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Blockchain Entrepreneurs, Investors Debate Friendly Jurisdictions
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Better than Expected Jobs Report Suggests Employer Optimism
It is very early days for the new administration, but there may be signs that employers are reacting to its deregulatory agenda.
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On Tour with U.S. Chamber’s ‘Let’s Grow’ Campaign
While the policy landscape is far from perfect, we have the best opportunity in a long time to clear the field for growth and prosperity…
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Takeaways from Browning-Ferris ‘Joint Employer’ Hearing
The National Labor Relations Board’s Browning-Ferris decision upended 30 years of precedent and creates immense uncertainty. Congress needs to step in and pass legislation that…
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The Case against the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: FAQ
Competitive Enterprise Institute General Counsel Sam Kazman answers 7 questions about CEI’s case against the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, State National Bank of Big Spring…
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Courts Should Abandon Deference Doctrines; Congress Should Fund Review Capacity
Judicial deference has engendered an imbalance between Articles II and III of the U.S. government, and we should look to the Founding Fathers for a…
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New York’s “BitLicense” on Trial
A lawsuit again New York's “BitLicense” regulation is challenging the state's targeting of Bitcoin-based businesses.
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Right and Wrong on Air Traffic Control Reform
Objections to privatizing the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Air Traffic Organization contradict conservative principles or else have previously been debunked.
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Making the Case for a Free Market in Space
For commercialized space (and alas, for other sectors) we need a regulatory heatshield, a HOT Act (“Hands Off Technology”).
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Improve Infrastructure Projects with Financing and Regulatory Reform
Financing and regulatory reform can help public and private investors get the most bang for their buck out of major new infrastructure projects.
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Congress Should Overturn New Restrictions on Prepaid Debit Cards
Congress should act to stop the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau from making financial transactions more difficult for people without bank accounts.
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Trump Should Keep Promise, Withdraw U.S. from Paris Climate Treaty
President Trump should keep his campaign promise and rescind or otherwise withdraw the United States from President Obama’s purported commitment to the Paris climate pact…
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Senate Takes Aim at Federal Contractor ‘Blacklisting’ Rule
Senators are considering a resolution of disapproval under the Congressional Review Act which would repeal the Department of Labor's "blacklisting" rule.
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Federal Disability Order Limits Public Access to Educational Content
A demand from the Justice Department over disability access means that the public will soon lose access to thousands of college lectures.
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Concerns over Vintage Climate Change Video Ignore Current Science
A 1991 climate change documentary is being touted by environmental activists as evidence of irresponsible corporate behavior.
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White House Proposes 24% Budget Cut for Environmental Protection Agency
Last week that the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) had sent its initial budget numbers to the Environmental Protection Agency for the agency…
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This Week in Ridiculous Regulations
As the regulatory freeze marches on, most new regulations coming out are garden-variety FAA airworthiness directives and Coast Guard drawbridge and safety zone rules.
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Legalized Sports Betting a Sane Response to March Madness
Congress should combat fraud, blackmail, and organized crime with legalized sports betting.
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A Congressional Review Act ‘Game-Changer’ Steps into the Spotlight
A new interpretation of the Congressional Review Act would allow Congress to quickly repeal federal regulations from as far back as the mid-1990s.
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Proposed EPA Budget Cuts Raise Serious Concerns
Proposed cuts to the Environmental Protection Agency budget suggest a poorly thought out initial effort.
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Congress Should Rein in Free Speech Violations with Budget Cuts
Congress should trim the budget of rogue agencies like the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
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FOIA Productions: An Incomplete Story
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California Supreme Court Quotes CEI Victory in Government Transparency Decision
The California Supreme Court has just ruled that when a government employee uses a personal email account to communicate about public business, those emails “may be subject…
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Trump Budget Cuts Encouraging, Pentagon Increases Questionable
President Trump should reduce expecting spending on defense in order to boost long-term economic growth.
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Reps. DeFazio, Massie Introduce Smart Financing Legislation for Airports
New legislation from Reps. Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Peter DeFazio (D-OR) would improve the ability of airports to finance improvements to their facilities.
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FCC Could Move Soon on Long-Delayed CEI Cable Merger Petition
Chairman Ajit Pai has signaled that the FCC may revise conditions on the Charter cable merge, hopefully granting a long-delayed CEI petition in the process.
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Science Committee Spotlights Major Flaws in Calculating ‘Social Cost’ of Carbon Dioxide
Estimating the "social cost" of carbon is a highly speculative enterprise that should not be guiding federal policy on energy and the environment.
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Trump’s Address a Mixed Bag on Transportation and Infrastructure
President Trump's address to a joint session of Congress, delivering a speech outlining many of his administration’s policy priorities and presenting a mixed bag for…
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Trump Must Collaborate and Persuade to Advance Regulatory Reform
For the President to advance his agenda for reforming the overreaching regulatory state, he will need a partnership with Congress.
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Federal Workplace Officials Using Un-‘Reasonable’ Legal Standard on Harassment
The primary winners from defining harassment very broadly are trial lawyers, not minority employees.
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Low-Cost Private Schools a Success for Developing World Families
Education reform advocates in the United States have a lot to learn from low-cost private schools in the world's poorest communities.
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This Week in Ridiculous Regulations
43 new regulations last week, from toddler beds to potato proteins.
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White House Bets on Regulatory Reform to Kickstart Job Growth
This afternoon President Trump signed a new executive order titled “Enforcing the Regulatory Reform Agenda” with the goal of spurring economic growth and job creation.
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McCloskey on Free Trade: Who Is it Good For?
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Gates Foundation Should Credit Market Reforms for Poverty Reduction
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation should give greater credit to the proven economic reforms that have spurred development throughout the world.
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Failure to Renounce Paris Climate Deal Would Create Major White House Policy Conflict
On the campaign trail, presidential candidate Donald Trump said he would “cancel” U.S. participation in the Paris Agreement. He now appears to be back-pedaling.
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Policy Background on Trump’s Joint-Session Address to Congress
Here are five areas where the administration has the opportunity to implement valuable and much-needed reforms for the American people.
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Education Department Should Reassert Proper Scope for Title IX Discrimination Rules
Under President Obama, the U.S. Department of Education illegitimately stretched its legal authority to police gender inequality on college campuses.
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EPA Urged to Reconsider Last-Minute Obama Mileage Rules
The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers petitioned Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt this week to re-evaluate greenhouse gas emission standards for new cars that were…
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Dept. of Education Should End ‘Double Jeopardy’ Complaint Provision
The Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights should end complaint procedures that violate an accused individual's right against double jeopardy.
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“I, Whiskey” Screens at the Oxford Film Festival
Richard Morrison and Amanda France recently presented the CEI film "I, Whiskey: The Human Spirit" at the Oxford Film Festival.
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New Bill Could Save Vaping Market and Millions of Lives
If we can’t fully overturn FDA’s authority to regulate vapes, the next best option would be to alter the grandfather date as the Deeming Authority…
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Veterans Affairs Employees Spent 1.1 Million Hours on Union Activities
Department of Veterans Affairs employees spend over 1 million hours per year performing union activities instead of fulfilling the mission of the agency.
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This Week in Ridiculous Regulations
As with the previous few weeks, many of this week’s regulations were simply delays of previous rules.
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Mnuchin Must Bring Transparency to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac
Recently-confirmed Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin must do everything he can to reverse the extreme secrecy practiced by the Obama Treasury Department.
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End Federal Micromanagement of College Discipline Under Title IX
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Unite for Privacy and the First Amendment
Join the fight for free speech by visiting People United for Privacy on their website or on Facebook.
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Will Trump EPA Challenge California’s De Facto Authority to Regulate Fuel Economy?
Former Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt is now Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Pruitt led the coalition of 27 states, more than…
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Economic Freedom in the U.S. Fell Last Year Due to Rising Regulatory and Tax Burdens
The United States recently slipped to its lowest level yet in world rankings of economic freedom compiled by the Heritage Foundation and The Wall…
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Congress: Federal Labor Board Must Be Fair to Both Employers and Workers
The National Labor Relations Board has become an overly political agency that, as currently constructed, does more harm than good. It is in dire need of reform.
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AT&T-Time Warner Deal Highlights Need for FCC Reform
Interference by Democratic senators in the merger of AT&T and Time Warner is a reminder of the need to reform the FCC’s authority to regulate…
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Conair Class Action Settlement Sets Our Hair on Fire
If you bought a Conair Infiniti Pro hair dryer before August 31, 2016 in New York or California, then you are probably part of a…
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Deregulate to Grow the Economy Faster
Congress and the new administration have a real chance to make the economy grow faster, and to raise the labor force participation rate above its…
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Five Regulatory Heartbreaks on Valentine’s Day
Tomorrow we celebrate our significant other by showering them with affection and chocolate—but is government regulation getting in the way of your date night?…
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This Week in Ridiculous Regulations
The White House regulatory freeze continues, and a wide range of recent rules, big and small, have been delayed until late March.
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Trump May Suspend Obama-era Rules on Conflict Minerals
The Dodd-Frank Act’s conflict-minerals rules backfired, and caused malnutrition, misery, and violence in the eastern Congo.
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Celebrate Hans Rosling’s Fact-Based Optimism about Our World
Fans of free markets and limited government were often especially disposed admire Hans Rosling, given his relentless debunking of scare stories that are often used…
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Free the Fishermen: Cause of Action Defends Small Business at Sea
Cause of Action is defending New Hampshire fisherman David Goethel, and others like him, from extraordinarily expensive government regulations.
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Sen. Elizabeth Warren Tries to Silence Fiduciary Rule Critics
Sen. Elizabeth Warren has frequently resorted to intimidation to effectively silence those with views which she disagrees. This is particularly true for critics of the…
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States Should Resist Pressure to Implement REAL ID Act
National requirements for state ID cards are an abuse of the constitutional division of power between the states and the federal government.
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Response to Mercatus Center’s Dan Griswold on Trade Policy
Fred Smith and Marc Scribner respond to the Mercatus Center's Dan Griswold on the free market approach to trade policy.
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Companies Make a Play for Hearts and Minds with Super Bowl Ads
Corporations are in trouble – people see more bad than good in corporate America, even though they may like and enjoy their products.
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GOP Beltway Veterans Pitch Trump on Carbon Tax
A group of former Republican White House and cabinet officials advocated a carbon tax in a meeting with Trump economic adviser Gary Cohn, Ivanka Trump,…
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Deregulate to Speed Recovery from ‘Creative Destruction’ of Trade and Innovation
Government regulation limits the ability of individuals and businesses to recover from normal economic setbacks.
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Hans Rosling, Antidote to Pessimism, Dies at 68
Hans Rosling, the Swedish doctor and professor who saved countless lives in the world’s poorest countries (and gave TED talks), has died of pancreatic cancer.
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Responding to More Distortions of Air Traffic Control Reform
Free-market transportation researchers strongly support the air traffic control reform.
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Financial Regulation Executive Order a Step in the Right Direction
A new White House executive order aims to redesign how financial institutions are regulated by the federal government.
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Attorney General and Trial Lawyer Collaboration Creates Revolting Blend
A new study documents unconstitutional collusion between state attorneys general and trial lawyers.
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FCC Chairman Pai Ends Obama-era Investigation of ‘Zero-rating’ Data Plans
Newly promoted FCC chairman Ajit Pai signals a reversal of policy on Obama-era net neutrality rules.
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Worker Freedom Extends to Missouri
Today, Missouri became the 28th state to enact right-to-work legislation, which prohibits forced payment of union dues as a condition of employment.
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This Week in Ridiculous Regulations
With the new administration’s regulatory freeze now in full effect, there were just 8 proposed new regulations published last week. This was the lowest figure…
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The Super Bowl: Not Just for Football Fans
The Super Bowl is perennially one of the most-watched TV events around the world, so it’s no surprise that millions of people find reasons to…
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False Claim about Nominee Gorsuch Highlights Need for Rigorous Fact-Checking
People will believe silly things when it fits their ideological preconceptions, as in the case this week of Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch.
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Pence Shows Interest in Scott Walker-Style Collective Bargaining Reform
Recent conversations between Vice President Pence and Wisconsin governor Scott Walker signal interest in collective bargaining reform for federal employees.
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Encouraging Job Report Suggests Deregulation Will Get America Back to Work
New employment numbers suggest that employers are starting to respond to the promise of substantial deregulation by the new administration.
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Susette Kelo Eminent Domain Battle Hits Big Screen in ‘Little Pink House’
The film Little Pink House, a dramatization of Connecticut homeowner Susette Kelo’s fight against eminent domain abuse, had its world premiere last night at the…
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Trump Not Bound by Obama Volkswagen Settlement with EPA
The judicial settlement which was reached between Volkswagen and the U.S. Department of Justice last October infringes on President Trump’s Article II authority.
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Smart Move for White House to Push Back on Fiduciary Rule, Dodd-Frank
President Trump’s forthcoming executive actions—expected to halt the Department of Labor’s fiduciary rule and call for review of Dodd-Frank regulations—will greatly benefit middle-class investors, entrepreneurs,…
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Nestlé, Other Businesses Flee California
Poor economic policy is negatively impacting job prospects in the Golden State.
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Assessing Prospects for Bipartisan Consensus on Regulatory Reform
The federal government doesn’t merely spend $4 trillion a year, it directs the private sector to spend and otherwise re-purposes enormous resources.
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Hardee’s and Carl’s Jr. Employees Set Record Straight on Working for Andy Puzder
This week employees of Hardee’s and Carl’s Jr. described their experiences working for CKE Restaurants, where Secretary of Labor-designate Andrew Puzder is CEO.
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Congress Should Nullify Obama’s Unlawful and Wasteful Methane Rule
This week, the U.S. House will consider a Congressional Review Act joint resolution of disapproval to overturn the Bureau of Land Management’s methane capture rule.
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Public Interest Groups Urge Update of Email Privacy Protections
This week, CEI joined dozens of public interest groups, trade associations, and companies in sending a letter to Congress in support of the…
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Congress Puts Dept. of Labor’s Blacklisting Rule in Crosshairs
Congress is taking a first step in rolling back parts of the Obama administration’s costly red-tape put out by the Department of Labor.
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Congress Should Eliminate SEC Rule that Discloses Company Information to Foreign Governments
Congress should pass a joint resolution of disapproval and block the Securities and Exchange Commission’s rule relating to ‘‘Disclosure of Payments by Resource Extraction Issuers.”…
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Congress Should Eliminate Obama’s Stream Protection Rule
Congress should eliminate the Department of Interior’s harmful Stream Protection Rule. …
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Scrap Proposition 65, California’s Unscientific Chemical Safety Law
California lawmakers should oppose the effort to list glyphosate as a carcinogen under the state's chemical safety and risk law, originally adopted by voters as…
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White House Should Revisit Volkswagen Settlement with EPA
A coalition of free-market groups ask President Trump to investigate the VW emissions settlement with the EPA.
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Trump ‘2-for-1’ Executive Order Could Save Lives
Many federal regulations harm health and safety, so President Trump’s executive order requiring “agencies to revoke two regulations for every new rule they want to issue”…
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Senate Should Disregard Spurious Public Health Charges against EPA Nominee Pruitt
The Senate should disregard accusations that EPA Administrator-designate Scott Pruitt is somehow responsible for asthma rates in his home state of Oklahoma.
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‘One In, Two Out’: Trump’s Executive Order on New Regulations
President Trump's latest executive order on regulatory reform could be an important step in the right direction for reining in government red tape.
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Free-Market Groups Urge Senate to Confirm Labor Nominee Puzder
A coalition of 17 free-market groups is urging the Senate to confirm Andrew Puzder as Secretary of the U.S. Department of Labor.
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This Week in Ridiculous Regulations
For the next few weeks, the Federal Register will likely have fewer pages and regulations than usual.
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Update on Pruitt Recusal Kerfuffle
During the January 18 Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee hearing on Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt’s nomination to be Environmental Protection Agency…
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CEI Salt Study Leaves a Bad Taste in Anti-Salt Advocates’ Mouths
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Harry Potter and the City Council Chambers
The MacIver Institute documents the temptation of local governments to spend taxpayer money on “economic development” projects and tourist events.
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Blockchain Business Council to Help Secure Property Rights for World’s Poor
The launch of the Global Blockchain Business Council at the 2017 World Economic Forum is good news for the world’s venture capitalists and poor alike.
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Union Membership Hits Rock Bottom
Union membership is on the decline, in part, because many labor unions have become reliant on government to ease union organizing rather than providing value…
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Climate Scientist Judith Curry Files Legal Brief Supporting CEI’s Free Speech Rights
Climate scientist Judith Curry today filed an amicus brief with the D.C. Court of Appeals supporting the petitions for full-court review of a three-judge panel’s…
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Senate Democrats Cite Bogus Jobs Figures on ‘Infrastructure’ Plan
Senate Democrats unveiled a $1 trillion infrastructure blueprint, claiming the eventual legislation would create 15 million jobs over 10 years. The plan stretches the meaning…