Blog
DOJ to Investigate Microsoft-Yahoo Search Partnership
As expected, The Department of Justice is launching an antitrust investigation into the Microsoft-Yahoo search engine partnership. As I've said before, this is not an…
Blog
Policy Peril Segment 10: It’s a Moral Issue
Today’s excerpt from CEI’s film, Policy Peril: Why Global Warming Policies Are More Dangerous Than Global Warming Itself, offers a free-market perspective on Al Gore’s proclamation, at the…
News Release
EPA May Axe ‘Key’ Internal Review Office After Global Warming Whistleblower Incident
Washington, D.C., August 24, 2009—.Following a whistleblower report that criticized a global warming rule, the Environmental Protection Agency is reportedly considering shutting down the agency…
Ecomerce Times
Apple Keeps Google Voice for iPhone on the Table
Ecomerce Times
New Credit Card Law Punished Responsible People
If your credit is good, or your credit card balance is low, you may soon pay more on every credit card bill. Why? Congress…
Blog
More Legal Experts Say ObamaCare Is Unconstitutional
More legal experts are questioning the constitutionality of ObamaCare. In today’s Washington Post, two former Justice Department lawyers, David Rivkin and Lee Casey, argue that…
Ecomerce Times
Labeling Won’t Make Bottled Water Safer
Government mandate labeling won't make the water safer, and it won't educate consumers on the risks. However, new bottled water labeling regulations will increase…
Ecomerce Times
The Anticipated Consequences of Credit-Card Reform
Blog
Ameritrade Stock Spam Settlement briefing responses
Plaintiffs and defendants each filed responses yesterday in the Ameritrade suit. I have to say that I didn’t expect the claim that the…
Blog
Why I Want a Public Option in the Health Care Bill
A bill with a public option will probably not pass. Too much opposition. But one without it probably will.
Blog
New Credit Card Regulations Wipe Out Cash Back and Rewards Programs, Punish Responsible People
If your credit is good, or your credit card balance is low, you may soon pay more on every credit card bill. Why? Congress passed…
Blog
Friday Fun: Viking Funeral
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CEI Weekly: Remembering Rose Friedman and Robert Novak
Study
Principles for Property Mitigation Discounts
Legislators should be wary of efforts to mandate specific mitigation discounts without paying attention to the myriad other factors that can play a major role…
Newsletter
Regulating online drug ads, Google Book settlement, bottled water to the rescue
Yahoo being scrutinized online pharmaceutical ads. Microsoft, Yahoo, and Amazon sign on to oppose the Google Book settlement.
Blog
Regulation of the Day 37: Lemonade Stands
It is illegal for children to sell lemonade in New York City without a permit.
Blog
The Great Health Care Reform Trilemma
I recently posted on facebook about health care reform and trying to “have it all.” I’m no expert, but it seems to me that you…
Detroit News
Transparency Apparently Not on EPA’s Agenda
Detroit News
Closing Reinsurance Tax Loophole Proposed in Congress
Detroit News
Don’t Ban but Expand Them
In proposing his new financial regulations this summer, President Obama pledged to get tough on the big Wall Street banks whose risky practices are…
Blog
Yes, ObamaCare Will Likely Cover Illegal Immigrants
Media fact-checkers have caught Obama telling several falsehoods about his health-care proposals. But they have let him get away with other false claims,…
Blog
New Schumpeter Book
In the tradition of the Reader’s Digest condensation of F.A. Hayek’s The Road to Serfdom, Joseph Schumpeter’s Can Capitalism Survive? is coming out on September…
Blog
Cash for Clunkers Sputters to an End
The Transportation Department announced today that it will wind down the Cash for Clunkers program, which the Obama administration promoted as a way to both…
Blog
Policy Peril Segment 9: Big Business
Today’s excerpt from CEI’s film, Policy Peril: Why Global Warming Policies Are More Dangerous Than Global Warming Itself, rebuts the argument that regulatory climate policies can’t…
Blog
Land Grabbers Attack Free Speech
In this morning’s Washington Post, columnist George Will brings to light a particularly egregious example of politically-connected developers abusing the legal system to silence…
Blog
FDA Regulation of Internet Drug Advertising
Today, CEI filed comments on a draft FDA guidance document advising prescription drug manufacturers on how to comply with regulations requiring the presentation of risk…
Comment
Comments on the FDA’s Draft Guidance for Industry, Presenting Risk Information In Prescription Drug and Medical Device Promotion
In comments on an FDA draft guidance document for drug industry advertising, CEI challenged the agency to bring its “1960s approach to prescription drug advertising…
Newsletter
Swiss bank settlement, Hurricanes, Healthcare debate continues
UBS agrees to turn over to the IRS the names of 4,450 U.S. account holders. …
Blog
Bank Robbers for Transparency!
The news that the Federal Government has forced UBS to give up the details of 4000 of its customers’ transactions has other financial institutions…
Blog
Regulation of the Day 36: Buying American
The $787,000,000,000 stimulus contains a provision requiring the Department of Homeland Security to buy american textiles. Basically, that means TSA uniforms will go up in…
Detroit News
Regulators Tangle With Think Tank Over Fla. Market Picture
News Release
Institute Urges FDA to Get Real on Internet Drug Advertising
Institute Urges FDA to Get Real on Internet Drug Advertising CEI Says ‘1960s Approach’ Harms Consumer Interest Washington, D.C., August 20, 2009—The Competitive Enterprise…
Washington Examiner
Is Google Book Deal a Threat to Privacy?
October 7 is shaping up to be a big day for bookworms. On that day, a federal judge is expected to rule on a…
Blog
“ObamaCare Is All About Rationing” and Tax Increases, Obama Adviser Says
“ObamaCare is all about rationing,” says one of Obama’s own advisers, Martin Feldstein. Feldstein earlier noted that Obama’s health-care plan would…
Blog
Former ACORN Las Vegas Director to Testify against Organization
The former director of the Las Vegas chapter of the far-left advocacy group ACORN (Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now) has agreed to…
Blog
UBS Deal Only a Partial Victory for the Feds
Today, after a long and protracted battle between the U.S. and Swiss government, Swiss bank UBS AG agreed to turn over the names of at…
Blog
Milton and Rose Friedman, Partners in Liberty
Newsletter
The Future of Coal, Rose Friedman and Florida Insurance
Environmental activists try to shut down and limit the use of coal-fired power plants. Economist and author Rose Friedman dies at age 98. Florida’s insurance…
Blog
Regulation of the Day 35: Doctors with Borders
In 49 states, it is illegal to practice medicine outside of the state in which you are certified. Tennessee is the lone state with an…
Overlawyered
July 16 Roundup: Chronicling the High Cost of Our Legal System
Overlawyered
U.S. Swiss Bank Deal a Partial Victory for Financial Privacy
After a long and protracted battle between the United States and Swiss governments, Swiss bank UBS AG has agreed to turn over 4,000 names…
News Release
UBS Settlement Only a Partial Victory for the Feds
The following is the statement of John Berlau, Director of the Center for Investors and Entrepreneurs at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, in reaction to…
Blog
Policy Peril Segment 8: Coal (updated 08/26/2009)
Today’s excerpt from CEI’s film, Policy Peril: Why Global Warming Policies Are More Dangerous Than Global Warming Itself, is on the global warming movement’s anti-coal…
Blog
A Not-So-Surprising “Clunklusion”
CEI Editorial Director Ivan Osorio discussed the true economic costs of the Obama administration’s “Cash for Clunkers” program, calling it “a costly boondoggle that…
Blog
Rose Friedman, 1910-2009
Blog
Robert Novak (1931-2009)
Blog
Legal Experts and Civil Rights Commission Attack Obama Health-Care Plan As Unconstitutional
Constitutional law professor Rob Natelson argues that Obama’s health-care plan is unconstitutional in four different ways. The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights…
Blog
Robert Novak, RIP
Blog
R.I.P. Bob Novak: 1931-2009
Blog
Regulation of the Day 34: Diabetic Truckers
It is a violation of federal regulations to “operate a commercial vehicle in interstate commerce” if you have insulin-treated diabetes.
Overlawyered
State Farm Wants to Make More Money From Florida
Overlawyered
OSHA Nominee Anti-Gun Activist & Junk Science Peddler
Obama has nominated David Michaels, an anti-gun activist, to head the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), a powerful agency that regulates real…
Blog
CEI Weekly: Berlau on “Government Motors”
Blog
LibertyWeek 56: On the Waterfront
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Freegom Isn’t Free
Waste: Uncovering the Global Food Scandal, a new book by British author Tristram Stuart, will soon be hitting shelves in the UK and…
Blog
OSHA Nominee Is Anti-Gun Ideologue and Junk Science Peddler
Obama has nominated David Michaels, an anti-gun activist, to head the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), a powerful agency that regulates real…
Blog
Hurricane Activity Increase Due to Better Monitoring
The potential threat from more frequent and stronger hurricanes is a favorite scare scenario of climate alarmists. They point to disasters like Hurricane Katrina as…
Newsletter
Health Care Compromise, Growing Deficits and a Sugar Shortage
The White House signals a willingness to compromise on health care reform. The federal budget deficit hits $1.27 trillion. Major food companies warn that the…
Blog
The Long Odds of Voting
Blog
Regulation of the Day 33: Pressure-Sensitive Plastic Tape
Ending the levy would “likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of dumping,” so it’s here to stay. Domestic tape producers must be pleased. Consumers,…
News Release
CEI Critiques FL. Commissioner McCarty’s Insurance Report
CEI CRITIQUES FL. COMMISSIONER MCCARTY’S INSURANCE REPORT “The Same Misinformation in a New Package” TALLAHASSEE, August 17, 2009 – Florida Office of Insurance Regulation…
Comment
Letter to Securities and Exchange Commission: Reforming Shareholder Director Nominations
Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to submit comments on the proposed rule governing shareholder nominations of corporate directors on behalf of the…
Opposing Views
Shoppers Boycott Whole Foods, CEO’s Health Care Views
Blog
Obama Backs Costly Health-Care Status Quo, and Limits on Choice and Competition
Germany is a lot smaller than the U.S., but it has a lot more health insurers to choose from, and cheaper health-care costs. One reason…
Blog
Now might just be the best time to shop at Whole Foods
Blog
Tim Carney on State-Level Insurance Protectionism
In one regulated area of the economy after another, it’s exasperating to hear journalists and pundits claim that, “The market has failed,” when in fact…
Blog
Federal Budget Deficit Hits $1,270,000,000,000
Federal spending is going up. Tax receipts are going down. 2009's federal budget deficit is now up to $1.27 trillion as a result. That's about…
Blog
Tech Liberation Front Celebrates 5 Years Today
The Technology Liberation Front group blog started five years ago today, offering free minds, free markets, free speech perspectives from technology policy…
Blog
Don’t Forget Cap and Trade!
Even though 4 Democratic Senators are so nervous about the electricity tax called cap-and-trade they are urging their leadership to drop it from the…
Newsletter
TARP Transparency, Stimulating Recession and Union Arrogance
Congress cites a lack of financial transparency in a report sharply critical of the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) bailout. The economies of Germany and…
Blog
Regulation of the Day 32: Migratory Birds
If you’re planning on hunting migratory birds this year, be sure to read all 14 subparts and 61 sections in Title 50 of the Code…
Opposing Views
Florida Lawmaker Rips Insurance Commissioner, Vows to Bring Back Rate Deregulation Bill
Opposing Views
Forced Unionization: Card Check, Mandatory Arbitration, & Right to Work Panel
Americans for Prosperity Right Online Conference …
Blog
TARP Transparency: A Good Start, but Not Enough
More transparency would alleviate some of TARP’s symptoms. But TARP itself is a disease. The sooner Congress gains the political will to recover from its…
Blog
Money Is Not Wealth
Blog
RIP Les Paul, Legendary Guitarist & Inventor
Blog
Recession Ends in France, Without Massive and Costly U.S.-Style Stimulus Package
The recession has ended in France, which avoided adopting a massive stimulus package like Obama's $800 billion stimulus package.
Blog
Sugar on the table again
Sugar got front-page notice from the Wall Street Journal today. The article focused on a letter sent to the Secretary of Agriculture to increase the…
Blog
Democratic Senator Blasts Union Boss
It’s not every day that a Democratic Senator blasts a labor union, which is why the recent mini-controversy surrounding the nomination of United Transportation Union…
Newsletter
Banking Privacy, Media Bias and Sports Betting
Federal officials reach a bank privacy agreement with Swiss bank UBS. The death of news anchor Walter Cronkite sparks debate over the ideal of journalistic…
Blog
UBS and IRS reach an “agreement”
Yesterday my colleague at CEI, John Berlau, released a statement about the recently announced deal between Swiss bank UBS and the…
Blog
Regulation of the Day 31: Fraud in Wholesale Oil Markets
If you’re a wholesaler of crude oil or gasoline, a new FTC rule makes it illegal to engage in any business practice that“operates or would…
Opposing Views
Lesson From France-Recession Ends Without US-Style Stimulus
Opposing Views
Lesson From France-Recession Ends Without US-Style Stimulus
The recession has ended in France, which avoided adopting a massive stimulus package like Obama’s $800 billion stimulus package. France’s conservative President…
Blog
Media Bias: The More, the Better
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Fact Checkers: Obama Is Lying About Health Care
USA Today caught Obama telling three fibs about health care, such as falsely claiming that “under the reform we’re proposing, if you like your…
Blog
Civil Rights Commission Criticizes Obama Health-Care Plan’s Racially-Discriminatory Affirmative Action
The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights says Obama’s health-care plan is racially discriminatory. The House health-care bill backed by Obama is filled with “sections…
Blog
More alternatives to Obamacare
Lots of commonsense suggestions to rein in health care costs that won’t bankrupt the country in John Mackey’s op-ed in the Wall…
Blog
Neutering the Net
The Washington Examiner has published my op-ed on net neutrality: A war is waging over the future of the Internet. On one…
Blog
UBS-IRS deal — U.S. Constitutional liberties, privacy rights at risk after Obama bullies the Swiss
Lawyers for the U.S. government and the Swiss bank UBS AG have announced that they have reached a deal…
Blog
Smart Is As Smart Does
This picture accompanying this post is doing the rounds on the internet. The commentary normally reads: Below is a…
Blog
As Long As It’s Free
Newsletter
Cap and Trade Gets Militant, Google Book Search Queries and the Chevy Volt’s 230 MPG
Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) tries to sell cap and trade legislation to his colleagues on national security grounds. Legal scholars question the implications of the…
Blog
Regulation of the Day 30: Labeling Mustard
If your company makes mustard bottles that are reusable as beer mugs, you are specifically required to put a country-of-origin label on your product.
Opposing Views
Florida’s Quote of the Day
Opposing Views
Swiss Bank to Reveal Account Holders to U.S.
Lawyers for the United States government and the Swiss bank UBS AG have announced that they have reached a deal on releasing to the…
Opposing Views
Mother Who Starved Child to Death Escapes Punishment
A Baltimore mother who deliberately starved her one-year-old son to death will soon be released after pleading guilty, reports the Associated Press in the…
News Release
CEI Calls Foul on NCAA Attempt to Block Sports Betting
The Competitive Enterprise Institute today criticized a federal law that is being used by the National Collegiate Athletic Association and major sports leagues to restrict…
News Release
Federal Officials Reach Bank Privacy Agreement with UBS
Statement of John Berlau, director of the Center for Investor and Entrepreneurs at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, on a reported deal between the United States…
Blog