Climate Hearings, Blocking Net Neutrality and ‘Astroturf’ Lobbying

The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee holds a hearing on proposed climate legislation.

Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) introduces a bill into the house to block implementation of net neutrality regulations.

The House Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming holds a hearing on lobbying efforts surrounding global warming legislation.

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1. ENVIRONMENT

The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee holds a hearing on proposed climate legislation.

CEI Expert Available to Comment: Senior Fellow Iain Murray on why we shouldn’t be adopting the same climate policies as Europe:

“The cap-and-tax plan imposed in Europe has so far cost Europe $171 billion and not led to much if any emissions reductions. Instead, what European and American lawmakers should do is pursue other avenues than emissions reduction.  Adaptation, scientific research and building resiliency in developing nations are all more promising approaches.”

 

2. TECHNOLOGY

Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) introduces a bill into the house to block implementation of net neutrality regulations.

CEI Expert Available to Comment: Associate Director of Technology Policy Ryan Radia on why net neutrality rules would depress investment and reduce competition:

“Competing Internet providers shouldn’t have to get permission from the FCC to manage their networks. No number of ‘brilliant engineers’ can formulate a single universal framework for distinguishing between reasonable and unreasonable network management. This knowledge is dispersed across millions of participants in the online ecosystem. Decentralized experimentation – trial and error – is best able to synthesize varying consumer preferences and economic interests. Empowering government to dictate network management would make the Internet vulnerable to political manipulation and enable narrow fringe constituencies to wield destructive power over private networks.”

 

3. POLITICS

The House Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming holds a hearing on lobbying efforts surrounding global warming legislation.

CEI Expert Available to Comment: Senior Fellow Christophe C. Horner on how advocates of cap and trade legislation have perfected the “Astoturf” lobbying campaign:

“Last year Business Week wrote about…Exelon’s $15 million effort to convince ratepayers to agree to pay more for energy, calling the campaign the ‘gold standard in Astroturf organizing.’ Exelon is of course again in the news of late for leading a campaign, sold by public affairs professionals as an exodus from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce based upon environmental principle but which, upon scrutiny, is a collection of largely ‘rent-seeking’ companies standing to make as much as one billion dollars per year on the backs of ratepayers from cap-and-trade according to media reports.”

 

Listen to LibertyWeek, the CEI podcast, here.