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Obamacare Makes State Budget Problems Worse
Obamacare is making state budget problems much worse, as governors now lament. Earlier, CEI filed an amicus brief in Florida v. HHS on…
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CEI Podcast — December 21, 2010: What’s Next for Immigration Reform?
CEI Policy Analyst Alex Nowrasteh goes over the good and the bad of the DREAM Act, which recently stalled in the Senate, and offers his…
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Morning Media Summary
Tech: FCC to Vote on Internet Regulation Plan Despite Economic Warnings: “Lawmakers are on high alert as the Federal Communications Commission prepares…
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New York Energy Drink Ban Hearing at 2:30 on Tuesday
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Alcohol Regulatory Roundup: December 20, 2010
While most lawmakers have checked out for the holiday vacation already (mentally and/or physically), there are still some movers and shakers out there getting frothed…
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Update on D.C. Metro Bag Checks
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New Hayekian Anthem
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Afternoon Links: December 20, 2010
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Congress Set to Fail Online Poker Players
As I have written about before, Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) introduced a bill earlier this month that would legalize a limited form of online…
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Food Safety Modernization Act Passes; Unconstitutional Provision Supposedly Removed
The Food Safety Modernization Act was passed again by Congress on Sunday, apparently without a provision that earlier drew criticism for violating the Constitution by having a…
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Morning Media Summary
Tech: Chavez defends plan for Internet regulations: “Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez defended plans for a law that would impose broadcast-type regulations on the…
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Rip-Off: College Tuition Bubble and Debt Burdens Grow Worse
Forbes magazine recently blew the whistle on how skyrocketing college tuition is ripping off the public. Thanks to some colleges’ greed, and the federal and state financial…
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Judicial Hellholes Kill Jobs and Redistribute Wealth
The most recent list of judicial hellholes has just been released by the American Tort Reform Association. It lists “courts in Philadelphia; California’s Los Angeles…
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CEI Weekly: Obamacare Ruled Unconstitutional
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Pennsylvania State Lottery Commission Opposes Internet Gambling
When a government agency is threatened, it will inevitably lash out in efforts to keep the government jobs safe and the tax money flowing. This…
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Afternoon Links: December 17, 2010
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Online Poker is Not Illegal: U.S. Courts
U.S. District Judge Jed Rakoff of New York sentenced convicted felon Anurag Dikshit, the co-founder of PartyGaming.com, to a meager year of probation and indicated his…
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Morning Media Summary
Tech: FCC’s net neutrality plan faces growing chorus of bipartisan opposition: “As the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) prepares to vote next week on…
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Nanny-Statist CSPI Sues to Ban Happy Meals at McDonald’s
An ill-informed left-wing group, the Center for Science in the Public Interest, is suing McDonald’s in California to ban toys from Happy…
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Afternoon Links: December 16, 2010
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“Odd Couple!” Nader/Public Citizen Attorney and Richard Epstein Urge Supreme Court to Hear CEI’s Tobacco Case
“Odd couple.” That’s how a Forbes report just described a pairing of former Nader/Public Citizen attorney Alan Morrison and University of Chicago Law School Prof.
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Should Obamacare Be Struck Down In Its Entirety Rather Than Just Having Its Unconstitutional Parts Severed?
In his ruling striking down Obamacare’s individual mandate (requirement that people buy health insurance), Judge Hudson in Richmond declined to strike down the rest…
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Security Theater, D.C. Metro Edition
Everyone wants our transportation systems to be safe. But safety must also be balanced with respecting the privacy of citizens, and not wasting money on…
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High-Speed Rail as the New Political Football?
Over at National Journal‘s Transportation Experts blog, Fawn Johnson asks whether or not high-speed rail has become a new political football in the United…
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Live Blogging: “Fixing The World Economy: Stresses And Solutions”
This is a Live Blog of a Thomson Reuters Event on “Fixing the World Economy.” The speakers are Dominique Strauss-Kahn, International Monetary Fund and Chrystia…
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Morning Media Summary
Tech: Approval of Internet traffic rules likely-analysis: “Contentious Internet traffic rules facing a vote next week are likely to be adopted without radically…
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Once Again, the Terrorists Win
All it takes to turn the tables is a bit of common sense. Unfortunately, that may be asking too much.
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Interchange Price Controls: Gift to Big Merchants, Lump of Coal for Consumers and Community Financial Institutions
On Thursday, the Federal Reserve — at the direction of Congress in the Durbin Amendment to the Dodd-Frank financial “reform” bill — will give…
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An Update on State Alcohol Regulations
Here is another installment in the roundup of news regarding the weird and wacky state of alcohol regulation in the U.S.: California: The “sangria…
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CEI Podcast — December 15, 2010: Alcohol Regulations Across the Country
Michelle Minton, CEI's Director of Insurance Studies, takes a whirlwind tour of alcohol regulations across the country.
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Useless College Degrees Proliferate; Millions Waste Lives in Academic Bubble
“Do we need more college grads?,” asks John Leo in Minding the Campus. The answer is surely no: a study highlighted in the Chronicle…
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Afternoon Links: December 15, 2010
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Morning Media Summary
Tech: Air Force Blocks Media Sites: “The U.S. Air Force is blocking its personnel from using work computers to view the websites of…
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Is Obamacare’s Government Healthcare Takeover a “Civil Right”?
Doug Powers takes aim at the silly argument by the Obama administration that opposing Obamacare is analogous to opposing basic civil rights. As he…
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In Offense of Ben Bernanke, Part III: Bernanke, Blinder, and Underpants Gnomes
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In Offense of Ben Bernanke, Part II: The Natural Rate of Unemployment
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In Offense of Ben Bernanke, Part I: The Fed is Competent?
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Unemployment Benefits Keep People from Working
Wintery Knight has an interesting discussion of how unemployment benefits keep people from working, drawing on coverage from The New York Times and academic…
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Afternoon Links: December 14, 2010
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Reactions to Court Ruling Striking Down Part of Obamacare in Virginia v. Sebelius
Yesterday, a federal judge in Richmond struck down Obamacare’s requirement that individuals buy health insurance. Cato Institute’s Ilya Shapiro reacts to the decision…
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Morning Media Summary
Tech: Gawker Media Hacked, Warns Users to Change Passwords: “E-mail addresses and password details for 200,000 registered users of Gawker…
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The Day Four Loko Died
Last month, when Phusion Projects announced they were removing caffeine from their popular alcoholic-energy drink Four Loko, they told the FDA that “original recipe”…
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Alcohol Regulation Roundup
As alcohol regulations vary state-by-state and constantly shifting here is a quick roundup of booze news from around the states: In federal news, following…
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Afternoon Links: December 13, 2010
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There are No Victors in Trade Wars
Today the World Trade Organization issued a decision confirming that the United States did not break any of its obligations with China over the…
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V.A. Judge Rules Against Obama’s Health Care Law
A Virginia federal judge has declared federal health care legislation unconstitutional. In response to the decision, which was handed down earlier today, CEI General…
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CEI Weekly: Federal Regulations Are Killing Jobs
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TSA’s Bad Policies Aren’t Going Away
Public outrage at the TSA's new policies has died down. That's a real shame, because people are still having experiences like this one.
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Supreme Court will not Hear Columbia University Eminent Domain Case
It was announced today that the U.S. Supreme Court will not take up a challenge to the Empire State Development Corporation’s property takings in…
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Ruling in Virginia’s Challenge to Obamacare Individual Mandate Expected Today
A ruling in Virginia’s constitutional challenge to Obamacare’s individual mandate is expected later today. The Competitive Enterprise Institute joined in an amicus brief filed…
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Objection in Ercoline v. Unilever (Breyers Smooth & Dreamy) class action
We had to mail it to the court rather than electronically file it so it may not immediately show up in the docket, but today…
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More Disincentives to Work, Thanks to the Federal Government and the Stimulus Package
Thanks to food stamps, Medicaid, and housing subsidies, and other welfare benefits, many “poor” people have far more disposable income than self-supporting households earning $40,000…
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Are Government Employee Unions Losing the Democrats?
Government employee unions have long been renowned as one of the Democratic Party’s most loyal and dedicated supporting constituencies. For years, Democratic politicians have supported…
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New Fast Food Restaurants Banned in South Los Angeles
New fast-food restaurants are now banned in South Los Angeles. Say goodbye to many entry-level jobs in that poor urban area. The cockamamie idea behind this ban is…
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Energy Drink Ban? What’s Next?
Lynne Nowick, a legislator in Suffolk County, New York, wants to ban energy drinks for anyone under the age of 19 years old. Why?…
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The Extension of Ethanol Subsidies
Despite opposition from academics, environmental organizations, libertarian organizations, editorial boards across the country, and dozens (PDF) of other…
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Wine and Cheese Gift Baskets: Illegal in New York State
Here’s a whole new spin to “assembly required.” It is against New York State law to ship wine and cheese in one box, basket, or…
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Court Rejects Obesity Class-Action Against McDonald’s
A New York court has refused to certify a class-action lawsuit against McDonald’s by people claiming it made them obese. As Ted Frank notes,…
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The Insanity of Ethanol Policy
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Child-Snatching to Reap Federal Funds: The Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997
An article called “The 7 Most Horrifying Cost-Cutting Measures of All Time” decries the role of the Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997…
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Why Insurance Rates Rise in Calm Seasons
This year’s hurricane season, which officially ended at the beginning of this month, was the third most active season on record for the Atlantic. However,…
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Afternoon Links: December 9, 2010
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Stimulus Impact: Zero, or Less Than Zero?
In The Wall Street Journal, economists John F. Cogan and John B. Taylor argue that the impact of the $800 billion “Obama stimulus” was…
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17 Million Unnecessary College Degrees; Obama Administration Seeks to Increase the Number
In America today, 317,000 waiters and waitresses have college degrees. Over 18,000 parking lot attendants have college degrees. So do thousands of janitors.
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Lame Ducks Need Some Backbone to Let Ethanol Subsidy and Tariff Expire
What’s one of the easiest things to do in the lame duck session? Why, nothing — in relation to the 45-cents a gallon tax credit…
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Anti-Earmarker Jeff Flake Gets the Nod for Appropriations; “Prince of Pork” Abdicates for Chairmanship
It looks like the anti-spending brigade will get some support on the powerful House Appropriations Committee — incoming Speaker of the House John Boehner…
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CEI Podcast — December 8, 2010: What’s Driving Ethanol Subsidies
CEI Research Associate Brian McGraw takes a look at what's behind the federal government's multi-billion dollar subsidies for ethanol.
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Afternoon Links: December 8, 2010
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Small Brewers’ Big Mistake in Colorado
In Colorado, the only place one can purchase alcoholic beverages over a strength of 3.2 percent alcohol by volume to take home is in a…
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Vincent Vernuccio on the Federal Pay Freeze
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Does Wikileaks Have a First Amendment Case Against Joe Lieberman?
Amazon made headlines last week when it abruptly cut off service to Wikileaks, allegedly on the grounds that the site had violated Amazon's…
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Supreme Court to Hear Wal-Mart v. Dukes
The Supreme Court voted to hear Wal-Mart v. Dukes, granting Wal-Mart’s petition for certiorari. The Supreme Court will decide whether a class-action rule…
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Morning Media Summary
Tech: Anonymous’ Operation : Payback campaign defends Wikileaks, downs MasterCard website: “Online supporters of whistleblowing website Wikileaks are fighting back…
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Wikileaks’ Assange to Australian Times: “I’m Not Sorry”
Julian Assange wrote an op-ed in the Australian Times today essentially saying, “I’m not sorry”: I grew up in a Queensland country…
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Afternoon Links: December 7, 2010
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People Do What You Pay Them to Do
This seems like an obvious statement. But Big Government is shocked — shocked! — when it pays doctors to perform surgeries instead of taking time for…
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Deal to Explode Deficits by $900 Billion Will Burden States and Employers With More Unemployment Costs
President Obama and Republican leaders reached a deal to extend the Bush tax cuts for two years — and temporarily reduce social security payroll taxes…
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Why D.C. Metro Escalators Are Always Broken: Incentives Matter
For Washingtonians wondering why Metro is always on the fritz, check out my piece over at The Examiner about how WMATA unions pay employees…
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Allure of the Seas: A Nation of “Why Not?”
The newest, largest cruise ship in the world set sail on its maiden voyage this week. Crewmembers tout the Allure’s motto: “A Nation of Why…
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Pro-Trade Country Songs — Oak Ridge Boys Beat Brad Paisley
Over at Cato@Liberty, David Boaz points to a post by Chris Cardiff on RootedinProsperity.com praising a song and video of country superstar Brad…
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Senator Grassley Supports Selective Tax Increases
A press release from Senator Grassley (R-Iowa), “U.S. Sen Grassley: Tax revenue doesn’t grow on Christmas trees”: The mid-term elections delivered a clear message. Americans…
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Morning Media Summary
Tech: Sharpton: FCC should threaten radio stations carrying Rush [Video]: “If the left can’t get Rush by reviving the Fairness Doctrine, maybe the…
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Printing Money Troubles
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Afternoon Links: December 6, 2010
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Fuzzy Math on Foreign Aid Shows Why Spending Cuts Are Difficult
Most Americans want to increase government-to-government transfers ten-fold from current levels while also cutting them in half.
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Seattle Land-Use Regulation Liberalization Redux
Stephen Smith of Market Urbanism responds to my response to his question, asking if I thought Seattle’s proposed land-use liberalization bill was a…
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Morning Media Summary
Tech: Wave Goodbye to Internet Freedom: “The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is poised to add the Internet to its portfolio of regulated industries.
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Unemployment Jumps to 9.8 Percent; Stimulus and New Regulations Wipe Out Jobs
Unemployment has jumped to 9.8 percent. The population has grown recently, but the number of jobs has remained virtually flat. The White House…
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Can EPA Regulators “Solve” the Obesity Problem?
Your New Year resolution might involve diet and exercise but according to news sources, that might not shrink your waistline. They say man-made chemicals called…
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CEI Weekly: The Federal Pay Freeze That Isn’t
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Afternoon Links: December 3, 2010
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Sunday Brunch in New York City
You can find a lot in New York City that you can’t find anywhere else in the world. But if you’re in New York and…
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The College Debt Bubble: Is It Ready to Explode?
“Is the College Debt Bubble Ready to Explode?,” asks Laura Rowley at Yahoo! Finance. College tuition has skyrocketed much more than housing did during…
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From Poor and Sick to Healthy and Rich
I'm always impressed with creative, compelling ways to use data to tell a story. And this story is one of the most important in human…
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Let Ethanol Tax Credit and Tariff Expire — Congress “Can Do Good Just by Doing Nothing”
CEI colleague Marlo Lewis skewers the ethanol tax credit and the tariff, due to expire at year-end. Lewis points out that letting the 45¢…
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The Censuring of Charles Rangel
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Morning Media Summary
Tech: WikiLeaks switches to Swiss domain after attacks: “WikiLeaks was forced Friday to switch over to a Swiss domain name, wikileaks.ch, after a…
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Senate Leaders Violate Constitution in Pushing Through Costly Food Safety Modernization Act
The House and Senate passed different versions of the Food Safety Modernization Act, which would ratchet up costly regulations of farms and food processing. (Greg…
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Brian McGraw on China’s Green Economy
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Homeland Security Violating Due Process and Free Speech In Internet Power Grab?
Law professor David Post notes that the Department of Homeland Security is seizing entire domain names, not to protect national security, but to enforce…