Today’s Links: September 15, 2011

OPINION

Al Griffin: “COMMUNITY COMMENT: Blame Bush-Era Law for Decline of Postal Service”
“The Postal Service is in trouble because of a Bush-era law that requires the Postal Service to massively pre-fund the cost of retiree health benefits over the next 75 years in just 10 years’ time. This cost covers not only current employees, but employees who have yet to be hired — and is on top of the cost for health benefits for current retirees. No other company or agency in America is required to pre-fund future retiree health benefits. The Postal Service Retiree Health Benefit Fund already has more than $42 billion in it — more than enough to cover retiree health premiums for the next 20 years.”

Tim Carney: “GOP Field Takes Aim at Crony Capitalism—Finally”
“When Michele Bachmann attacked Rick Perry in this week’s debate for helping a politically connected drug company, and Newt Gingrich attacked GE and even oil companies for benefitting from targeted tax breaks, it stirred a bit of a reaction on the Left. ‘Wait, being a crony capitalist is a problem now?’ journalist Dave Roberts, a liberal environmentalist, asked rhetorically. It’s actually an important question.”

Ben Popper: “Venture Capitalists With Powerful Blogs May Run Afoul of the SEC”
“‘People think there is a distinction between how an major investor can talk about a public company versus a private company,’ Ralph Ferrara, former General Counsel for the SEC, told Betabeat. ‘But if you read the law carefully, you see that everything that you can do wrong when combining a public company with the media applies to investments in private companies as well.'”

NEWS

FOOD – Sugar vs. High Fructose Corn Syrup: Court Battle Begins
“This morning in a downtown Los Angeles courtroom, a bitter legal battle begins over identity. In one corner, a coalition of table sugar producers complaining about false advertising and attempted ‘food identity theft.’ In the other, high fructose corn syrup producers trying desperately to rebrand their vilified product as ‘corn sugar.’ Will the real sugar please stand up?”

NANNY STATE – Michigan to Track Kids’ BMI
“In an attempt to combat Michigan’s childhood obesity epidemic, Gov. Rick Snyder announced Wednesday that the state would begin tracking kids’ body mass index through the Michigan Care Improvement Registry. Although the policy would be one of the most extensive government anti-childhood obesity efforts, pediatricians were divided over whether it would have the desired impact.”