Wall Street Journal
Where the Cheering Stopped
CEI’s Wayne Crews is cited in The Wall Street Journal on the State of the Union address: Budgets Are About PrioritiesWayne Crews writes for…
News Release
Vague concerns about TikTok insufficient to justify divestiture or ban
The House of Representatives is scheduled to vote on legislation that would force ByteDance, the China-based parent company of TikTok, to sell the popular…
Blog
40th Anniversary Commemorative: How CEI killed credit for early action
The Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI) turned 40 this month. I’m proud to have been a CEI scholar for more than a quarter century.
News Release
Inflation numbers more nuanced than they seem: CEI analysis
The Consumer Price Index numbers released today for February 2024 shows inflation increased to 0.4 percent, up from 0.3 percent in January. CEI…
Washington Times
Environmental group pushes retail associates to discourage gas stove purchases
CEI’s Ben Lieberman is cited in the Washington Times about appliances: Ben Lieberman, a senior fellow in environmental policy at the Competitive…
Blog
February inflation stays high, fiscal credibility remains a problem
Headline CPI inflation numbers sped up in February. Monthly inflation increased 0.3 percent in January, and 0.4 percent in February. Year-to-year inflation is…
Blog
One great moment in the budget battles: GOP’s ‘Policy Statement on Deregulation’
Today marks the release of the White House’s $7.3 trillion budget proposal for fiscal year 2025, even as policymakers continue their wrangling over…
Reuters
“US Senate Confirms Republican Nominees to FTC”
Reuters reports on the Senate confirmation of Andrew Ferguson and Melissa Holyoak as commissioner to Federal Trade Commission.
National Review
“The FTC’s Case Against the Kroger/Albertsons Deal Puts Politics Before Economics”
Robert Bork Jr. explains how the Biden administration is attempting to blame high food prices on “Big Grocery,” rather than its own failed economic…
National Review
“FTC’s Incoherent Case Against Kroger-Albertsons Merger”
Editors for the National Review address several problems with the FTC’s case against Kroger and Albertsons.
News Release
NLRB Should Let Stand District Court Ruling On Joint Employer Rulemaking
Just days before the National Labor Relations Board’s new joint employer rule was set to go into effect, a federal judge in Texas struck…
Blog
This week in ridiculous regulations: Taconite and lab fees
President Biden delivered his State of the Union address. Super Tuesday primaries all but settled this year’s presidential combatants. The FTC has a full…
Blog
Beware the labor regs of March!
A new rule from the federal government meant to protect workers is set to take effect today, March 11. It will instead leave most…
News Release
CEI Congratulates Andrew Ferguson and Melissa Holyoak on confirmation as FTC commissioners
The United States Senate confirmed Andrew Ferguson and Melissa Holyoak to terms as commissioners at the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) by voice vote. Holyoak was…
News Release
275,000 jobs added in February, employers watching economy and new labor rules: CEI analysis
The economy added 275,000 jobs in February, but the overall unemployment rate is higher than this time last year, sitting at 3.9 percent…
Blog
Will EPA empower California to ban gasoline-powered cars?
Did Congress authorize the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to outlaw the sale of new internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles? Did it authorize the EPA…
Letters
CEI Joins Coalition Letter Supporting H.R. 2799
Dear Representative: We, the undersigned organizations, write to you today to express our support for Representative Patrick McHenry’s H.R. 2799, the Expanding Access…
Blog
One way for government to improve air quality: Remove obstacles to prescribed fires
The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) final rule on particulate matter prematurely makes the primary annual standard for fine particulate matter (PM2.5)…
Blog
SEC’s new climate disclosure rule a slow-motion train wreck
The day that many observers of financial regulation have long been awaiting (and dreading) has come; the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has…
Washington Examiner
State of the Union 2024: Biden plays up ‘shrinkflation’ — what to know
CEI’s Ryan Young is cited in the Washington Examiner on current shrinkflation: “Shrinkflation is real, but it’s not a partisan issue. Shrinkflation…
Blog
Free the Economy podcast: Free markets and the common good with Iain Murray
In this week’s episode we cover fake environmentalism and the need to build, a look at policymaking inside the National People’s…
Blog
CEI sues to end federal at-home distilling ban
The Competitive Enterprise Institute, which regularly litigates against federal overreach, represents the Hobby Distillers Association and its members in a lawsuit seeking an…
News Release
SEC’s climate disclosure rule is redundant and vulnerable to legal challenge
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) released its final climate disclosure rule today, mandating public companies disclose information related to greenhouse gas emissions.
Blog
SOTU 2024: Unparalleled spending, regulation, and dependency
In bumper-sticker fashion, we have fondly summed up Joe Biden’s recent State of the Union Addresses (SOTU) as appeals for more spending, regulation…
Forbes
How Tech Companies Are Powering Their Operations With Nuclear And Renewables
In a noteworthy move, Amazon Web Services (AWS) recently acquired Talen Energy’s 960MW data center campus in Pennsylvania, which draws power from the neighboring 2.5GW Susquehanna…
Blog
The Surge: New EPA rulemaking, Biden’s LNG ‘pause,’ and more
If you are interested in analysis and perspective on current energy and environmental issues, then we encourage you to subscribe to this new…
News Release
CFPB Price Controls on Late Fees Mean Less Credit, Higher Costs for Cardholders
Today, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) finalized a rule on credit card late fees that would do far more harm than good,…
The Hill
“Internal Emails Show FTC’s Lina Khan Is Trying to Win by Losing”
Robert Bork Jr. discusses FTC Chair Lina Khan’s losing antitrust strategy.
Blog
Spending bills fail to provide checks on Biden’s energy and environmental abuses
Over the weekend, House and Senate appropriations released the text of six final fiscal year (FY) 2024 spending bills: Energy and Water, Agriculture,…
Blog
Crickets: Congressional silence on a new communications act
In what seems to be news to legislators and regulators, the communications marketplace is innovative and dynamic. The platforms used to consume increasingly varied…
Forbes
The Quiet Threat To Science Posed By ‘Indigenous Knowledge’
“Indigenous knowledge” is in the spotlight thanks to President Biden, who issued an executive order within days of taking office, aimed at…
Blog
The Stop Woke Investing Act and ‘ESG fatigue’
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has made it far too easy for activist shareholders to overturn the traditional proxy review process. The SEC’s…
Blog
This week in ridiculous regulations: Seabird mitigation and nuclear locations
CEI is hosting a hill event on March 5 about reforming administrative law courts. Politicians got upset about Wendy’s menus. GDP growth…
Blog
FTC declares mergers to be union-busting
In a classic case of regulatory creep, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has recently asserted jurisdiction over labor unions and collective bargaining. The agency…
National Review
The SEC’s Climate-Disclosure Rule Goes against 90 Years of Restraint
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is finalizing a mandatory climate-disclosure rule for public companies — perhaps the costliest regulatory mandate in its entire 90-year…
Fox News
Biden admin finalizes environmental regulations targeting clothes washers, dryers
CEI’s Ben Lieberman is cited in Fox News about environmental regulations targeting appliances: “What we’re learning is that the government ought to…
National Review
“The Organized-Labor Subplot in the FTC’s Decision to Block the Kroger/Albertsons Merger”
Dominic Pino from the National Review discusses the FTC’s strange relevant market definition of “union grocery labor” in its recent challenge to the Kroger/Albertsons…
ITIF
“Why the Robinson-Patman Act Revival May Backfire”
Trelysa Long with the Information Technology & Innovation Foundation (ITIF) explains why a revival of the Robinson-Patman Act would help neither small businesses nor…
Blog
Where do regulations go when Congress shutters an agency?
The way the federal government spends money rarely changes until a crisis comes along. Arguably, we’re already there with federal debt service (interest) payments…
Blog
An exemplary climate debate on campus
I recently returned from Miami and the campus of Florida International University (FIU), where I was pleased to take part in the FIU…
Blog
Free the Economy podcast: Politically homeless with John Tillman
In this week’s episode we cover an environmental conference in Miami, allegedly underfunded government schools, Google’s AI diversity debacle, and…
Fox Business
Nobody is going to use Google’s woke chatbot unless they ‘fix’ its bias: Jessica Melugin
CEI’s Jessica Melugin is featured in a Fox News interview about Google’s woke chatbot: Watch the latest video at foxbusiness.com Watch the…
National Review
Covid Vaccines: An Update on Balancing Risks and Benefits
A new large, multi-country study has confirmed what previous smaller studies found: Covid-19 vaccines have risks. In particular, the messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines from Pfizer…
News Release
Economy in a healthy spot for further growth: CEI analysis
Today’s GDP numbers for the fourth quarter of 2023 showed economic growth stood at 3.2 percent, a slight downward trend compared to the…
News Release
CEI leads coalition of 20 groups in comment on EPA’s draft Scientific Integrity Policy
The Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI) led a coalition of 20 groups in a comment on the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) draft “Scientific Integrity…
Blog
Senate should pass bill to stop Biden’s liquified natural gas export ‘pause’
The Biden administration announced a pause last month on new approvals for liquified natural gas (LNG) exports to non-Free Trade Agreement (non-FTA) countries.
Comment
Regulatory Comment on 88 FR 89410
To the Honorable Rostin Behnam, Chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, and the Honorable Commissioners Kristen N. Johnson, Cristy Goldsmith Romero, Summer K.
Comment
CEI Comments on California’s Advanced Clean Cars II Waiver Request
Thank you for the opportunity to comment[1] on the California Air Resources Board’s (CARB’s) request for a waiver under Section 209(b) of…
Blog
EPA’s Scientific Integrity Policy is unscientific, lacks integrity
The Environmental Protection Agency recently released a draft update to its “Scientific Integrity Policy,” which aims to ensure the agency’s science-based decisions…
DC Journal
Economists, Free Market Groups Urge Congress to Reject RECOUP Act
CEI’s John Berlau is cited in DC Journal on outside groups to reject the RECOUP Act: That’s the concern of John Berlau with…
News Release
Coalition Warns Against RECOUP Act that Gives Vast Powers to Banking Regulators
The Competitive Enterprise Institute and Americans for Tax Reform today led a coalition letter to congressional leaders opposing the RECOUP Act. CEI’s John Berlau…
Letters
CEI Leads Letter Rejecting Recoup Act
Dear Speaker Johnson, Minority Leader Jeffries, Majority Leader Schumer, and Minority Leader McConnell: As leaders of policy groups concerned with constitutional liberties, government…
Politico
FTC, states challenge Kroger’s $25 billion grocery merger with Albertsons
CEI’s Jessica Melugin is cited in Politico on the FTC and states challenging Kroger’s merger with Albertsons: Not everyone is supportive of the…
Blog
What ails the working class?
Late last month I was privileged to be asked to speak at a Heritage Foundation event on the subject of the continuing travails…
Blog
NLRB ruling on college athletes may foul foreign players
Nothing produces untended consequences like government action, and no one can say that the National Labor Relation Board’s (NLRB) isn’t producing its fare share.
News Release
FTC suit to stop Krogers-Albertsons Merger would harm consumers
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) today sued to stop the proposed merger between grocers Kroger and Albertsons. The FTC claims the merger would…
Blog
Worried about massive federal debt? Time to right-size the regulators
In the annals of federal bloat, a milestone is looming as noted in another post last week: 2024 interest payments on America’s $34…
Blog
This week in ridiculous regulations: Space debris and dried prunes
The privately-built Odysseus spacecraft became the first American moon lander since 1972. President Biden announced new Russian sanctions in response to opposition leader Aleksey…
Fortune
“The Federal Trade Commission and Chair Lina Khan Are Plagued by Classic Mismanagement”
Fortune magazine reports on the U.S. House Judiciary’s new report on mismanagement at the FTC.
Forbes
The GAO Weighs In On Regulatory Reform Options For Congress
The Government Accountability Office’s (GAO) December 2023 Options for Enhancing Congressional Oversight of Rulemaking and Establishing an Office of Legal Counsel ought not be overlooked by…
House Judiciary Committee Releases Report on Mismanagement at FTC
House Judiciary Committee released a new report titled “Abuse of Power, Waste of Resources, and Fear: What Internal Documents and Testimony from Career Employees…
Wall Street Journal
“Lina Khan’s Trumpian Precedent”
The Wall Street Journal’s editorial board discusses the staffing and management problems at the FTC under Chair Lina Khan.
News Release
Supreme Court Today Hears Lawsuits Centered on Social Media Companies’ Property/Speech Rights
Today, the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in Moody v. NetChoice & CCIA and NetChoice & CCIA v. Paxton. Jessica Melugin, director…
Just the News
EPA finalizes air pollution standards that critics say will cost jobs and hurt the economy
CEI’s Daren Bakst is cited in Just the News on EPA air pollution standards: “It’s going to hurt economies. It’s going to…
Comment
Scientific Integrity Policy Draft for Public Comment
February 23, 2024 Docket ID: EPA-HQ-ORD-2023-0240; FRL-10973-01-ORD Submitted via Regulations.gov. Comments Submitted by the Competitive Enterprise Institute, Energy & Environment Legal…
Blog
I’ve got your ‘common good’ right here
As a classical liberal, I believe in the value of free markets and individual liberty, but as a Freedom Conservative, I also feel…
Blog
Amazon primal: Retailer calls NLRB unconstitutional
Amazon has joined the growing chorus of businesses declaring that the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) may be unconstitutional. Along with SpaceX and Trader…
Blog
Free the Economy podcast: Federal tech with Deb Collier
In this week’s episode we cover the future of environmental policy, rare earth minerals in Wyoming, and what we can learn…
Boston Globe
“Blame Elizabeth Warren and the FTC for iRobot Layoffs”
Beth Lindstrom argues in the Boston Globe that the ideologically driven pursuits at the FTC are harming workers, not helping.
Washington Examiner
Capital One merger could make Discover a rival to the largest credit cards in payments
CEI’s John Berlau is cited in the Washington Examiner on the credit-card merger: “Discover is currently in fourth place in card network size,…
Bloomberg Law
“FTC, States to Sue Over Kroger-Albertsons Deal Next Week”
Bloomberg Law reports on the FTC’s planned antitrust suit.
Real Clear Markets
“Congress to the FTC: Stop Attacking the U.S.’s Entrepreneurial Spirit”
Paul Steidler with the Lexington Institute underscores the importance of Congressional oversight of the Federal Trade Commission.
Blog
Trade is a tool for American national security
Free trade policies have recently come under attack on national security grounds. One of the attackers is Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO). His argument…
Blog
New student loan proposal is regressive, politicized, and won’t stop rising prices
President Biden this week unveiled a new student debt relief proposal. It would cancel student debt for up to 153,000 people who incurred…
Fox Business
How Capital One’s acquisition of Discover could impact consumers
CEI’s John Berlau is cited in Fox Business on the acquisition: John Berlau, director of finance policy at the Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI),…
Blog
NLRB v. EEOC: Damned if you fire, damned If you don’t
The National Labor Relations Board’s (NLRB) aggressive new enforcement stance is creating a terrible bind for some businesses: if they try to avoiding penalties…
Blog
Today’s federal spending makes the Louisiana Purchase look like pocket change
The week of Presidents’ Day 2024 comes at a lull before contentious budget battles resume in early March. It is thus an opportune…
Blog
This week in ridiculous regulations: Cooking energy and steel plants
News Release
Capital One/Discover Merger Not a Threat to Competition, Overregulation Is
The proposed merger between Capital One and Discover is not a threat to competition in the credit market, but there is one big looming…
Forbes
Spiraling Debt Demands Bipartisan Mobilization To Terminate Federal Departments And Agencies
In a federal government seemingly incapable of sticking to the necessary and proper, 2024 interest payments on debt topping $34 trillion are set to surpass defense spending as well…
D.C. Journal
Biden’s Energy Strategy and Wishful Thinking
The Biden administration has repeatedly decided to restrict domestic oil and gas lease sales dramatically. As it develops policies to limit supply, the…
Marketplace Public Radio
The Economic Issues Expected to Come Up at CPAC 2024
CEI’s Iain Murray was cited in Marketplace Public Radio concerning tariffs: “One of the things that I think we’ll see is actually an…
Blog
George Washington’s marvelous list of liberties and grievances
On the federal holiday on Monday and on his real birthday on Thursday, February 22, we celebrate the 292nd birthday of our nation’s first…
Blog
Off-the-rails FTC wrong answer for keeping kids safe online
This week the Washington Post reported that the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) is poised to pass the Senate, but faces hurdles…
Daily Caller
Biden Is Pushing Unions To Strike — But Not Just In The Way You Think
CEI’s Sean Higgins is cited in Daily Caller on union related strikes: “Inflation is likely spurring some of the strike activity,” Sean…
Blog
Time to simplify trade agreements
Over at National Review’s Capital Matters site, Kent Lassman and I make the case that trade agreements should stick to trade. We also…
Letters
Coalition Letter to Support the Stop Woke Investing Act (S. 3179)
We, the undersigned organizations, are writing in support of the Stop Woke Investing Act (S. 3179). The bill was introduced by Sens. Eric…
Blog
Red tape? More like chains, thanks to deficit spending and subsidies
Federal subsidies and grants are infamous for having strings attached. That’s nothing new, but those strings are increasingly chains. Businesses are being seduced…
Blog
Free the Economy podcast: Federalism wins with Patrick Gleason
In this week’s episode we cover President Biden’s attack on shrinkflation, barriers to workplace flexibility, and a motherlode of domestic…
Blog
Major asset managers drop climate activism
It’s all over the business news headlines this morning: Major money managers are exiting an international alliance focused on influencing climate change policy and…
Blog
CEI’s The Surge: Biden admin particulate matter rule, GOP carbon tax support, and more
If you are interested in analysis and perspective on current energy and environmental issues, then we encourage you to subscribe to this new…
Forbes
“FTC’s Misguided Antitrust Regulation Threatens Pharma Innovation”
Venture capitalist Standish Fleming argues that the FTC’s actions in the pharmaceuticals industry will deny patients of new treatments.
Commentary Magazine
“The Power Broker Her: The Rise and (Maybe) Fall of Lina Khan”
Adam J. White from the American Enterprise Institute provides a comprehensive analysis of Lina Khan’s tenure as FTC Chair.
Washington Examiner
“House Republicans Seek Interviews with FTC Staff over Alleged Legal Breaches by Lina Khan”
The Washington Examiner reports on the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability’s latest inquiry into whether FTC Chair Lina Khan ignored federal ethics laws.
Wall Street Journal
“The Story Behind Biden’s Trade Failure”
The Wall Street Journal‘s editorial board explains how the the FTC under Chair Lina Khan is hijacking US trade policy.
Boston Herald
“Leftists Out to Slay ‘Monster’ Amazon”
Former US Senator and Ambassador Scott Brown talks about the lost jobs resulting from the FTC’s scuttling of the merger between Amazon and iRobot.
The Seattle Times
“FTC, Amazon Spar Over Antitrust Lawsuit that Could ‘Alter’ the Company”
The Seattle Times provides the latest on the FTC’s suit against Amazon.
Libertarian Institute
“New Merger Guidelines Could Make 2024 a Difficult Year for Business and Biden”
Norman Singleton from the Market Institute discusses the problems with the new merger guidelines and argues that court should ignore the new guidance.
Blog
Biden liquefied natural gas export ‘pause’ hurts Americans and our allies
The Biden administration recently announced plans to pause approvals for new liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports to countries in which the United States…
City Journal
Ignoring the Science
A new CDC study reports that the first updated Covid-19 vaccine—the bivalent vaccine approved in fall 2022—was about 50 percent effective in blocking infection over a…