor spends more than $600 million per year on politics and lobbying. Unions are big business, and…
Forbes
After The Fireworks – “For What Did We Throw Off The Yoke Of Britain And Call Ourselves Independent?”
Well, everybody’s back from the beach or the lake, we’re done with our hot dogs and picnics and fireworks. We’re all back in our workplaces…
Blog
Amicus Brief to NLRB regarding Unionization of Collegiate Athletes
For the National Labor Relations Board’s full consideration of unionizing student athletes, I submitted an amicus brief opposing the regional director’s decision and direction of…
Blog
Red Tapeworm 2014: Over 24,000 Pen and Phone “Public Notices” Annually
This is Part 16 of a series taking a walk through some sections of Ten Thousand Commandments: An Annual Snapshot of the Federal…
Blog
The Left’s Labor Blind Spots
As you may have heard, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito handed public sector unions a minor defeat this Monday.
Blog
CEI’s Battered Business Bureau: The Week in Regulation
It was a short work week due to the 4th of July holiday, but a busy one. Monday’s Federal Register topped 500 pages, and Tuesday alone saw 29…
CNS News
Obama Drives Up College Tuition Through Perverse ‘Pay As You Earn’ Program
Wastefully-run colleges can now increase tuition even faster, at taxpayer expense, as a result of the Obama administration's recent expansions of the Pay As You…
CNS News
Supreme Court Correctly Rules for Religious Businesses in Hobby Lobby Decision
In Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc., the Supreme Court ruled Monday that it violates the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) for the Department of…
The Hill
“Tampering” With Nature To Save Honeybees
Environmental groups are calling for an immediate suspension of an entire class of pesticides in order to save ailing honeybee populations—and they won’t wait for…
Frontpage Magazine
Obama Is Out of Order
The Court ruled 5-4 in Harris v. Quinn that SEIU cannot compel people who care for their loved ones to become union members. Nor can…
Blog
The American (Business) Revolution
On our nation’s 238th birthday, a flood of public events, political speeches, and TV specials will remind us of the courage of our colonial ancestors…
Blog
New York Court Voids Cyberbullying Law, Thus Casting Doubt on Proposed Workplace Bullying Law
A law firm notes, “Since 2003, twenty-one states have introduced legislation to combat private workplace bullying but none have been passed into law.” However, a…
Blog
End Taxpayer Funded Union Jobs
Phoenix ends annual multi-million dollar taxpayer subsidy to government unions.
Blog
Red Tapeworm 2014: A Fourth of July Reflection on Presidental Executive Orders and Loss of Liberty
In other countries, similar edicts may be known as decrees, orders in council, or fiat. -Wikipedia This is a special July Fourth Edition…
Blog
Celebrate Food Freedom this 4th of July
“If people let the government decide what foods they eat and what medicines they take, their bodies will soon be in as sorry a…
Blog
Senator Vitter Follows Proud Tradition of Fighting Against Union Violence
On June 26, 2014, Senator Vitter introduced a bill S. 2535 to amend the federal extortion statute named the Hobbs Act. Senator Vitter is to…
Blog
Obama Drives Up Tuition at Taxpayer Expense by Expanding Pay As You Earn Program
If you wanted to encourage wastefully run colleges to ratchet up their tuition at taxpayer expense, you couldn’t come up with a better way than the…
Blog
Red Tapeworm 2014: The Expanding Code of Federal Regulations
This is Part 14 of a series taking a walk through some sections of Ten Thousand Commandments: An Annual Snapshot of the Federal Regulatory State (2014…
Fox News
Supreme Court Ruling on Union Dues Could Cost SEIU Millions in Payback
One of the nation's most powerful labor unions could face a costly onslaught of lawsuits seeking tens of millions of dollars in dues, after the…
Blog
Harris v. Quinn Gives Home Care Workers Renewed Opportunity to Get Back Compulsory Dues
When you can’t win, change the players. That was essentially the strategy pursued by government employee unions in recent years. This week, it came to…
Blog
AEA’s Unprincipled Stand
Last Thursday the House of Representatives passed H.R. 6, the Domestic Prosperity and Global Freedom Act with a bipartisan vote of 266-150. The bill orders the…
Forbes
Despotism-Lite? The Obama Administration’s Rule By Memo
Congress passed a few dozen bills last year that President Barack Obama signed into law. Outside the normal legislative process, though, federal agency regulations number…
Watchdog.org
Taxicab industry has history of lobbying, donations
The Virginia DMV’s order for Uber and Lyft to cease all operations in the commonwealth is the latest showing of the taxicab industry’s influence in…
Study
Congress Needs to Repeal “Buy America” Law
View Full Onpoint Here Communities will pay excessively high prices for water infrastructure upgrades during the coming decades unless Congress repeals a…
Blog
CEI Podcast for July 1, 2014: John Holdren’s Poor Data Quality Control
General Counsel Sam Kazman talks about presidential science advisor John Holdren's refusal to comply with the federal Data Quality Act when CEI questioned…
Blog
Harris v. Quinn: A Human Interest Angle
The Harris v. Quinn decision today by the U.S. Supreme Court is a major human interest story.
Blog
Red Tapeworm 2014: Cumulative Final Rules in the Federal Register
This is Part 13 of a series taking a walk through some sections of Ten Thousand Commandments: An Annual Snapshot of the Federal Regulatory State (2014 Edition)…
Forbes
John Tierney Channels Julian Simon, Debunks Environmental Gloom and Doom
Watchdog.org
When it Comes to Uber, Consumers May Speak Loudest
Uber was founded in 2009 as a venture-funded transportation company, allowing riders and drivers to connect on their mobile devices and see other people’s reviews…
The College Fix
California ‘Affirmative Consent’ Sex Bill Imposes Low Legal Standard for Guilt
Blog
Is Harris v. Quinn Decision Preview of Abood Challenge?
The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Harris v. Quinn puts a brake on an ongoing effort by organize labor to expand the definition of “public employee”…