The Competitive Enterprise Institute believes the proper role for government is to provide consumers with accurate, unbiased guidance that informs consumer choice. But, whether it is the substances we prefer, how we entertain ourselves, what dietary habits we maintain, or how we pursue personal health, consumers ought to have the right to make decisions for themselves.
Consumer Freedom Issue Areas
Featured Posts
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Illiberalism: The bipartisan tradition
After experiencing the horrors of World War I and fearing a second World War could be imminent, Ludwig von Mises wrote Liberalism: The Classical…
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The Senate housing bill’s road to socialism
In the last week of February, I expressed hope that members of Congress would “embrace free-market proposals to advance opportunities in the housing sector”…
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No free lunch: Price controls won’t make groceries more affordable
When Americans go to the grocery store, they expect to find food and drinks. Lately, many are encountering something else: sticker shock. According to…
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A Plea for the Victims of Malaria
Today on CEI’s Rachelwaswrong.org blog, Barun Mitra of the Liberty Institute (New Delhi, India) makes a plea for greater awareness about malaria’s victims…
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Radio Frequency Your Way to Good Health
AFP reports on a new study by the American Medical Association recommending the implantation of RFID tags to carry medical information in case of…
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Shining a Spotlight on Anti-DDT Activists
A story in today’s Mail and Guardian, an online African newspaper, highlights First Lady Laura Bush’s trip to Africa, where she is “shining a…
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Tires from China
Today’s news contains word that The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is calling for the recall of 450,000 Chinese tires that apparently come apart…
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A couple of bucks stop here
A new survey from the strange combination of Resources for the Future, New Scientist, and Stanford University has some interesting findings not just on…
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Cell Phones and Driving
Interesting new study from James E. Prieger of Pepperdine University and Bob Hahn at the AEI-Brookings Joint Center for Regulatory Studies, looking at the…
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Reasonable Energy Policy Blown Away in House
The Industrial Wind Action Group just sent along a press release on the emerging monster of a House energy bill and a recent change…
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Social Workers Seize Children to Receive Adoption Bonuses
In England, as in the United States, local governments receive cash incentives from the national government for adopting out children. In England, this has led…
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On Thoroughbreds
Iain, Interesting points. I’m no expert on horse racing but my understanding is that the the races in the American Triple Crown of Thoroughbred…
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Mea Culpa (Sorta) on Credit Scoring
No sooner did I post my thoughts about the Supreme Court decision on credit scoring than I got an e-mail from an American Insurance…
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Green State of Denial
John Tierney’s excellent article on Rachel Carson’s legacy published in yesterday’s New York Times is under attack on the comments section of Tierney’s blog. The responses…
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A Two-Pronged Triumph for Science
Iain – Thanks for noting the triumph of unreason in the EU, where they’re banning barometers because of the presence of that ole…
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Improvement of the Breed?
Of course, Greg, it’s worth noting that the organizations you refer to appear to be largely falling down in their efforts to improve their…
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Can You Clone that Thoroughbred?
USA Today has an interesting article this morning about the position of various purebred animal promotion associations (think American Kennel Club) on animal…
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Conservatarian Thoughts on the FCC
Our friend (and former Open Market editor) Peter Suderman makes an excellent free market point at The Corner today about broadcast obscenity and…
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NYT on Carson
Today, columnist John Tierney takes on the legacy of Rachel Carson in the New York Times Science section, offering a critique of Carson’s alarmism and…
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Greens Attack Rather than Debate
Environmental activists from Environmental Defense, the Pesticide Action Network of North America (PANNA), and the Silent Spring Institute refuse to debate me (and probably anyone…
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Rachel wrong on NRO and CBS
Iain’s National Review Online piece on Rachel Carson’s other legacy — alarmism as a political tactic — was also picked up by CBS…
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At the Mercy of Regulators
After a seven-year policy battle, Europe’s new chemical law takes effect today. The law is known as REACH—the acronym for the bureaucratic name Registration, Evaluation…
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Tensions within the FDA — Type I, Type II debate
An internecine struggle apparently exists within the FDA, according to an article in the New York Times. Those tensions between drug approval officials and…
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Partial Nudity Delays Halo 2 for Vista
Halo 2 for Vista was found to have a hidden part of the code containing a character which moons the player. Much like GTA‘s hidden…
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Department of Pre-Regulation
One of the highlights of our big annual dinner last week was our faux public service announcement from a future where nanny-state regulators have…
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Coburn’s House friends also said no to Rachel
Angela, nice post and op-ed. But I’ve got some good news for you. Coburn isn’t all alone in his crusade to stop Congress…
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Like Generalissimo Francisco Franco is still dead, Rachel Carson is still wrong
CEI’s Angela Logomasini gives kudos to Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Olka.) for his stand against honoring the 100th birthday of environmentalist icon Rachel Carson. Here’s…
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Today is Rachel Carson’s 100th birthday
And to observe the occasion, CEI's Jeremy Lott and Erin Wildermuth provide a reality check on her legacy in today's Baltimore Sun: In 1948,…
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Millions Dead
Millions dead and that’s still not enough for environmental activists to change their colors. Last September, Dr. Arata Kochi, Director of the World Health Organization’s…
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Coburn Right — Rachel Wrong
Senator Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) stands largely alone in efforts to stop congressional initiatives to honor the environmental movement’s icon the late Rachel Carson, whose…
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“Scent profiling” in Germany
Germany is collecting “scent samples” of agitators in the runup to the G8 summit to be held in Heiligendamm. Their security people are worried…
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Long Live Plastics
The London Museum is planning a special exhibit to mark the centennial of a material that was long denigrated–plastics. It will cover the massive importance…
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And a good life it’s been
Featured today in Fark.com under the heading of “Hero” is a story to give Michael Jacobson nightmares, headlined “Bad habits key to…
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Rachel Was Wrong
Today we launch our campaign urging people to rethink the legacy of environmentalist icon Rachel Carson, with the site www.RachelWasWrong.com. Today she’s mostly remembered…
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A Colossal Tragedy
A story on today’s front page of the Washington Post highlights the life of Rachel Carson. While largely praising Carson, the author does note…
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Trans Fats Banned
Montgomery County, Maryland, has just banned the use of trans fats in food preparation. Trans fats have been criticized on health grounds, but they…
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Death By Regulation on Web Video
The Hill’s Congress Blog features Sam on video today, responding to moves on Capitol Hill (and this week’s announcement from the White House)…
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Market Signal
It is a tenet of free market environmentalism that market signals provide information about the environment and its value. Therefore, when people stop buying beachfront…
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CAFE klatsch
President Bush is set to address the nation this afternoon on plans to reduce America's dependence on foreign oil, reports the Greenwire news service.
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Bureaucrash’s Blaze of Glory
When it rains anti-anti-smoking indignation, it pours. In addition to Brooke’s press statement, Jason reminds me that Bureaucrash was hot on this MPAA/smoking tip…
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These Foolish Things Remind Me of the MPAA
As Eli informed us this morning, the MPAA has caved into Big (anti-)Tobacco and decided to rate movies that include smoking by adults more…
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Butt Out!
The Washington Post reports that the The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) will now give higher, more restrictive ratings to films that “that…
News Release
Statement on the MPAA and Smoking in Films
The MPAA’s decision to kowtow to the demands of professional anti-smoking advocates won’t do anything to discourage kids from smoking; the Motion Picture Association…
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Cable News Grudge Match: Sam vs. Phil on CNBC
In case you missed him earlier today, here’s our very own Sam Kazman debating Phil Clapp of the National Environmental Trust on federal…
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Even a Caveman…
A Canadian news site notes that activists have recently formed a new “lobby” group called “Prevent Cancer Now.” They want to alert the world…
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Another Victim of the Nanny State
In the spirit of Friday afternoon, allow me to direct your attention to the sad demise of Sudan’s only married goat. Her name was…
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KFC Lawsuit Thrown Out
A lawsuit against KFC for using trans fats in its fried chicken has been thrown out. In an appropriately sarcastic ruling, federal district…
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Speed Limits. . . Don’t Need ‘Em
Some visitors coming to my home this morning complained of very slow traffic on the beltway at 10:00 a.m. Serious traffic this late in the…
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From the Mouths of Babes: A Poetic Approach to Recycling
Yesterday's "How Did You Celebrate Earth Day?" post generated an unexpected response from Nishant Magar of the American Chemical Society. Apparently our friends at…
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Regulated to Death
The New York Times has an interesting story on how federal privacy and disability-rights regulations may have helped pave the way for the Virginia…
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Re: Guns in Virginia
Following up on Eli’s post below, the blog Classically Liberal (linked to from Freedom News Daily) notes that not only is…
News Release
FCC Should Approve the XM-Sirius Satellite Radio Merger
Contact: Richard Morrison, 202.331.2273 Washington, D.C., April 17, 2007—Today, as the…
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More from Monbiot today
The Guardian columnist George Monbiot today has yet another article attacking global warming deniers — to wit: “There is climate change censorship – and…
