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Federal Government Shuts Down Due to Snow
There is great wisdom in Mark Twain’s famous adage: “No man's life, liberty, or property are safe while the congress is in session.”…
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Regulation of the Day 112: Importing Pork Rinds
The federal government is loosening its restrictions on importing pork rinds from Brazil.
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Regulation of the Day 111: Buying Wine in New York
It is illegal for grocery stores to sell wine in the state of New York. Only liquor stores are allowed to sell the stuff.
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Sen. Richard Shelby, Thief
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Regulation of the Day 110: Watching the Super Bowl
Hosting a Super Bowl party this Sunday? You might be interested to know that it is technically illegal to watch the Super Bowl on a…
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Regulation of the Day 109: Unplanned Castles
In 2002, Robert Fidler built his family a house that resembles a castle. It is his dream home. Authorities want to require him to demolish…
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Regulation of the Day 108: Murals in Front of Houses
A Los Angeles couple recently paid an artist to paint a mural on the wall in front of their house. The city is threatening the…
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This Is How Terrorists Win
Fear is a terrorist's only effective weapon. There are so few of them, and their attacks are so rare, that fear is all they have.
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School Choice: Mankind’s Doom
A new study opposes school choice on the grounds that it would contribute to global warming.
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Regulation of the Day 107: Blowing Your Nose While Driving
It's a good idea to be in control of your car when you're driving. This good idea is also law in most places. But sometimes…
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State of the Union Live-Blog
Welcome to CEI's live-blog of the 2010 State of the Union address.
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Regulation of the Day 106: Clotheslines
Some homeowners' associations ban clotheslines. For people who would like to use clotheslines and aren't allowed to, this presents a problem. Now regulators want to…
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Regulation of the Day 105: Not Driving Your Car
John Delacey of St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada, received a court summons for keeping a car in his driveway and not driving it.
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Regulation of the Day 104: Haggis
Haggis is the national dish of Scotland. It has also been banned in the United States since 1989. Fortunately, the ban may soon be reversed.
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Regulation of the Day 103: When Products Are on Sale
Two states have regulations for when stores can say their products are on sale.
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Grading Obama’s First Year
CEI released a comprehensive report card this week on the Obama administration's first year in office. My contribution is below; read the full report card…
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A Good Day for Freedom of Speech
Advocating speech restrictions is a fancy way of saying, "my arguments are too weak to withstand criticism." Get better arguments, then!…
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Regulation of the Day 102: The Size of Banks
The White House is expected to propose today a maximum allowable size for banks.
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Regulation of the Day 101: Brushing Teeth After Meals
[A]ny child who has a meal in day care or is in care for more than four hours will be required to brush their teeth,…
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Regulation of the Day 100: Posting YouTube Videos
The Italian government is considering making it illegal for its citizens to post videos on the Internet without a license.
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Health Insurance and Campaign Contributions
$40 million and change plus some antitrust troubles is a really small price to pay for a legal guarantee of vastly increased business, forever.
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Regulation of the Day 99: Salty New Yorkers
New York City is seeking to regulate how much salt is in peoples' food. Enforcement will prove difficult; most food that New Yorkers eat comes…
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This Guy Gets It
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Regulation of the Day 98: Gastrointestinal Drugs
Did you know that the federal government has a Gastrointestinal Drugs Advisory Committee?…
Washington Examiner
Happy New Year, Here’s 1,000 Pages of New Rules and Regulations!
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That Didn’t Take Long
Today is the fourth working day of the new year. The Federal Register has already exceeded 1,000 pages.
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Regulation of the Day 97: Full Body Scans and Child Protection Laws
Sometimes, when two regulations love each other much, they get together and have little baby regulations. This is happening right now in Britain.
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Regulation of the Day 96: Health Warnings on Cell Phones
These warning labels have nothing to do with letting people know that their phones can make them look like jackasses.
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Regulation of the Day 95: Buying Wine in Ohio
It is illegal to buy more than 288 bottles of wine per year in Ohio.
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Hayek on Freedom
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Regulation of the Day 94: Plastic Shopping Bags
Washington, DC’s city government is now requiring stores to charge customers five cents for each plastic bag they use at checkout. There were 84 unsolved…
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Regulation of the Day 93: Predatory Lending
The CCARD Act is, completely unintentionally, a wealth transfer from poor people to richer people. Congress is actively hurting the very people it intended to…
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Terrorism Is Rare
Each time you board a plane, your odds of being a victim of terrorism are about 1 in 10,408,947. Your odds of being struck by…
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Year-End Fun: Scroogenomics
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Regulation of the Day 92: Camping at the Beach
In Oregon, it is illegal to set up a tent at most beaches.
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For the Birds
An environmental group is suing to cancel an upcoming AC/DC concert in Austria because they think loud music poses a threat to birds.
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Regulation of the Day 91: Horse Floaters
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Regulation of the Day 90: The National Poultry Improvement Plan
Having solved all the nation’s other problems, the federal government has a National Poultry Improvement Plan.
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Regulation of the Day 89: Purple Dye
Modern innovations such as synthetic dyes, the Minnesota Vikings, and purple M&Ms have taken away purple’s exotic reputation. But no worry. Federal regulators are doing…
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Regulation of the Day 88: College Football’s Playoff System
On the other hand, legislators do less harm when they spend their time on college football rather than, say, health care.
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Regulation of the Day 87: The Volume of TV Commercials
The House passed the Commercial Loudness Act on Wednesday. If it becomes law, the FCC would control the volume level of television commercials.
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Regulation of the Day 86: Cockfighting Advertisements
If you’re thinking of sending out advertisements for a cockfight through the mail, you should be aware that a new regulation allows the postal service…
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Regulation of the Day 85: Peddlers
It is illegal to be a peddler in Wisconsin without a license. One of the requirements is five years of residency in Wisconsin. Because clearly,…
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Regulation of the Day 84: The Size of Holes in Swiss Cheese
Talk about attention to detail. The federal government regulates the size of hole in Swiss cheese.
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On the Nature of Change: Calm Down!
Most people are convinced that we shall die in either fire or ice. The proportion crying each variety of wolf varies according to the fashion…
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Regulation of the Day 83: Citations
The Code of Federal Regulations contains a regulation on how to cite the Code of Federal Regulations.
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Financial Fiasco
I recently finished reading Swedish economist Johan Norberg's book about the financial crisis, aptly titled Financial Fiasco. It's both short and informative. Six chapters and…
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Marcus Aurelius: Emperor, Philosopher, Economist
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Regulation of the Day 82: Veterinarians
Did you know that the federal government is in the veterinary accreditation business? It’s true.
Overlawyered
Brass banned in childrens’ toys
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Poll: Used Car Salesmen More Ethical than Congress
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Antitrust as Corporate Welfare for Aggrieved Competitors
Wayne Crews and I have an article in today's American Spectator about the antitrust crusade against Intel. An FTC picking winners and losers is not…
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Regulation of the Day 81: Porn
A proposed rule in California would reclassify adult film actors as being subject to certain employment regulations. The unintended consequences are potentially fatal.
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In-Flight Rent-Seeking
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Regulation of the Day 80: Falconry
The Code of Federal Regulations contains 12,834 words worth of rules concerning falconry, of all things.
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Did Deregulation Cause the Great Recession?
Over at RealClearMarkets, I explain why the answer is a resounding no. Over 30,000 total new rules passed during the Bush years. Hardly any were…
Overlawyered
Did Deregulation Cause the Great Recession?
In a December 3 article in Politico ("J-O-Bs should come before GDP"), Rep. Phil Hare argues that "reckless deregulation" is one of the causes…
Public Radio
Did Deregulation Cause the Recession?
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Regulation of the Day 79: Auctioneers in Alabama
It is illegal to conduct an auction without a license in Alabama. Violators can be punished with fines of up to $500. Applicants must pay…
Overlawyered
FDA Raw Oyster Ban
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Don’t Worry about Trade Deficits
I run an ongoing trade deficit with my local grocery store. I import food from them every week. They have never purchased a thing from…
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Regulation of the Day 78: Green Energy Subsidies
If green energy is commercially viable, then it doesn't need any subsidies. If it isn't, no amount of subsidy will make it so.
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Regulation of the Day 77: Banning Toys in Happy Meals
Roberto Zabrido, a government official in Spain, is “adamant that the Happy Meal and its ilk pose a risk.” The solution? Legislation!…
Heartland
Stimulus Funding for In-Flight Broadband
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Regulation of the Day 76: Generic Medication for Farm Animals
If you put chlortetracycline powder in your farm animals’ drinking water to prevent disease, please be aware that a new federal rule now allows you…
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The Economics of Black Friday
Non-price costs such as crowds and long lines should be factored into your shopping habits. Otherwise you just might be getting ripped off.
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Happy Birthday, Carl Sagan
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The Partisan Deficit
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Illegal Immigration: Make it Legal
The Boston Globe’s Jeff Jacoby wrote a wonderful column yesterday that highlights the inconsistent stance of many conservatives when it comes to immigration.
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Regulation of the Day 75: Food Containers
The Code of Federal Regulations contains 28 sections on food containers. Metal, glass, plastic, flexible, rigid – if you can put food in it, there…
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The Economic Way of Thinking about Stimulus Packages, Part II
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New Trotsky Biography
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The Economic Way of Thinking about Stimulus Packages
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Making Broadband Accessible: Innovation, Not Intervention
FCC regulators want to provide wider and cheaper broadband access by subsidizing it, raising taxes, and forcing network owners to share their network infrastructure with…
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Regulation of the Day 74: Grass Length in Jupiter, Florida
Residents whose lawns are taller than eight inches risk $250 per day fines. The city council voted last night on raising the fines to $1,000…
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Against a Value Added Tax
Over at Investor's Business Daily, Wayne Crews and I make the case against a Value Added Tax. Policy makers have been flirting with the idea…
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Oyster Ban Update: Partial Victory!
The ban, due to take effect in 2011, has not been repealed outright. But, in response to public outcry, it has been delayed.
Investors' Business Daily
VAT Would Be One Big Tub of Trouble
Ask a man on the street what VAT means. After giving you a strange look, he'll probably give an answer along the lines of "a…
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Fixing TARP: Is Transparency Enough?
Transparency is a good start. But the goal should be to not have government bailing out politically favored companies in the first place.
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Regulation of the Day 73: Snow Globes as Terrorist Threat
Yes, larger snow globes probably violate the TSA’s three-ounce limit for liquids. But they are not bombs. They are, in fact, snow globes.
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Andrew Cuomo Sues Intel
Over at the Washington Examiner's Opinion Zone, Wayne Crews and I explain why New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo's antitrust lawsuit against Intel is a…
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Regulation of the Day 72: Brass Toys, Killer of Children
Toymakers presumably choose brass because it is cheap, durable, and better than alternative materials. Now they will have to turn to those second-best materials despite…
Washington Examiner
Andrew Cuomo Should Leave Intel Alone
New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo announced on November 4 that he is suing Intel for antitrust violations. Cuomo’s lawsuit is a mistake. He…
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Regulation of the Day 71: Waistlines
In Japan, it is illegal for men to have a waist larger than 33.5 inches. The limit for women is 35.4 inches. Those in violation…
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Cell Phones, Cancer, and Certainty
Every dollar and every hour of researchers' time spent on lessening cancer risks from cell phones is money and time not spent curing heart disease,…
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Regulation of the Day 70: Combustible Dust
OSHA has published a proposed rule to regulate one of the greatest threats to mankind: combustible dust.
Opposing Views
Should We Be Worried About Cell Phones and Cancer
CNN reports: “Last summer, Dr. Ronald Herberman, then director of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, issued a warning to about 3,000 faculty and…
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Friday Fun: Brett Bowl II
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Unfunded Mandates
Today's American Spectator Online has a piece by CEI VP Wayne Crews and I on curbing Congressional abuse of unfunded mandates.
American Spectator
Yes, Virginia Foxx
Jaws dropped when the government announced recently that the national debt would increase by $14,000,000,000,000 over the next decade. Right now, roughly every third dollar…
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Regulation of the Day 69: Owning More than Three Cats
A new local ordinance in Dudley, Massachusetts makes it illegal to more than three cats without a license. Coaseian bargaining might be a better solution…
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Regulation of the Day 68: Ironing Tables
At HPI's request, the International Trade Administration will continue to add anti-dumping duties to the price of its competitors' Chinese-made ironing tables. Sorry, consumers.
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Lomborg Strikes Again
Some people want to cure malaria by reducing carbon emissions. Others want to cure it with mosquito nets, and better health care and sanitation. Which…
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Taxes without Borders
This month's issue of Info Tech & Telecom News contains an article by yours truly on certain states' attempts to collect sales taxes from out-of-state…
Heartland Institute
‘Amazon Taxes’ Fad Harmful to States, Consumers, Business
Tax revenues have been plunging during the current recession, and states have been scrambling for ways to bolster their depleted coffers by looking online. While…
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Washington and Wall Street: Best Kept Separate
Russ Roberts' recent Congressional testimony is superb: "I’m mad at Wall Street. But I’m a lot madder at the people who gave them the keys…
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Regulation of the Day 67: Oysters
A new FDA rule requires oysters harvested between April and October to be sterilized before they are eaten. An unintended consequence is that the state…
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Regulation of the Day 66: Trick or Treating
Trick-or-treating is banned in Dunkard Township, PA. The government will hold a four-hour Halloween party to make up for it.
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Sweden’s CO2 Labeling: Deceptive Advertising?
A quick point to add to Fran Smith's post on Sweden's experiment in labeling food and menus with carbon footprints: don't read too much into…
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Regulation of the Day 65: Weighing Animals
If you sell poultry or livestock, it’s a good idea to weigh them first. Makes it easier for buyer and seller to agree on a…