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Theory and Practice Argue We Should Abolish Antitrust Laws
Laws about competition should be restricted to laws preventing government from playing favorites. Government-erected barriers against competition or innovation need to be torn down. As…
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Climate Litigation: ExxonMobil Strikes Back
ExxonMobil this week asked a Texas district court for authority to depose and obtain documents from “ExxonKnew” campaign legal strategist Matt Pawa and…
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California’s Cancerous Coffee Nonsense
If you have ever visited California, you have probably encountered the warning labels that appear on everything from seaweed to soft drinks, informing you…
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#SOTU2018: All Eyes on Infrastructure
Despite the Trump administration’s misguided call for additional federal spending on infrastructure, there are some bright spots for free marketers in the administration's plan.
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State of the Union: Trump Has Much to Take Credit for on Energy, Environment, and Climate
Message to President Trump on energy and environment issues: Don’t become comfortable with the status quo and sink back into the swamp; keep on doing…
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Understanding the Weird and Wonderful with Pete Leeson
Prof. Pete Leeson’s recent book teaches readers how to use economic thinking to reveal the hidden sense behind seemingly senseless human behavior.
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7 Congressional Efforts the President Should Urge Members to Support
President Trump should use his State of the Union address to encourage members of Congress to pass these 7 bills immediately.
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Bringing Net Neutrality Back from the Dead Would Be a Big Mistake for Congress
Passing a Congressional Review Act resolution to nullify the Restoring Internet Freedom Order would be as bad an idea as net neutrality regulations themselves were.
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Congress Should Repeal ‘Sore Loser’ Trade Law
Supporters of free trade ought to pressure Congress to repeal executive authority to unilaterally impose protectionist trade sanctions. …
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The State of Financial Regulation
President Trump will deliver his inaugural State of the Union address next week, where he will outline the administration’s agenda for the coming year. Here…
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A New Day at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
According to Acting Director Mick Mulvaney, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau will now stick to enforcing consumer protection laws as written, but not attempt go beyond that…
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Burger King Video Inadvertently Highlights Absurdity of Net Neutrality Claims
A new corporate video from Burger King ostensibly supports net neutrality regulations, but actually demonstrates exactly why such rules are unnecessary.
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Will Trump Finally Pull the Plug on the Paris Climate Treaty?
In his upcoming state of the union address, President Trump should finally reject the Paris Agreement, explain his reasons, and announce a plan to get…
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Stop Forcing Unions on Workers
Workers should have the right to speak for themselves at their workplace and decide how to spend their hard earned wages.
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Durbin Amendment Update: No More Free Checking for the Poor
The Durbin Amendment strikes again. Today brings further evidence that the little-known amendment authored by Sen. Richard Durbin (D-IL), which imposed price controls on…
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Tax Reform Outperforms Government Programs on Community Investment
Tax reform is the gift that keeps on giving. Americans for Tax Reform has documented the ever-growing list of companies providing pay raises, bonuses, 401(k)…
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Increasing Public Awareness Bolsters Potential for Blockchain Applications
Blockchain is a software architecture that seems very likely to unleash profound global forces if it crosses over into the mainstream.
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Where Are the President’s Surface Transportation Board Nominees?
Three seats currently sit empty on the Surface Transportation Board (STB) and the White House should move quickly to nominate cautious and judicious rail experts…
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Exposing Washington State’s Climate Cash Scandal
Governors Jay Inslee, Jerry Brown, and Andrew Cuomo have a radical agenda unconstrained by the law or basic decency.
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Here’s to the Side Hustlers
The rise of self-employment apps like Uber and TaskRabbit, where people decide when to work and how many jobs, rides, or gigs to take on,…
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Debunking the ‘Race to the Bottom’ Theory of Regulatory Competition
Its success in policymaking notwithstanding, the "race to the bottom" theory has fared poorly with the passage of time.
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Payday Loan Options Serve Consumers Well
Congress should use the Congressional Review Act to dismantle the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s payday loan rule.
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Supreme Court Should Safeguard Rights to Digital Property in Microsoft Case
The Court should recognize that communications and data are property, and cut off the “innovative” use of subpoenas to collect data that should require a…
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Prohibit Union Official Time during Potential Government Shutdown
Under OPM policy, exempt federal employees who work during a shutdown “serving as union officials may continue to be granted official time to the same…
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The White House Can Save the Small-Dollar Loan Industry
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's small dollar loan rule should be retracted on Paperwork Reduction Act violations alone. …
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Taming the Beast: Reform Ideas for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s complicated, one-size-fits-all rules with high compliance costs favor large banks with armies of lawyers while restricting the working poor’s access…
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Antitrust Resurgence Could Transform Tech Innovators into Lumbering Public Utilities
Regulation in the technology sector is worse than government merely picking winners and losers.
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7 Reasons to Oppose the Federal Payday Loan Rule
Congress should use the Congressional Review Act to overturn the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's small dollar loan rule.
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End of ‘California Rule’ Can Open Path for Pension Reform
Ending the 'California Rule' won’t mean that pension reform will become easy—union opposition will remain as fierce as today—but it’s a needed start.
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Questionable Climate Financing in Washington Gov. Inslee’s Office
Recent Wall Street Journal stories detail questionable dealings in Washington governor and climate activist Jay Inslee’s (D) office.
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Washington Governor Inslee Working on Climate Policy for an Environmental Group
My CEI colleague Chris Horner has discovered through state freedom of information laws that environmental pressure groups and major charitable foundations have been directing as…
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Did the Food Pyramid Make Us Fat?
If the government is going to spend our tax money on lecturing us on what we’re supposed to be eating, we can ask that their…
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The Dangerous Posturing of New York’s Fossil Fuel Pension Divestment
New Yorkers should be wary of Mayor Bill de Blasio's decision to divest fossil fuel energy stocks from the city's public employee pension plan.
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Right to Work Laws Protect Workers from Union Corruption
Widespread union corruption is just another reason why states should adopt right-to-work laws and free workers from forced union dues requirements.
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New Evidence on the Effects of Teacher Unions
At a time when minimum wage laws are causing opportunities for unskilled young people to disappear, it is all the more vital that education provides…
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Congress Must Help Modernize Outdated Auto Safety Regulations
Congress should encourage safety regulators to more rapidly adopt modern standards developed by private professional organizations. …
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All Agency Guidance Invalid Unless Submitted to Congress
We urgently need a catalog of guidance documents that were actually submitted to Congress and the Government Accountability Office as required. …
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Will Trump EPA Reconsider California Greenhouse Gas Waiver?
The Trump Justice Department will no longer use Clean Air Act enforcement penalties to provide multibillion-dollar subsidies for electric vehicle infrastructure.
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Department of Interior Announces Ambitious New Offshore Oil Plan
Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke has announced an ambitious new oil and gas leasing plan for the federal Outer Continental Shelf.
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Federalist Society Documents ‘American Spirit’ of U.S. Distilling
The Federalist Society has produced an excellent new short film out about the history of alcohol regulation.
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Justice Department Breaks Trump Vow to Leave Marijuana up to States
It is Congress’s responsibility to finally update federal drug laws in a way that reflects America’s changing values and priorities. …
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Tax Reform Delivers Another Blow to Union-Funded ‘Fight for $15’
Tax reform has produced results that have largely eluded the union-funded movement to raise the wages of workers across the country.
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Trump Administration Nominates Holly Greaves to Most Important EPA Post You’ve Never Heard of
Members of Congress should press Greaves to ensure that she is committed to producing an intelligible budget that allows for congressional oversight.
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Google Settlement: How Class Action Abuse Gives Money to Attorneys and Third Parties, Leaving Consumers with Nothing
CEI’s petition asks the Supreme Court to strike down the Google Referrer settlement and put in place clear rules that prevent lawyers from taking class…
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Cheery News for the New Year: Our Increasingly Livable Climate
Humanity in the Age of Global Warming is healthier, wealthier, and less at the mercy of extreme weather than the people of previous times.
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Bitcoin’s Wonderful, Awful Year
Will Bitcoin’s social capital grow to justify the current high price?…
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The 2018 Unconstitutionality Index: 28 Federal Agency Rules for Every Law Congress Passes
Even when an administration tries to cut regulation, the number of rules from hundreds of federal agencies will vastly outstrip the number of laws Congress passes.
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Trump Regulations: Federal Register Page Count Is Lowest In Quarter Century
Today, Friday, December 29, 2017, is the last federal workday of the year. This presents an opportunity to round up all rules and regulations produced…
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Great Books on Politics and Public Policy from 2017
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A Banner Year for Deregulation on Energy, Climate, and Environment
2017 has been a banner year for advancing free market policies across the board on energy, climate, and environmental issues.
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So, What Regulations Did Trump Eliminate?
President Donald Trump has made much news over slowing down the flow of regulations in 2017, and over new promises to reduce even more…
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Tech Crystal Ball 2018
Expert predictions on top tech issues for the new year.
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Top 5 Changes in Labor Policy to Look for in 2018
In 2018, expect a hard push by Congress to cement the traditional joint employer standard into law.
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Business World Lessons from the Silicon Valley International Film Festival
Business relationships are about serving the customer and creating win-win transactions.
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The Top Five Reforms in Financial Regulation Needed in 2018
With the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau at last pulling back from its regulatory assault on the financial services industry, conditions are right for major…
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Who Will Regulate Tom Wheeler?
When free competition suffers, it is government intervention that is the problem, not the companies doing the competing.
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Is There a Drone under Your Tree? Here’s the Current Status of Federal Regulation
No longer just the stuff of modern warfare, small drone aircraft are increasingly used in real estate, agriculture, infrastructure inspection, and search and rescue, to…
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Attorneys and the Pretense of Knowledge
Expecting judges to have the universe of judicial doctrine hard-coded into their brains is a recipe for disappointment, and it isn’t the type of judge…
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House Takes Lead on Bank Reform, Senate Should Follow
The House of Representatives has passed a significant piece of financial legislation, H.R. 3312, the “Systemic Risk Designation Improvement Act.”…
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EPA Considers ‘What Comes Next’ after Ending Obama-Era Clean Power Plan
This week's Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking is a brainstorming exercise for what comes in the wake of the EPA’s rescission of the Clean Power…
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Sugarplums or Lumps of Coal? The White House’s 140 Economically Significant Rules
In the White House’s new "Unified Agenda," the administration touts success in surpassing President Trump’s goal to eliminate two regulations for every one adopted.
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Ex-Im Nominee Scott Garrett Rejected, Swamp Claims Another Victim
Appointing Scott Garret to lead the Export-Import Bank should have been an area of broad agreement between the parties.
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Digital Finance Pioneers Using Bitcoin for Savings, Payments,…and Donations
Your support for the Competitive Enterprise Institute, given in Bitcoin or dollars, can help us strengthen the hand of the businesses that offer a revolution…
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Trump Liberates Pentagon from Obama’s Climate Obsession
Defense analysts and military planners should focus on bona fide threats to U.S. national security and international stability, not on the speculative impacts of greenhouse…
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Pension Bailout Bill Would Put Taxpayers on the Hook for Billions
Policymakers can help underfunded pension plans meet their payout obligations without bailouts.
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French President Holds Climate Finance Summit on 2nd Anniversary of Paris Treaty
On December 12, on the second anniversary of the signing of the Paris Climate Treaty, French President Emmanuel Macron held a climate finance summit in…
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Trump Reviews and Renews Regulatory Rollback Agenda
On December 14, President Trump outlined his administration’s deregulatory achievements to date and regulatory reform goals for 2018. He emphasized the importance of cutting…
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A Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Slush Fund?
While there are many reasons to criticize the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), it being assigned to enforce the nation’s financial consumer protection laws…
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NLRB Restores Commonsense Joint Employer Standard
During the past eight years, the Obama National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) tilted labor-management relation precedent far in favor of labor unions. This came in…
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Disney and Fox Merger Will Boost Competition; That’s Good for Everyone
The Walt Disney Company has come to an agreement to buy most of 21st Century Fox’s assets for $52.4 billion, but before the deal…
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Trump’s New Regulatory Reform Agenda – By the Numbers
Today the Trump administration released the Fall 2017 edition of the twice-yearly Regulatory Plan and Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions, accompanied…
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Preserving an Open Internet without the FCC
Brent Skorup and Chris Koopman of the Mercatus Center sat down earlier this summer and reviewed many of the questions relevant to the debate that’s reaching a fever-pitch…
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Results Are In: Freedom to Export Lowers Energy Prices
A study released today by Texans for Natural Gas (TNG) demolishes the long-running scare campaign waged by corporate rent seekers, eco-activists, and “progressive” politicians…
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Obama Administration’s ‘One National Vehicle Program’ Actually Three—or Four
The House Energy and Commerce held a hearing yesterday on corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) and greenhouse gas (GHG) emission standards for motor vehicles.
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Four Reasons So-Called Net Neutrality Regulations Should Be Scrapped
The Federal Communications Commission's Internet Freedom Order means a return to the light-touch regulatory regime the Internet thrived under for twenty years. …
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President’s Fall Policy Update
We have measures and very clear guideposts to tell us if we are on the right path.
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Beware the Online Sales Tax Grinch
Expanded sales tax authority is a small business killer. …
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Melugin Takes on 3 Common Net Neutrality Myths
If we want real Internet neutrality, we need less government, not more. CEI's Jessica Melugin dispels three common myths about Net Neutrality.
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Despite Global Warming, Developers Still Love Miami
20,000 condominiums are in various stages of construction in Miami, in spite of global warming.
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Raising a Glass to Repeal Day
This week we celebrated the 84th anniversary of the end of Prohibition with Repeal Day.
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Supreme Court Could Hand Down Game-Changing Ruling for Sports Betting
There's good reason to think that the Supreme Court will not only rule that New Jersey has the right to repeal its own sports betting ban,…
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Remove Barriers to Broadband Deployment to Help Consumers
The government should unleash the forces of market discipline in the broadband sector by reducing barriers to competition.
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Smart Policy Should Pave the Way for Advance of Automated Vehicles
The U.S. is already ahead of other countries in the race to perfect automated vehicles - the only roadblock is the government itself.
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End CFPB’s Collection of Americans’ Financial Data
Last week, when the drama of the dueling directors began at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), I told The Washington Examiner that the…
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Economics Will Be Our Ruination, Bitcoin Edition—and Some Notes on Securing Your Cryptocurrency
Asked about Bitcoin last week, economics Nobel laureate and Columbia University professor Joseph Stiglitz said, among other gems, “It ought to be outlawed. It…
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Forced Union Dues Fund Labor Union Politics
Today, the Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI) submitted a brief in Janus v AFSCME, Council 31, a case before the United States Supreme Court. The question at…
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Two Cheers for Virginia’s I-66 Express Lanes
Virginia’s limited foray into uncapped variable tolling represents a fairer and more efficient way to manage traffic congestion and pay for surface transportation.
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Labor Department Should Delay Overtime Rulemaking Pending Report
Trey Kovacs suggests a way to improve the Department of Labor's evidence-based policy making.
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FCC Chairman Pai Correct to Dismiss Net Neutrality Vote Delay
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai has brought significantly more transparency to this process than was present when the Obama-era net neutrality regulations were passed two years…
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Supreme Court Gambles with State Sovereignty
This morning the U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral argument in a case that pits New Jersey against both the nation’s largest sports leagues and the…
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Back to Basics after Bitcoin’s Wild Rise
The alternate currency known as Bitcoin has had a wild week, and its dramatic rise in value has meant that many Americans are hearing and…
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Brief Filed to Supreme Court in Forced Union Dues Case
No worker should be forced to fund an organization they do not wish to support.
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President Trump Should Defend Federal Land Use and End Abuse of Antiquities Act
Misuse of the Antiquities Act by radical environmental pressure groups and compliant presidents circumvents the constitutional authority of Congress…
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Big Changes Needed to Senate’s Financial Reform Bill
While the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief and Consumer Protection Act is a good first step, Republicans must push for more dramatic reform.
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EPA Finalizes 2018 Renewable Fuel Standard Targets
Caving to pressure from Iowa Republican Sens. Joni Ernst and Chuck Grassley, the Environmental Protection Agency decided to slightly increase rather than slightly decrease the overall…
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Case of Mortgage Lender PHH Corp. Highlights CFPB’s Unconstitutional Abuses
The facts of PHH Corporation v. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau stand as a sharp example of the agency's ability to abuse its enormous power.
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Court Orders Coinbase to Turn over Cryptocurrency User Data to IRS
Congress should revisit the law to protect privacy and due process in IRS investigations.
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Overturn CFPB’s Payday Loan Rule to Protect Vulnerable Consumers
Members of Congress must demonstrate the courage to stand up for consumers and against the rogue agency.
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What Should Congress Do About the Volcker Rule?
The Volcker Rule is a Dodd-Frank regulation that prohibits federally insured banks from engaging in “proprietary trading,” which is trading with their own capital. It…
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Senate Bill’s Stealth FIFO Capital Gains Hike Hinders Tax Reform
It’s crunch time on tax reform! The House passed a bill just before Thanksgiving. Now it’s the Senate’s turn. A good tax reform bill would…