Blog
A Federally Funded Witches’ Brew of Dangerous Advice
Halloween is the one day of the year kids enjoy being a little spooked. But what would you think about a taxpayer-sponsored effort to frighten…
The Chicago Tribune
PRO: Critics can’t decide if Facebook does too much or too little
During his recent appearance at Georgetown University, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg summed up the company's predicament: "Right now, we're doing a very good job at…
Blog
Twitter’s Ban on Political Ads Has No First Amendment Implications
Twitter Chief Executive Jack Dorsey announced that the social media platform will ban all political advertising. This comes on the heels of Facebook’s recent announcement…
Blog
The Unmeasured Costs of Federal Agency Liberation from Congress, Self-Funding, and Permanence
In considering the overall costs of regulation, little attention is given to the intractability of the administrative state itself. Congress shows little appetite for restraining…
Chemical Watch
Thinktank Pushes to Defund ‘Agenda-Driven’ Children’s Environmental Health Research
Chemical Watch cites Senior Fellow Angela Logomasini on federally funded children’s environmental health centers: Libertarian thinktank the Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI) has called…
Blog
Major Auto Companies Auto Dealers Back Trump Fuel Economy Rule
On October 29, Marlo Lewis testified before the House Oversight Environment Subcommittee on the Trump administration’s Safer Affordable Fuel-Efficient (SAFE) Vehicles rule. As he noted,…
Comment
Trump’s Wrong Turn on Clean Cars
Chairman Rouda, Ranking Member Comer, and Members of the House Government Oversight Subcommittee on Environment, thank you for inviting me to speak today at this…
Blog
Spooky Halloween Regulations
Halloween is this week. That means costumes, spooky decorations, trick-or-treating, and pumpkin spice everything. The Code of Federal Regulations contains several rules to keep everything…
Blog
Just in Time for Halloween: Climate Scares Debunked
Sharing scary stories is Halloween tradition and this time of the year reminds us of some folks who try to strike fear in the hearts…
The Wall Street Journal
Why the U.K. Isn’t Having Problems with Vaping
The Wall Street Journal cites Senior Fellow Michelle Minton on e-cigarettes: Michelle Minton of the Competitive Enterprise Institute says: “A ban on flavors,…
The Washington Times
‘Waste’ Disposal: EPA’s Defunded Children’s Health Centers Accused of Stoking ‘Junk Science’
The Washington Times cites CEI’s report by Senior Fellow Angela Logomasini: Environmentalists were outraged when the EPA decided to cut funding to children’s environmental…
The Epoch Times
Sen. Hawley, Blackburn Propose Massive Relocation of Federal Departments, Agencies
The Epoch Times cites Vice President for Policy Wayne Crews on Ten Thousand Commandments: Exactly how many federal departments, independent agencies,…
Vehicle Fleet Service
Washington D.C. Debates Speed Limiters and Platooning
Fleet Industry News cites CEI’s report by Senior Fellow Marc Scribner on vehicle platooning: A new report issued by the Competitive Enterprise Institute…
Fox News
Group Releasing Halloween Video Series On ‘Debunked’ Climate Scares
Fox News cites CEI’s compilation of eco-pocalyptic predictions, seen in a Heartland Institute video series: The group will release one video per day…
Breitbart
SCOTUS to Rule on Constitutionality of Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
Breitbart cites CEI on State National Bank of Big Spring v. Mnuchin: The Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI), one of the plaintiffs in the…
Reason
Target Employees Won The ‘Fight For $15’ but Weren’t Ready for the Trade-Offs
Reason cites Senior Fellow Ryan Young on minimum wage: But the bottom line is that wage increases do not exist in a vacuum.
Reason
5G Is the Future
Reason cites Associate Director for Technology and Innovation Jessica Melugin on 5G: But without a T-Mobile/Sprint merger, wireless customers might have been left…
The Telegraph
Small Businesses Navigating Impending Minimum Wage Hikes
The Telegraph cites Senior Fellow Ryan Young on minimum wage hikes: A study this month by the pro-limited-government think tank the Competitive Enterprise…
Comment
CEI Comments on FMCSA HOS NPRM
On behalf of the Competitive Enterprise Institute (“CEI”), I respectfully submit these comments in response to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (“FMCSA”) Notice of…
Letters
CEI Joins Coalition Letter Opposing APEX Act
The undersigned, dedicated to promoting free markets, limited government, and constitutional principles, write to express serious concerns about a piece of legislation known as the…
Blog
This Week in Ridiculous Regulations
The Washington Nationals made it to the World Series, and the White House canceled some of its newspaper subscriptions. Meanwhile, rulemaking agencies published new regulations…
Blog
VIDEO: How to Build a Political System to Protect Liberty
Our friends at Learn Liberty have started releasing new videos again, and we couldn’t be more excited. One of the most recent, “3 Different Ways…
Blog
Trump Administration Challenges Constitutionality of California Climate Pacts
Just when I thought the Trump administration could not get any bolder in challenging California’s self-anointed power to determine national climate policy, the Department of…
Citation
Understanding a “Temporary” Vaping Ban
Vaping Post cites Senior Fellow Michelle Minton on e-cigarette bans: “There is every reason to believe that those interested in “temporary” bans will…
Los Angeles Daily News
The Cost of Ending Independent Work
The California legislature managed to pass a near statutory prohibition on independent work in misguided bid to “protect workers.” Lawmakers achieved this outcome by redefining…
The Daily Signal
Western Lawmakers Prepare Bills to Modernize Endangered Species Act
The Daily Signal cites Director of the Center for Energy and Environment Myron Ebell on the Endangered Species Act: Myron Ebell, director of the…
Forbes
Don’t Make the Vaping ‘Crisis’ Worse with Hasty New Regulations
Forbes cites Senior Fellow Michelle Minton on e-cigarettes:…
Blog
CEI Report: Universities Misuse Federal Children’s Environmental Health Grants to Pursue Political Agenda
For more than two decades the federal government has funded a number of “children’s environmental health centers.” Since they are housed in universities, you might…
News Release
Trump Administration Should Eliminate Funding for EPA-NIH Programs Pushing Agenda-Driven Science
As the federal government observes Children’s Health Month in October, a new report by the Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI) calls on the Trump Administration and…
Blog
Celebrate Consumer Finance Law Modernization
Earlier this month, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) announced that it will create a taskforce to “harmonize and modernize federal consumer financial laws.” The Taskforce…
Blog
Deep State Guide to Resisting Trump’s Executive Orders on Guidance Document Abuse
Competitive Enterprise Institute founder and “despairing optimist” Fred L. Smith, Jr. lamented to me once: “It’s so hard to centrally plan deregulation!”…
Blog
Cautiously Optimistic about Facebook’s New Approach to Speech
It seems increasingly the case that there is a lot more to like about what Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has to say than not. His…
Study
Federally Funded Children’s Environmental Health Centers Do Little to Promote Public Health
October is Children’s Health Month, a time when official federal agencies call attention to important efforts and policies designed to advance childhood health and safety.
Blog
House Panel Holds Hearing to Bash Exxon
The House Oversight Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties today held a hearing to examine “the oil industry’s efforts to suppress the truth about climate…
News Release
House Hearing on Proposed Cryptocurrency Premature, Focus Should Be on Regulatory Barriers to Innovation
Ahead of a House Financial Services Committee hearing focused on Libra, a new cryptocurrency proposed by Facebook and other entities, Competitive Enterprise Institute experts John…
Fox Business
Chicago Teachers Strike—What Benefits the Union vs. What Benefits Teachers and Students
For the second time in less than a decade, the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) decided to go on strike. Since Thursday, the Chicago Public School…
Comment
CEI Leads Coalition to Comment in Support of EPA’s Proposed Rule Updating Regulations on Water Quality Certification
We write in support of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed rule, Updating Regulations on Water Quality Certification, 88 Fed. Reg. 44080, (August 22, 2019)…
The Wall Street Journal
Trump’s Pen Limits Executive Power
President Trump signed two executive orders curbing executive power Oct. 9. They’re a good start, but more is needed.
Blog
West Antarctic Ice Sheet Growing As Southern Ocean Warms Slightly
The West Antarctic Ice Sheet is growing, but I bet you didn’t read about it in the news.
Blog
Stop State Government Abuse of Clean Water Act
Today the Competitive Enterprise Institute led a coalition letter in support of the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed rule, “Updating Regulations on Water Quality Certification.” The rule would…
Blog
This Week in Ridiculous Regulations
Last week’s big stories included a thickening impeachment plot, Energy Secretary Rick Perry’s resignation, and a letter written to the president of Turkey. In a…
Wall Street Journal
Trump’s Pen Limits Executive Power
Blog
VIDEO: How Does the Trade War Hurt You?
Our friends over at the Cato Institute are known for their excellent free-market analysis, in particular on hot button issues like trade. They recently released…
News Release
Supreme Court to Hear Lawsuit on CFPB Unconstitutionality: CEI Statements
On news today that the United States Supreme Court will hear a constitutional challenge to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, CEI experts said they were…
Blog
Repeal of Trump Power Plant Rule Fails in Senate
The U.S. Senate today defeated by 53-41 a Democrat-sponsored Congressional Review Act resolution of disapproval that aims to overturn the Trump administration’s Affordable Clean Energy (ACE) rule,…
Blog
United States, Carbon Tax Laggard?
The United States “lags” other nations’ use of carbon taxes, ClimateWire (subscription required) reports. Specifically, the United States ranks 40th out of 44 countries in…
Daily Torch
Trump Keeps Promise to Cut Regulations, Make Them More Reasonable and Less Costly
Daily Torch cites Vice President for Policy and Senior Fellow Wayne Crews on regulatory dark matter: The Vice President for Policy at the…
Forbes
New Trump Orders: Guidance Should Be a Shield, Not a Sword
Forbes cites Vice President for Policy and Senior Fellow Wayne Crews on regulatory dark matter: These actions are the latest attempt to ensure…
Blog
Are Hurricanes Becoming Blow-Hards?
Last month, as Tropical Storm Imelda slowly dissipated over south Texas, creating yet another Texas-sized flood, I read an article in Business Insider making the…
Letters
CEI Joins Coalition Letter Opposing Pelosi Drug Tax Plan
Dear Members of Congress: We write in opposition to the prescription drug pricing bill offered by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi that would impose an excise…
Blog
In Praise of Pro-Consumer Tenure of Finance Regulator Kraninger
As she prepares to give her semi-annual testimony to Congress this week—on Wednesday to the House Financial Services Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and on Thursday…
Blog
CEI Leads Coalition Letter Supporting Airport Financing Reform
Today CEI led a coalition letter in support of H.R. 3791, the “Investing in America: Rebuilding America’s Airport Infrastructure Act,” the bipartisan airport financing reform legislation…
Blog
Killing Us with Kindness: Democrats’ War on Vaping Costs Lives
Liberals are supposed to the ones whose hearts “bleed” with concern for others’ welfare. That’s why modern liberals generally reject an abstinence-only approach to regulation.
Letters
CEI Leads Coalition Letter Supporting H.R. 3791, modernization of the Passenger Facility Charge
We write today in support of the bipartisan effort to modernize the Passenger Facility Charge (PFC). The PFC is a local airport user fee that…
News Release
As Democrats Debate, New Ad Campaign Asks: Can You Afford the Green New Deal?
The Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI) today launched a new advertising campaign asking the American people if they can afford the so-called Green New Deal. …
The Washington Post
Trump Finally Acknowledges his Tariffs Could Hit Consumers
The Washington Post cites Senior Fellow Ryan Young on tariffs: “The decision to delay new tariffs on Chinese-made toys, smartphones, laptops and other…
U.S. News
2020 Election Hangs Over U.S.-China Trade Detente
U.S. News cites Senior Fellow Ryan Young on tariffs: “The administration has been saying otherwise, but it is good to see that they…
The Times of Northwest Indiana
Will Tariffs Push U.S. Economy to the Brink of Recession?
The Times of Northwest Indiana cites Senior Fellow Ryan Young on tariffs: The Competitive Enterprise Institute, in response to China’s latest tariff retaliation,…
The Wall Street Journal
Make Dishwashers That Clean Again
The Wall Street Journal cites CEI’s petition to the DOE on dishwashers: In March 2018 the folks at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, a…
The Washington Times
Trump Executive Orders Curtail Union Business on the Taxpayer Dime
Imagine each working day, federal employees report for work but do not perform any governmental duties. Instead, they work for a private enterprise void of…
The Washington Times
Are Hurricanes Getting Worse?
On September 20, Aylin Woodward and Morgan McFall-Johnson wrote a juicy article for Business Insider on Tropical Storm Imelda. Like every other slow-moving storm that…
FleetOwner
Trucking exec cautions Congress against more tolling
FleetOwner discusses Senior Fellow Marc Scribner’s recent congressional testimony on congestion management. The members of the subcommittee were all in agreement that something…
E&E News
AVs are coming. Will they hurt the climate?
E&E News quotes Senior Fellow Marc Scribner on the prospects of federal automated vehicle legislation. So far, Congress has fallen short of agreeing…
Blog
This Week in Ridiculous Regulations
The latest Mad Libs-style political feud involves the NBA, the television cartoon South Park, and the Chinese government. President Trump also issued a pair of…
Blog
California Utility Cuts Power to Avoid Fires Caused by Downed Power Lines
Pacific Gas and Electric has intentionally turned off electricity to up to two million people in parts of northern California for hours and days at…
Blog
President Trump Signs Executive Orders to Improve Use of Guidance Documents
President Donald J. Trump on October 9th signed two executive orders (EOs) intended to improve and limit the use of guidance documents. This is good,…
Blog
‘Art of the Deal’ Meets Renewable Fuel Standard
It’s the ultimate dealmaker versus the ultimate dealmaking challenge. President Trump has again sought changes to the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) that he hopes both…
Letters
CEI Joins ALG Letter to FERC on PURPA Reform
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) is responsible for ensuring economically efficient, safe, reliable, and secure energy for consumers. As part of that responsibility, FERC…
Letters
CEI Joins AEA Letter Opposing Renewable Fuel Standard Provisions
The undersigned write to object to several of the proposals under consideration regarding the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). It is time for the special favors…
Blog
More Shields and Fewer Swords in Realm of Federal Regulation
Yesterday the New Civil Liberties Alliance (NCLA) held a fascinating event on one of their marquee cases, Baldwin v. United States (read more in my…
National Review
A Shale-Gas Revolution, If We Can Keep It
Living conditions in the early Industrial Revolution were often atrocious, and Marx and Engels thought they saw a trend. They predicted in Capital that as capitalism evolved,…
Inside Sources
5 Reasons Trump Is Right to Save Incandescent Light Bulbs
Americans will have more freedom of choice now that the Trump administration’s Department of Energy has set about undoing Obama-era regulations targeting incandescent light bulbs in favor…
News Release
CEI Commends Executive Action Restricting Use of Regulatory Dark Matter
The White House today announced President Trump will sign two executive orders aimed at stopping the practice of agencies using guidance documents to effectively implement…
Blog
Software Solutions for Regulatory Reform?
On Friday, the C. Boyden Gray Center for the Study of the Administrative State held a fascinating conference, “The Administration of Democracy,” which covered issues…
News Release
Is Capitalism Destroying Democracy?
A new report from the Competitive Enterprise Institute examines that question at a time when progressives increasingly assert democracy in the United States is being…
Blog
Labor Relations Chief Corrects Record on ‘Joint Employer’ Rule
Chairman John Ring delivered the latest salvo in response to the manufactured “scandal” at the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). Democrats, with help from the…
Study
Democratic Capitalism: Why Political and Economic Freedom Need Each Other
Is capitalism destroying democracy? It is an old question that political thinkers have long wrestled with.
News Release
How to Sell Your Data without Selling Your Soul
In the Internet Age, the use and analysis of personal data holds an enormous amount of economic value, but use of that data can expose…
Blog
Costs of Economic Distortions Caused by ‘Ordinary’ Federal Spending, Subsidies, and Stimulus
While routine ground-level federal spending is less glamorous than interventionist national agendas, socialization of properties and resources, or economic “stimulus” and “big science” crusades, the…
Study
Selling Your Data without Selling Your Soul
Humans have always sought to defend a zone of privacy around themselves—to protect their personal information, their intimate actions and relationships, and their thoughts and…
Blog
This Week in Ridiculous Regulations
Non-impeachment news involved a major court ruling on net neutrality, plus a new tariff. This year’s Federal Register is on pace to surpass last year’s…
Blog
Industry and Nonprofit Groups Urge Senate Support for ‘Clean’ Energy and Climate Bills
A number of industry trade associations plus some non-profit groups sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer on…
Letters
CEI Joins Open Letter of Support for David Bernhardt’s Nomination as Interior Secretary
The undersigned organizations and individuals write to express our strong support for Acting Secretary David Bernhardt as nominee for Secretary of the Department of Interior…
News Release
CEI Congratulates New OIRA Director Paul Ray and Encourages Him to Embrace Reforms
The White House announced today that Paul Ray will be the next director of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) within the Office…
Blog
New $7.5 Billion Tariffs against European Union
The Trump administration has announced tariffs on $7.5 billion of goods from the European Union. This time, it is being done with the World Trade…
Blog
Costs of Government Steering by Direct Ownership or Control of Resources
If one thinks government ought to run a sector of the economy (single-payer health care, education, retirement, energy), then almost by definition that individual would…
Blog
Vast Regulatory Costs of Top-Down National Plans, Agendas, and Legislative Schemes
If government steers in some societal, industrial, or sector-specific endeavor via top-down national plans, agendas, or legislative schemes, it can generate ongoing regulatory costs even…
Blog
Priorities for Department of Labor’s New Secretary
On September 30th, Eugene Scalia was sworn in as the 28th Secretary of Labor. Last week, the Senate confirmed Scalia on a 53-44 vote. With…
Blog
New Study: Minimum Wages Have Tradeoffs
Congress nearly increased the federal minimum wage from $7.25 to $15 per hour this year. Though the Raise the Wage Act is unlikely to pass…
News Release
Consumers to Benefit from Court Decision to Uphold FCC Restoring Internet Freedom Order
The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals today issued a decision upholding the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Restoring Internet Freedom Order, reversing rules from the previous…
News Release
Minimum Wage Increases Canceled Out by Non-Wage Losses: CEI Report
Is raising the minimum wage good for workers? A new report from the Competitive Enterprise Institute makes the case that there are serious tradeoffs lawmakers…
Study
Minimum Wages Have Tradeoffs
Raising the minimum wage is currently a top policy issue at the federal, state, and local levels. This paper opposes increases for three reasons, and…
News Release
CEI Calls on FCC to Appeal Third Circuit Ruling on Media Ownership to the Supreme Court
Blog
This Week in Ridiculous Regulations
Congress is out of session for the next two weeks, and the impeachment investigation will likely dominate headlines for some time to come. Meanwhile, the…
Blog
Environmental Protection Agency to California: Clean up Your Act
In two separate actions, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) this week put California on notice that the state is violating federal air and water…
Blog
VIDEO: Life Is Getting Better
Despite prominent headlines to the contrary, the world is not actually falling apart. As our friends at places like Human Progress tirelessly work to remind…
News Release
Washington State Couple Challenges Trump’s 2017 Repatriation Tax
A Washington State couple today challenged as unconstitutional a part of the 2017 tax reform law known as the Mandatory Repatriation Tax. This provision taxes…
Blog
New Civil Liberties Alliance Fighting for Constitutional Limits on Government Power
Thanks to the New Civil Liberties Alliance for hosting a great event this week, during which their staff attorneys recounted the status of some of…
Blog
Federal Highway Administration to Rescind Outdated Patent Rules
The Federal Highway Administration announced it will rescind its World War I-era regulation governing the use of patented and proprietary materials in federal-aid highway projects.
The Journal of The James Madison Institute
How Florida Hit the Gas on Self-Driving Car Development
Orlando, Florida was not widely known to the public as a hub of automotive innovation. But in July, more than 1,000 researchers and developers joined…