CEI Daily Update
Issues in the News
1. BUSINESS
The U.S. unemployment rate rises to 5%, the highest in two years.
CEI Expert Available to Comment: Center for Entrepreneurship Director John Berlau on what government leaders can do to stimulate the economy:
“What policymakers need to do, in addition to cuts in corporate tax rates and other tax cuts, is remove regulatory barriers to stronger growth. For instance, both Republicans and Democrats said in early in 2007 that the Sarbanes-Oxley accounting mandates, passed in 2002 in response to scandals such as Enron, overrreached and were keeping legitimate companies from going public. Surveys have shown that it tripled the costs of being public for many U.S. firms.”
2. ENVIRONMENT
Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich authors a new book encouraging conservatives to adopt environmentalism.
CEI Expert Available to Comment: Adjunct Analyst Steve Milloy on Newt’s misguided logic:
“[Gingrich’s] latest book, ‘A Contract with the Earth’ co-authored with Palm Beach Zoo CEO Terry Maple, is an appalling paean to environmental naivete and taxpayer-subsidized profiteering. While the book’s theme — i.e., let’s all just happily pitch in and do what it takes to save the environment — may sound reasonable, at least on a superficial basis, Mr. Gingrich’s notions are often wrong or simply bizarre, and his prescriptions amount to little more than a full embrace of rent-seeking ‘green’ business and left-leaning eco-activist groups, both of which often masquerade as ‘protectors’ of the environment..”
3. POLITICS
Missouri Governor Matt Blunt approves an ethanol mandate that stands to enrich his brother and close political allies.
CEI Expert Available to Comment: Former Journalism Fellow Tim Carney on how subsidies lead to government corruption:
“In his 2006 state of the state address on Jan. 11, Gov. Blunt called for expanded tax breaks and incentives for ethanol. He called on the legislature to, ‘give Missouri’s heartland economy a major and lasting boost by requiring that motor fuel sold in Missouri for passenger cars and trucks contain 10 percent ethanol.’ Less than two weeks later, Show Me Ethanol, an ethanol processor and seller, filed incorporation documents with the secretary of state. Among the businessmen on the company’s board and ‘project steering committee’ was Andy Blunt, the governor’s brother and the chairman of his 2004 election campaign.”
Blog feature: For more news and analysis, updated throughout the day, visit CEI’s blog, Open Market.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
To contact a CEI expert for comment or interviews, please call the CEI communications department at 202-331-2273 or email to [email protected].