Newsletter
CEI Daily Update
Issues in the News 1. CONGRESS Lawmakers prepare to vote on a major new farm bill. CEI Expert Available to…
Blog
Update on 2007 Farm Bill — Administration issues critique — and warning
On the eve of House consideration of the 2007 Farm Bill, the Bush Administration has just sent a statement from the Office of Management…
Blog
Farm bill scheduled for House tomorrow — Bush will veto, says Ag Secretary
Today Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns said that the President may veto the 2007 Farm Bill, scheduled for full House consideration tomorrow, because it…
Blog
Brother, can you spare several hundred million bolivars?
The online version of Foreign Policy features a list of the word’s five worst currencies: The Somali shilling, Iraqi dinar, North Korean won, Venezuelan…
Blog
A Dopp of Smear
The Wall Street Journal weighs in today on expose of smear tactics used by Darren Dopp, a communications aide to former New York Attorney…
Blog
Cap and Trade not enough for Australian Greens
Australian Prime Minister John Howard announced July 17 that he will introduce legislation this Fall to set up an emissions trading scheme. “The scheme will…
Blog
Eliot Spitzer Aides Caught Playing Dirty Tricks
Aides and close advisers of New York Governor Eliot Spitzer have been caught trying to plant dirt on a political rival, state senate…
Blog
Thinking Outside the SarbOx
Op-Eds
The Biofuel Fad
William Saletan argued in favor of biofuels on humanitarian and environmental grounds [“A Corny Cold War,” Outlook, July 8]. He was wrong on both…
Op-Eds
Kyoto Anniversary: What it Means Today
Ten years ago today the U.S. Senate did something that at the time seemed significant and now seems remarkably foresightful. By a vote of…
News Release
Global Warming Resolution Marks 10th Anniversary
Washington, D.C., July 25, 2007—Today marks the 10th anniversary of an important and prescient vote in the U.S. Senate. As global warming treaty negotiations in…
News Release
New Insurance Bill Helps Insurers and Consumers
NOTE: Due to the speed at which this press release was written, not all parties quoted reviewed it before it was sent. All quotations,…
News Release
House Set to Debate Boondoggle Farm Bill
Washington, D.C., July 25, 2007—The U.S. House will begin debate on the 2007 Farm Bill tomorrow. H.R. 2419 is a $250 billion special-interest package that…
Blog
Eckhart Update
Two weeks ago my colleague, Iain Murray, posted on The Corner an email from Michael Eckhart, President of the American Council on Renewable Energy…
Blog
Pickets for Hire Raise Homeless Activists’ Ire
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Nonagenarians in the news
Nonagenarians — people in their nineties — are making news this month. Last week Norman Borlaug received the Congressional Gold Medal for his lifetime…
Blog
Is Traditional Landline Telephone Service Even Worth Saving?
The failure of SunRocket–which I write about here–has left a fair number of people without landline telephone service. Nothing bad seems to have happened…
Blog
More on subsidies for dead farmers — in the GAO’s words
Here’s a copy of the Government Accountability Office’s report on large farm subsidy payments made to dead farmers, which was released today at a…
Blog
The downside of bipartisanship — 2007 Farm Bill
At an hour-and-a-half press conference this morning, House Agriculture Committee members, perhaps sensitive to revelations that dead farmers have been receiving huge farm subsidies,…
News Release
U.S. Lawmakers Eye European Carbon ‘Cap-and-Trade’ Fiasco
Washington, D.C., July 24, 2007—U.S. Senators Joe Lieberman and John Warner are poised to introduce legislation to impose on Americans a costly, harmful European-style…
Newsletter
Cooler Heads Digest
News Highlights Schwarzenegger’s Climate Team Further ImplodesEditorial, The Bakersfield Californian, 19 July 2007 Ethanol Mandates Pose Grave…
Blog
Call me a dictator, will you? I’ll show you!
Blog
The curious case of the Japanese beetle
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Hands off VOIP
Today's New York Times carries a story about the sudden failure and shutdown of my former home telephone company, SunRocket. Although it obviously…
Blog
Anti-AIDS Spending Backfires
A U.N. effort to reduce the spread of AIDS to children by encouraging HIV-positive mothers to use formula rather than breast feeding has backfired…
Newsletter
CEI Daily Update
Issues in the News 1. TECHNOLOGY The expanding use of microchip implants raises privacy concerns. CEI Expert Available to Comment:…
Blog
Two Cheers for House Small Business Committee
Blog
Nuisance Lawsuits Shielded by Democratic Leaders
Protection against nuisance lawsuits for private citizens who report suspicions of terrorist activity was removed by Congressional Democratic leaders from homeland security legislation. Both houses of Congress had…
Blog
Nevada Network Security: Good Enough for Government Work
Declan McCullagh has a hilarious story today about the crack team that Nevada’s governor has providing his office with computer security: If you ever…
Blog
David Thibault, RIP
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The Marshall Plan for Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Our good friends over at the George C. Marshall Institute have a new study out on cap and trade by economist Michael Canes. And…
Blog
Re: Historical Perspective on the Second Amendment
Brad, While I find your observation that “that the crime rate would go down if every single household were given a handgun” to be…
Blog
Offset Your Lunch?
The next time you grab a burger for lunch, you’re part of the global warming problem. That, at least, is the upshot of a…
Blog
One Out of Two Ain’t Bad
I’m pleased to report that Al Gore is innocent of charges of hypocrisy related to serving Chilean Sea Bass at his daughter’s wedding celebrations. The…
Blog
Just say NO to the fuel economy fetishists
My colleague Myron Ebell sometimes describes industry's response to global warming and oil import alarmism as: "Circle the wagons and everybody shoot into the middle."…
Newsletter
CEI Daily Update
Issues in the News 1. AUTOMOBILITY A new study suggests that wider use of “plug-in” hybrid vehicles could dramatically reduce emissions of…
Blog
Thoughts on the Immigration Debate, part 2
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Thoughts on the Immigration Debate
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FDA Authority: Less Is More
Our good friend (and adjunct fellow) Henry Miller of the Hoover Institute responds in the pages of Regulation to charges that the FDA…
Blog
Just Don’t Drink Water?
The Environmental Working Group (EWG) doesn’t want you to drink bottled water because it’s a waste of resources. Tap water is just as good they…
Blog
People Always Throw Tantrums When They’re Young
Blog
Farm bill — Ag Committee gives strong support to energy title
Today at the Agriculture Committee debate on the 2007 Farm Bill (see the live streaming video here), a significant portion of the debate focused…
Blog
Racially Labeling Your Child
My family is puzzling over what racial label to pin on our children. Because of their different ethnic backgrounds, my daughter and my nephew might…
Blog
Cap-and-Trade: Everything Old Is New Again
In its story “Big bucks at stake in cap-and-trade allocations”, Tuesday’s Greenwire (subscription required) offered another in a series of examples of how even…
Blog
Counties Challenge Congress on Climate Change
Catching up on emails, I see that Tuesday’s E&E Daily (subscription required) notes that Senator Bingaman yesterday touted his “Low Carbon Economy Act”…
Newsletter
CEI Daily Update
Issues in the News 1. FINANCE Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke testifies before Congress on the alleged abuse of “subprime” loans. …
Blog
More on Singletary and Greenie Home Ec
Blog
Too much union disclosure?
Blog
A Man for All Seasons, Norman Borlaug
Yesterday Norman Borlaug received the Congressional Gold Medal, America's highest civilian award. This humble and unpretentious microbiologist and plant breeder is credited with saving over…
Op-Eds
War Over The War
When Ken Burns releases a documentary, America watches. This is partly because of his uniquely compelling style, but also partly because his stories are those…
Newsletter
Cooler Heads Digest
News EU to Outlaw Sports Cars to Fight Global Warming?Doron Levin, Bloomberg, 10 July 2007 Are IPCC Climate…
Newsletter
CEI Daily Update
Issues in the News 1. LEGAL The city of Washington, D.C. asks the Supreme Court to review a recent federal court verdict…
Blog
Back to Singletary’s solar lady
Eli, in your one cheer for Singletary, it sounds as if you’re falling into the risk-benefit, cost-benefit analysis approach to regulation. Yes, I…
Blog
Worthy Pleasure Seekers of the World Unite
Today the Senate Finance Committee is considering the “Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization Act of 2007,” which, according to James Thorner of…
Blog
How sweet it is — for sugar producers
As the House Agriculture Committee begins debate on the 2007 Farm Bill today, eight public interest groups sent a letter to committee members…
Blog
Washington Appeals Decision Striking Down Gun Ban
Washington, D.C. bans handguns, even when used solely for self-defense. Earlier this year, its gun ban was struck down under the Second Amendment by…
Blog
Gigantic Class Action Lawsuit at Death’s Door
Earlier, I wrote about the gigantic class action lawsuit in Schwab v. Philip Morris, in which the tobacco companies are being sued for selling…
Blog
Plans for the A380
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One Step Toward a Tobacco Monopoly
The New York Times has a story today on the FDA regulation bill, which would place the tobacco industry under FDA regulation. The bill…
Blog
India Adapts
Deepak Lal has a typically thoughtful essay in New Delhi’s Business-Standard this week. He finds there are many reasons for India to rethink its…
Blog
“We are able to reach less people”–U.N. Food Program
This pair of articles by Javier Blas and Jenny Wiggins of the Financial Times is of direct relevance to the debate in Washington,…
Blog
Why So Shy?
After Live Earth missed its promised audience of 2 billion by about, oh, 1.9 billion (and that’s charitable), one has to wonder how much money…
News Release
Public Interest Groups Oppose Sugar Subsidies
Washington, D.C., July 17, 2007—As members of the House Agriculture Committee consider the 2007 farm bill, several public interest groups are urging committee members to…
News Release
New Study Charts the Growth of Environmental Law
Washington, D.C., July 17, 2007—According to a new study from the Competitive Enterprise Institute, the conventional idea that progressive environmental causes suffer under conservative…
Study
Environmentalism’s Legal Legacy
Letters
Letter to Members of the House Agriculture Committee Regarding the 2007 Farm Bill
To: Members of the House Agriculture Committee We, as representatives of consumer, taxpayer, public policy, and humanitarian groups, are writing to express…
Newsletter
CEI Daily Update
Issues in the News 1. ENVIRONMENT Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. makes waves by calling global warming skeptics “traitors.” CEI Expert Available…
Blog
One Cheer for Singletary
Christine: Like you, I dislike Singletary’s hectoring tone but I think that she inadvertently makes a pretty good point: Market prices can provide a…
Blog
FDA Regulation of Tobacco Opposed
Senator Richard Burr of North Carolina is opposing a bill to place the tobacco industry under the jurisdiction of the FDA. He cites the…
Blog
How’s that? Save money by painting yourself green?
I’m worried about Michelle Singletary, The Washington Post‘s personal investment columnist. From her, you would expect to hear advice on how to build personal wealth…
Blog
What Lending Crisis?
Op-Eds
Short on Storm Coverage
So long as hurricanes continue to sweep through Florida's landscape, Floridians will have to find ways to repair the damage. As the Sentinel…
Op-Eds
Ignorance Is Strength, Dissent Is Treason
At last weekend’s Live Earth concert in New Jersey, Robert Kennedy, Jr., a spokesman for the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), charged ExxonMobil and Southern…
Op-Eds
Al Gore’s Whine: What Really Happened on the Mall
Now it's official. Global warming alarmism has indeed “jumped the shark“, as revealed by the dismal failure of the Live Earth concerts to galvanize…
Op-Eds
The Biofuel Fad
William Saletan argued in favor of biofuels on humanitarian and environmental grounds ["A Corny Cold War," Outlook, July 8]. He was wrong on both…
Op-Eds
Nothing Sweet about It
"It’s an outrage!" That’s the usual cry of Washington politicians when they chastise the world outside their chambers for their profligate ways, which they…
News Release
Congress Poised to Prop Up Sugar Regime
Washington, D.C., July 16, 2007—Americans have been paying for sugar at two to three times the world price over the past 25 years, thanks…
Letters
A Letter Urging Congress to Reject Capital Gains Tax Hikes
Dear Representative, On behalf of the millions of grassroots investors who are members of our organizations, we strongly urge you to reject any increase…
Newsletter
CEI Daily Update
Issues in the News 1. FINANCE Private insurance companies refuse to issue coverage to hurricane-prone areas in Florida. CEI…
Op-Eds
Farmers are Shuckers, Too
It is not surprising that National Corn Growers Association President Ken McCauley uses the term “free market” pejoratively (“Reusable fuels: Good goal, good policy,”…
Blog
Macomber on Brookes
At The American Spectator, Shawn Macomber has very good article on Warren Brookes, after whom CEI’s journalism fellowship is named. He highlights Brookes’s…
Blog
More Controversy About the N-Word
The Montgomery County Schools are eliminating a lesson plan designed to prepare students to read Harper Lee’s classic To Kill A Mockingbird, saying that…
Blog
Just Say No…to The Yes Men
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We’re Gonna Need a Bigger Tablet
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Government Wisdom
The House Agriculture Committee’s homepage features a message from the chairman that includes this line: Every American who eats should recognize the importance of…
Blog
Would You Like Some Wood Pulp With That?
Blog
Is false advertising truthful if it is stupendously false?
What prompts this question is a full-page advertisement in today’s (July 11, 2007) Wall Street Journal by BASF, “The Chemical Company.” The ad features a…
Blog
Attorneys General: Corruption By Contingency Fee
Adam Liptak of The New York Times recently wrote about the increasing practice by state attorneys general of hiring trial lawyers to bring lawsuits…
Blog
Hate Crimes Bill is Back
Earlier, I wrote about how the federal hate crimes bill contains provisions that would undermine protections against double-jeopardy and constitutional federalism safeguards (see here,…
Blog
A message from the President of the American Council on Renewable Energy
A few days ago, our colleague Dr. Marlo Lewis had a column over at The American Spectator on the current debate in Congress over…
Newsletter
CEI Daily Update
Issues in the News 1. HEALTH California officials issue a West Nile virus public health alert. CEI Expert Available to Comment:…
Blog
Less reliable than Old Ben’s Almanack?
Tim Worstall has a very interesting post over at the Adam Smith Institute blog on the validity of those temperature projections that get the…
Blog
A Second Look at Second Life Analogies
My letter to the Washington Post regarding Michael Gerson’s “Where the Avatars Roam,” which appeared in the Post last week: Michael Gerson’s July 6…
Blog
Historic buildings vs. enviro-think
In today’s Wall Street Journal, an interesting article (reg. req’d.) on the collision between building preservation and enviro-think. Seems that people who move into…
Blog
Delegated democracy?
Paul Chesser of North Carolina’s John Locke Foundation has a useful article in today’s Washington Times about how one advocacy group, funded by leftist…
Blog
They Can Have My Maserati When They Pry My Cold, Dead Hands off the Steering Wheel
Bloomberg’s Doron Levin presents a sad vision of Europe’s future – one in which high-performance sports cars are a thing of the past: If…
Newsletter
CEI Daily Update
Issues in the News 1. CONGRESS The House of Representatives votes to give more regulatory power to the Food…
Blog
When “plenty of attitude” is a good thing
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False Analogies from WIRED
Wired magazine’s Scott Gilbertson summarized the FTC net neutrality report by quipping, “Wait and see if it all goes south and then maybe consider…
Blog
Greenhouse Gas Sanctimony
Al Gore was born into a wealthy family and lives high on the hog. But he is very preachy and sanctimonious about the little people…