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News Release
Fed stays the course on fighting inflation and proving its independence: CEI analysis
The Federal Reserve has decided to not move interest rates, an expected decision that signals the Fed’s independence and its continued fight against inflation. CEI…
Newsweek
What Trump’s Housing Executive Order Means for Mortgages
Newsweek cited CEI’s expert on mortgage costs However, John Berlau, financial policy director at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, called Trump’s proposal “misguided” and told Newsweek…
The Washington Post
Trump has lurched to the populist Left with recent economic proposals
The Washington Post cited CEI’s expert on financial policy “It won’t get to the root of the government-induced housing shortage, it will make things…
Search Posts
Blog
The good, the bad, and the ugly in Trump’s new regulation executive order
President Donald Trump issued a new executive order on regulation Friday reviving some of the core ideas from his first term. The order brings…
News Release
Trump’s pick for acting CFPB director is good news for consumers & financial innovation
CEI Director of Finance Policy John Berlau praised President Trump’s pick to act as head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, following the firing of…
Blog
Agenda for Congress: Inflation
CEI’s new Agenda for Congress is out now. Each chapter contains pro-market policy recommendations in areas where CEI has expertise. Here are the ones…
Letters
CEI opposes efforts concerning price controls on credit cards
Dear Member of Congress: We, the undersigned organizations, oppose efforts to impose price controls on credit cards. Whether through the inaccurately named Credit Card…
National Review
The Federal Reserve’s New Debit Card Rule Threatens Consumers and Banks
While some lawmakers and regulators are targeting credit cards, the Federal Reserve has plans for your debit card. The likely result will be…
News Release
Trump EO on digital currency welcomes innovation in cryptocurrency
President Trump today signed a pro-digital currency executive order establishing a President’s Working Group on Digital Asset Markets, within the National Economic Council, aimed…
Op-Eds
Affordable Housing – How Donald Trump Could Accomplish More Than Jimmy Carter
The passing of Jimmy Carter sparked much praise for his post-presidency good deeds, particularly his decades of volunteer work with Habitat for Humanity building homes…
The Cedar Rapids Gazette
Here’s how Iowa is involved in stopping controversial ‘debanking’
Many Americans have recently been exposed to the troubling reality that their government may be encouraging banks to withdraw financial services from people or firms…
Yahoo Finance
Consumer protection agency closes the Biden era taking big swings
Yahoo Finance cited CEI’s financial expert on bad regulations “I can’t speak to the merits of every lawsuit, they’re filing them so fast,” said…
News Release
Fed cuts interest rates again, fewer cuts planned next year: CEI analysis
Today, the Federal Reserve announced that interest rates will be cut by 25 basis points, with an additional note that there will be fewer…
The National News Desk
Sticky inflation, Trump bring obstacles to Fed’s path to lowering rates
“While the Fed would like to cut interest rates, if they really want to signal seriousness about inflation and they want to build up that…
Yahoo News
John Berlau, a senior fellow at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, says the “supposed purpose” of this crackdown is to “prevent banks from doing business with…
DC Journal
Debanking May Be a Problem for Melania Trump and Many Others
In her new memoir, former First Lady Melania Trump reveals that she was abruptly dropped by a bank with which she had a long-standing financial relationship.
Washington Examiner
DOGE target: Paperwork hits 10 billion hours, equals 15,000 lifetimes
Washington Examiner cited CEI’s expert on financial regulation “For periodic real-time assessments, the OMB maintains an online landing page for ‘Government-Wide Totals for Active Information…
Forbes
Durban-Marshall & Reg II Benefit Big Retail at Customers’ Expense
Stop, thief! It’s common knowledge that looting and burglaries are often most successful when people are distracted by an attention-getting event – be it a…
The Washington Times
Thanksgiving dinner will cost less this year as inflation cools
The Washington Times cited CEI’s expert on inflation “Even without the drop in turkey prices, Thanksgiving would still be more affordable than last year,” said Ryan…
National Review
The Price of Credit-Card Convenience Is Not a Matter for Big Government
Card is $8, cash is $7,” said the taco-truck employee to me. I paid for my tacos by card because I rarely carry cash, and $1…
The Hill
DOGE is no joke — don’t underestimate Trump’s attack on government inefficiency
The Hill cited CEI on Federal Regulatory Burdens Ditto the regulatory burden that stems from excess government red tape spewed across businesses and individuals. The…
Business Insider
The future of betting markets
Business Insider cited CEI’s expert on the future of election betting markets Prediction markets are “going to attract people who want to influencepublic perception,” Broughel…
The National News Desk
New administration brings unknowns to Fed’s path on interest rates
The National News Desk quoted CEI’s expert on the new administrations spending initiatives. “There is a huge amount of uncertainty on the tariff front.
Yahoo Finance
Biden led a consumer protection revival. Will the election cut it short?
Yahoo Finance cited CEI’s expert on consumer protection revival. As John Berlau, director of finance policy at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, put it: “If something…
News Release
Fed cuts interest rates and continues to decrease balance sheet: CEI analysis
The Federal Reserve has cut interest rates by a predicted 25 basis points and also announced that it will continue to decrease its balance…
Youtube
Kamala Harris Will Hike Inflation With Spending and Regulation, Trump Will Cut It
Warren Brookes fellow Carrie Sheffield gives an on-air shout out to CEI’s energy policy work…
The Washington Times
Survey finds inflation chilling Christmas shopping plans
The Washington Times cited CEI’s expert on inflation “Before the pandemic, inflation was practically nonexistent, having fallen to 0.1% in May 2020,” said Sean Higgins,…
Letters
Opposing Broadband Taxes
Dear Member of Congress: At a time when everyday Americans continue to struggle with inflation, the last thing consumers need are higher monthly internet bills.
Blog
This week in ridiculous regulations: Nursing pillows and mobile driver’s licenses
One more week until election season is finally, mercifully, over. Agencies issued new regulations ranging from space exports to recreational fires. On to the data:…
Letters
CEI Joins Coalition Letter in Response to the FDIC’s RFI on Deposits
Dear Mr. Sheesley: We, the undersigned organizations and individuals, appreciate the opportunity to comment on the Request for Information on Deposits. We are responding to…
Blog
Kamala’s Opportunity Agenda for Black Men: Regulatory frameworks masquerading as economic help
Recent developments signal a troubling trend for America’s small businesses, one that could alter the nation’s entrepreneurial landscape in a big and detrimental way. The…
Blog
House advances anti-ESG legislation on investments, pensions
The US House of Representatives recently passed a major ESG reform package that is on its way to the Senate. In a vote of…
The Daily Economy
The Bipartisan War on Credit Hurts the Poor
Donald Trump is taking aim at the credit card industry. “While working Americans catch up, we’re going to put a temporary cap on credit card…
Daily Caller
Biden-Harris Admin’s Aggressive Litigation Strategy To Enforce Agenda Likely Infringes On States’ Rights
The Daily Caller cited CEI’s experts on unconstitutional laws “There was very little chance of Oklahoma or Texas being successful without overturning Arizona v. US,…
Politico
Republicans have a post-pandemic plan for the scientific establishment
Politico cited CEI’s expert on a post-pandemic plan “You have the NIH in the sights of people who think there were big failures during the…
The Daily Caller
‘High-Value Target’: Biden-Harris Green Tax Credit Prone To Fraud, Abuse, Gov’t Watchdog Finds
Daily Caller cited CEI’s expert on energy tax credits “It is clear that the tax credits in the Inflation Reduction Act primarily benefit wealthier Americans,”…
Forbes
The Surprising Deregulation Legacy Of Jimmy Carter—And Why It Still Matters
In the Wall Street Journal, former Texas Sen. Phil Gramm shared a compelling account of how President Jimmy Carter—who turns 100 October 1—has not received …
The New York Times
Inside Harris’s Big Economic Pitch
The New York Times quoted CEI’s expert on Harris’s Economic Pitch While a similar argument didn’t sway regulators in JetBlue’s attempted acquisition of Spirit, financial industry…
Reason
Instead of Vote-Buying Tax Promises, Let’s Have Real Plans for Tax Relief
Reason cited CEI’s expert on exempting overtime pay On a more serious note, the Competitive Enterprise Institute’s Sean Higgins thought exempting overtime pay “wouldn’t necessarily be…
Politico
Biden DOJ slaps Visa with antitrust suit over debit card dominance
Politico cited CEI on Visa and Mastercard issues Retail groups including the National Retail Federation and the Merchant Payments Coalition, which have long pushed for…
Citation
The Bob Harden Show
CEI’s senior economist was on The Bob Harden Show to discuss the Fed’s recent interest rate decision.
News Release
Fed reduces interest rates by 50 basis points: CEI analysis
The Federal Reserve today cut interest rates by 50 basis points, the first rate reduction in over two years. CEI experts give their analysis…
Blog
Hey Fed! Don’t worsen devastating Durbin debit card price controls
Consumers using their debit and credit cards just can’t catch a break these days from politicians, bureaucrats, and big retailers pushing Big Government ripoffs. In…
Blog
This week in ridiculous regulations: Robocalls and toddler carriers
Culture warriors falsely accused immigrants of eating people’s pets. Donald Trump discussed the issue in his presidential debate with Kamala Harris. The final…
Washington Examiner
Trump’s ‘no taxes on overtime’ proposal: What to know
Washington Examiner quoted CEI’s expert on no-tax-on-overtime proposal Sean Higgins was quoted in the Washington Examiner concerning Trump’s dubious no-tax-on-overtime proposal. “It’s not clear how many people…
Hoover Institution
Where the Candidates Stand on Regulation
The Hoover Institution cited CEI’s expert on regulatory burdens The US regulatory state is massive. Wayne Crews, the vice president for policy of the Competitive…
News Release
August CPI report shows housing prices driving up inflation: CEI analysis
Today’s Consumer Price Index report for August shows an overall inflation increase of 0.2 percent, mostly driven by rising housing prices. CEI senior economist…
National Review
How Partisan Bureaucrats Weaponized Financial Regulation
The main goal of financial regulation in the United States is supposed to be the protection of consumers, investors, and their businesses from deception and fraud.
Blog
Scaling deregulation: Can Trump achieve a 10-for-1 rule elimination?
In a speech at the Economic Club of New York, Donald Trump pledged if re-elected to eliminate—not two rules for every one added as he…
National Review
Econception on One of History’s Underrated Inventions
National Review quoted CEI’s luncheon guest Tevi Troy on financial regulation I talk about what it means to say that “complexity is a subsidy.” I…
DC Journal
Counterpoint: Harris’ Price Controls Won’t Tame Inflation
Right problem, wrong solution. It’s one of the most familiar stories in politics. Thanks to inflation, every American is paying higher prices for groceries and…
Blog
Congress needs to fight the bureaucracy – and itself
After testifying before the House Committee on Administration in July on Congress in a Post-Chevron World, I received a series of Questions for…
Blog
This week in ridiculous regulations: marijuana scheduling and do-not-call fees
Rather than allow more housing to be built to combat rising rents, the Justice Department sued RealPage, a rent-listing service. CEI’s James Broughel released…