Hurricanes, Dan Rather’s Media Plan and New Insurance Taxes

1. ENVIRONMENT 

Global hurricane activity reaches
a 30 year low, confounding predictions of more hurricanes caused by global
warming.

CEI Expert Available
to Comment: Senior Fellow Marlo
Lewis on the smart
way to address the future risks of hurricanes: 

“…even if global warming does make hurricanes stronger, that
would not be a valid reason to pursue Kyoto-style energy
rationing. As Bjorn Lomborg points out, carbon suppression policies would
have no measurable effect on hurricane behavior for many decades (if ever), yet
would cumulatively cost trillions of dollars. The possible influence of global
warming on hurricanes is simply one more reason to undertake proven,
cost-effective measures such as improving building codes, evacuation routes,
early warning systems, and emergency response capabilities.” 

2. MEDIA

Retired CBS newsreader Dan Rather proposes a new White House
commission to save jobs in traditional media.

CEI Expert Available
to Comment: Vice President for Policy Wayne Crews on why we don’t
need a
bailout for the First Amendment: 

“Democracy as a concept and political system is not at
stake, as Rather thinks, when a particular business model engaged in public
communications and broadcasting suffers at a particular point in history. It’s
been beaten to death, but everyone knows the transformative importance of the
broadband Internet and its role in making voices heard that never had a chance
when Rather and his two rival channels dominated the news and airwaves for 30
minutes each evening.” 

3. INSURANCE

Rep. Richard Neal (D-MA) introduces a bill to increase
taxes on insurance companies.

CEI Expert Available
to Comment: Senior Fellow Eli
Lehrer responds to the
legislation: 

“This is the last thing that disaster-prone
homeowners need. It’s an awful, awful idea… This is a battle of U.S.-based
reinsurers against U.S.
consumers. And the consumers will lose if Rep. Neal’s bill becomes law. Those
who hope for a revenue windfall are hoping in vain. If this bill becomes law,
it’s likely that tax revenues will probably fall as companies stop using
offshore affiliated reinsurance.” 

Listen to LibertyWeek,
the CEI podcast, here.