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California’s $20 fast food worker minimum wage a regressive tax
California’s new $20 an hour minimum wage for fast food restaurants has turned into a regressive tax on the state’s low-income residents. People who wanted…
Blog
FDA makes lab test power play
The Food and Drug Administration has just released its long anticipated final rule that explicitly asserts its claim of authority to regulate laboratory-developed-tests (LDTs)—tests that are designed, manufactured,…
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This week in ridiculous regulations: Space debris and dried prunes
The privately-built Odysseus spacecraft became the first American moon lander since 1972. President Biden announced new Russian sanctions in response to opposition leader Aleksey Navalny’s…
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The Inspiration Behind the New Film “I, Whiskey”
I think it can be said all films have an unexpected Genesis, an unlikely, improbable trajectory. I, Whiskey was no exception.
Investor's Business Daily
‘I, Whiskey’: Free Markets And The Human Spirit
In a political season that's seen a lot of skepticism about big business and trade, it can be good to step back and remind…
Blog
Early Reviews Are in for “I, Whiskey”
The long wait is over – CEI has released the full version of the new film I, Whiskey: The Human Spirit online.
Blog
Join the National “I, Whiskey” Watch Party
Please join us and other friends nationwide on October 19th for a viewing of the new short film I, Whiskey: The Human Spirit.
Blog
Happy “No Food Is Junk Food” Day 2016!
I can’t stand candy corn. Yes, I’m that person in the office at Halloween.
Real Clear Policy
I Can’t Believe It’s Not Science
Consuming butter does not increase the risk of heart disease, a recent study found. Those who believed in the accuracy of U.S. government dietary…
Blog
Letter to Congress: Experts Urged House to Reject Mandatory GMO Labeling Bill
In advance of a House vote on July 14 concerning mandatory GMO labeling, myself and other policy experts on biotechnology, consumer, and agricultural policy sent…
Christian Science Monitor
Senate passes GMO bill. Will labels ease Americans’ food-related fears?
The Christian Science Monitor discusses a GMO labeling bill passed by the Senate with Greg Conko. Others fear it will raise new, and…
Blog
Food Safety Experts Critical of GMO Labeling Bill
In an open letter released today, several food safety experts warned of the problems with a new Senate bill that would regulate the labeling of…
Blog
Congress on the Verge of Lowering Beer Taxes
By today’s standards, the Founding Fathers were outright lushes. Ben Franklin was apocryphally known for his love of beer (although it turns out wine was…
USA Today
Soda taxes slim wallets, not waistlines
Since Philadelphia’s city council approved a 1.5 cent per ounce tax on soda this month, “public health” advocates, led by former New York City…
Blog
Nobel Prize Winners Denounce Greenpeace Opposition to GMOs
For decades, the environmental activist group Greenpeace has been among the most vocal, and oftentimes vicious, opponents of biotechnology and genetically engineered crops.
Heartland Institute
Ohio Governor Says ‘Cheers’ to Beer Deregulation Bill
The Heartland Institute discusses with Michelle Minton a bill removing government restrictions on the alcohol volume of beer sold in the state. The bill…
Blog
Groups Urge U.S. House to Nullify Wasteful Catfish Rule
In a coalition letter yesterday, 10 market-oriented groups, including CEI, urged the House leadership to call for a vote on S.J. Res. 28 to nullify…
Blog
Soda Tax Won’t Fix Waste and Corruption in Philly
Last week Philadelphia enacted a 1.5 cent per ounce tax on soda to fund the Mayor’s proposed universal pre-kindergarten system and at the same time…
Blog
Proposed Soda Tax a Bad Deal for Philadelphia Residents
This Thursday, Philadelphia’s city council is set to approve a 1.5 cent per ounce tax on soda. The goal of the tax is to raise…
Daily Caller
Soda Taxes Are A Failed Experiment, Claims New Report
The Daily Caller reports on Michelle Minton's analysis of the impacts of soda taxes. Soda taxes are a failed experiment and should be…
Blog
Rounding Up the Cowards: EU Leaders Block Glyphosate
As reported in the Wall Street Journal this week, yet another valuable pesticide product may eventually be removed from the market place. But despite…
Blog
Time to End the Failed Experiment of “Sin” Taxes
It seems like an economic no-brainer that if you can raise the cost of a good or service, people will buy and consume less of…
Real Clear Policy
Lawmakers’ Salt Fixation Harms Our Nation’s Health
America has a salt problem — and it's not high blood pressure. The Obama administration plans to set voluntary sodium targets for processed food makers…
Blog
FDA’s Attack on E-Cigarette Will Cost Lives
While the public health goals of protecting consumers from possibly harmful vaping products and preventing kids from becoming addicted to nicotine are laudable goals, this…
Blog
Advocates Attempt to Debunk Idea that Any Alcohol Is Beneficial
For most public health advocates, no amount of alcohol is safe. As they see it, any amount of alcohol increases a drinkers risk for certain…
Heartland Institute
Scientists Developing Climate-Adapted GMO Rice
The Heartland Institute discusses the values of genetically modified crops with Gregory Conko. “C4 rice would represent an important breakthrough in sustainable agriculture,” said…
Washington Examiner
No Fun in Australia
The Washington Examiner features Michelle Minton's research on the regulatory burden in Australia as a warning to the US. Michelle Minton for the…
Blog
Congress Gets Some Common Sense on Nutritional Disclosure
Last week, members of the House approved a bill that giving customers the nutrition information they want while minimizing harm and cost. Now it's up…
News Release
CEI Statement on Common Sense Nutrition Disclosure Act
The House today passed the Common Sense Nutrition Disclosure Act (HR2017). CEI consumer policy expert Michelle Minton praised this common sense plan. “The…
Inside Sources
Bipartisan Bill Allows Government to Continue Salt Experiment on Kids
In the scientific community, it is a breach of professional ethics to conduct research on people without their informed consent. But not for the federal…
Blog
House Votes This Week on Common Sense Nutritional Disclosure Bill
Many, if not most proposals that make their way through Congress seem to have comically unsuitable names. However, at the end of this week the…
Blog
New Dietary Guidelines: Some Improvements but Also Fatal Flaws
As expected, the nutritional guidelines for 2015-2020 thankfully excised the long-standing warning against cholesterol-laden food in the wake of several decades of research demonstrating that the original…
Heartland Institute
Harassment of Scientists Threatens Independent Research, Science Journal Warns
Heartland Institute discusses criticism of biotechnology scientists with Greg Conko. Greg Conko, executive director of the Competitive Enterprise Institute, says the attacks on…
Blog
House Commerce Committee Approves “Pizza” Bill to Ease Onerous Calorie Labeling Rule
While most consumers are blissfully unaware, a provision tucked into the Affordable Care Act could cause food vendors a lot of headaches. Starting on December…
Washington Free Beacon
Obamacare Regulations Target Breweries Making Craft Beer
The Washington Free Beacon discusses with Michelle Minton the impact Obamacare Regulations will have on restaurants and breweries. “It doesn’t make sense for…
Real Clear Policy
Obamacare vs. Beer
Michelle Minton, in an article for Real Clear Policy, discusses the implications a provision in the Affordable Care Act may have on the craft brewing…
Blog
Federal Menu Laws Need Some Common Sense
This week, the House Energy and Commerce committee will hold a mark-up hearing on the Common Sense Nutrition Disclosure Act (H.R. 2017), a bipartisan bill intended…
Blog
Drinking in the Dark
Bellion Vodka has one strange website. Bellion claims to be “the next step in the evolution of spirits” and “a smarter way to drink.” Its…
Heartland
Businesses Flow to Illinois to Avoid Wisconsin Beer Laws
Heartland Institute references Michelle Minton in an article discussing Prohibition Era regulations on restaurants and pubs. Competitive Enterprise Institute Fellow Michelle Minton says…
Blog
On Added Sugars, Canada Gets Right What the U.S. Got Wrong
Last month, I wrote about how the new nutritional labels might end up making Americans fatter and sicker. Particularly dangerous, in my opinion, is the addition…
Blog
Proposed Food Label Change Could Make Us Fatter and Sicker
There’s a new push to finalize the Food and Drug Administration’s new guidelines for nutritional panels. The changes, which include listing “added sugars” and updating…
Blog
Time to Throw out Michelle Obama’s Lunch Program?
As I wrote in The Hill today, Congress this month will decide whether or not to continue funding Michelle Obama’s favorite Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act. The goal…
Blog
New York City’s Salt Warning: Useless and Potentially Harmful
You may have heard on the news that New York City is, once again, on the cutting edge of interfering with consumers and businesses. This time…
Blog
Study “Wounds” the Carbohydrate-Insulin Theory of Obesity
Last week a very interesting and, by all accounts, very well-done study made waves among the nutritional science community. For many years, the idea that reducing…
Blog
Back to School Lunch Scares
It’s back to school season, which for many parents means spending money on new clothes, shuttling young people from sports games to ballet, and increasingly,…
Blog
If You Don’t Eat Your Meat, They Can’t Have Their Taxes
If you think the brainless health nannies in the United States are bad, you should read up on the absurd proposals bursting from the cranial…
Blog
Slate Exposes Deceitful Heart of the Anti-GMO Movement
Will Saletan has an exhaustively researched and cogently argued piece at Slate on the dishonesty of the anti-biotechnology activists and the harm they have caused.
Blog
More Unintelligible Gibberish on GMO Risks from Nassim Nicholas Taleb
A few months ago, statistician and risk analyst Nassim Nicholas Taleb, known mostly for his intriguing 2007 book The Black Swan, teamed up with a handful…
The Washington Examiner
Junk science = garbage policy
The Washington Examiner cites CEI`s Greg Conko on junk science and food regulations: Greg Conko is from the Competitive Enterprise Institute, a free-market…
The Heartlander
FDA Bans Trans Fats
The Heartlanderquotes CEI`s Michelle Minton on the FDA ban on trans fats: Michelle Minton, a Competitive Enterprise…
Blog
Federal Witch Hunt Successfully Bans Trans Fats
Ding dong the witch is dead; killed by the federal government…well, that’s if the witch was a recluse people hardly ever saw, probably hasn’t hurt…
Fox News
National Doughnut Day: Have a doughnut (or two) for freedom
Friday is national Doughnut Day (or “donut” if you’re a Dunkin’ loyalist). Celebrated the first Friday of June, it might seem like a simple promotion…
Blog
Raise a Glass to Lower Taxes
You might not know it, but about half the cost of your preferred alcoholic beverage is made up of taxes and fees. One man in…