Newsletter
$1 Million Federal Jobs, Green Energy and Union Dues
Public interest groups launch a campaign to encourage citizens to read Congress’ proposed $850 billion stimulus bill. Representatives of renewable energy companies acquire enhanced influence…
Newsletter
Full Stop on New Regulations, Infrastructure Confusion and the Problem with ‘Priming the Pump ‘
President Obama orders a halt to implementation of all pending federal regulations. President Obama calls for increased spending on roads, bridges and electrical grids. President…
Newsletter
Inauguration, Western Lands and the New “Climate Czar”
Barack Obama prepares to be sworn in as the 44th President of the United States. The Senate passes a bill that would bring millions of…
Newsletter
EPA Confirmation Hearings, Obama’s Stimulus and Ken Salazar for Interior
Lisa Jackson responds to questions during her confirmation hearing to become the next head of the Environmental Protection Agency. President-elect Obama proposes a massive economic…
Newsletter
Geithner’s Tax Trouble, Paycheck Protection and Obama’s Science Advisor
Treasury Secretary-designate Timothy Geithner comes under fire for past irregularities with his income taxes. The House of Representatives approves the misleadingly-named “Paycheck Fairness Act.” NASA…
Newsletter
The FCC and Media Ownership, Ford’s Auto Bailout and Vilsack for Agriculture
President-elect Obama’s pick to head the Federal Communications Commission favors stronger diversity and “media ownership” regulations. Poor sales figures may push the Ford Motor Company…
Newsletter
Steven Chu for Energy Secretary, Financial Scandal in New Mexico and Shaun Donovan for HUD
Dr. Steven Chu, nominated to be the next Secretary of Energy, prepares for confirmation hearings before the U.S. Senate. The financial scandal that started with…
Newsletter
Union Scandal in California, Alternative Energy Promises and Short-Selling on Wall Street
The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) finalizes a controversial merger of its California locals into one state-wide “superlocal”. President-Elect Obama promises to double the nation’s…
Newsletter
Kids’ Safety, The War on Obesity and Che’s Legacy
New safety rules for children’s clothes generate controversy. Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick launches a new anti-obesity campaign. Director Steven Soderbergh prepares to release his two-part…
Newsletter
Climate War with Canada, Net Neutrality and Hollywood’s Eco-Horror
American University professor James Lee predicts that global warming will lead to a military conflict between the U.S. and Canada. Google fields criticism over its…
Newsletter
Coleman v. Franken, Drug War TV and $8 Trillion Worth of Stimulus
Sen. Norm Coleman (R-MN) announces a legal challenge to an election ruling favoring his rival Al Franken. ABC premieres the primetime drama “Homeland Security USA,”…
Newsletter
Bernard Madoff, Paul Krugman and Unexpected Winter Weather
The Securities and Exchange Commission investigates its own actions leading up to the discovery of Bernard Madoff’s alleged $50 billion Ponzi scam. New York Times…
Newsletter
Steel Stimulus, Barry Goldwater and 600,000 New Government Jobs
The U.S. steel industry faces tough times as demand collapses. Supporters of limited government celebrate the 100th anniversary of the birth of Barry Goldwater. President-Elect…
Newsletter
E-waste, Auto Bailout and Climate Science
Activists oppose exportation of used electronic and computer components, or “e-waste”. Detroit auto companies start spending their $17.4 billion in bailout funds. Journalist Lawrence Solomon…
Newsletter
Bernard Madoff’s Personal Fortune, Clean Coal Technology and Wasteful Federal Spending
Alleged investment fraudster Bernard Madoff is ordered to disclose all of his financial assets to government investigators. Environmental groups launch a series of TV ads…
Newsletter
Obama’s Energy Plan, New York’s Obesity Tax and the End of Global Warming Alarmism
Barack Obama’s choice for Secretary of Energy plans to focus on expanding sources of “clean” renewable energy. New York Gov. David Paterson proposes raising taxes…
Newsletter
Fed Chairman in Trouble, Kids’ TV Goes Green and Google Goes Edge-Caching
Critics of the financial bailout allege that the federal government has exceeded its Constitutional powers. The Nickelodeon TV network for kids begins an environmental awareness…
Newsletter
Bailout Indecision, Greenhouse Gas Negotiations and Privatizing Electricity
President Bush and Treasury officials continue to evaluate possible bailout proposals for General Motors and Chrysler. Twenty-seven European countries sign a new agreement to reduce…
Newsletter
Auto Bailout, Global Warming Controversy and Free Trade
Senators vote down a bailout proposal for U.S. auto companies. Czech President Vaclav Klaus criticizes a new European agreement on global warming as “a silly…
Newsletter
A Union Sit-In, Global Warming Politics and Mortgage Modification
Laid off union members stage a sit-in at the recently-closed Republic Windows & Doors plant in Chicago. Physicist Richard A. Muller endorses “exaggeration and distortion”…
Newsletter
Obama’s Public Works, FCC Diversity Mandates and the Auto Bailout
President-elect Obama promises the largest spending program on public works programs since the 1950s. Obama tech advisor Henry Rivera endorses a proposal to expand minority…
Newsletter
Bottled Water for the Homeless, Challenging NAFTA and Green-on-Green Violence
North Carolina officials pass out winter aid kits to the homeless. Barack Obama’s presumptive pick for trade representative suggests that the U.S. should renegotiate the…
Newsletter
Endangered Species, International Trade and the Auto Bailout
President Bush pardons a Missouri farmer found guilty of accidently causing the deaths of bald eagles under the Endangered Species Act. Barack Obama considers Rep.
Newsletter
Obama’s Attorney General, More Stimulus Spending and Defending Deregulation
Barack Obama’s choice for attorney general comes under scrutiny for his record on civil liberties. Democrats in Congress plan to seek additional billions in taxpayer…
Newsletter
Stimulus Spending, General Motors and Mortgage Lawsuits
President-Elect Barack Obama outlines his plan for more federal spending to stimulate the economy. Auto executives present restructuring plans to Congress in hopes of avoiding…
Newsletter
Online Poker, Auto Workers and Public Works Programs
60 Minutes reports on fraud in the world of online poker. The president of the United Auto Workers union makes a public plea for a…
Newsletter
Citigroup Bailout, Sexual Harassment and Union Elections
The U.S. government promises an additional $20 billion to bail out banking giant Citigroup. The Supreme Court considers a case that could dramatically expand the…
Newsletter
Obama’s Treasury Pick, Waxman’s Chairmanship and the Big Tobacco Deal
President-Elect Obama prepares to nominate New York Federal Reserve Bank President Timothy Geithner as Treasury Secretary. Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA) wins control of the powerful…
Newsletter
Ethanol Subsidies, Sarbanes-Oxley and Bottled Water
A broad-based coalition calls on Congress to phase out subsidies for ethanol production. A federal Appeals Court rules on a Constitutional challenge to the Sarbanes-Oxley…
Newsletter
Green Week on NBC, Hillary at State and Taxing Casinos
NBC Universal and corporate parent General Electric launch seven days of environmentally-themed programming with “Green Week.” Political observers predict that President-elect Obama will nominate Sen.
Newsletter
Yahoo’s Fortunes, Chevron’s Strange Ads and the Battle over Bottled Water
Shares of web pioneer Yahoo Inc. rise upon departure of CEO Jerry Yang. Chevron launches a series of ads aimed at reducing energy consumption. A…
Newsletter
White House Summit, Auto Bailout and Oil Drilling
Leaders of twenty nations gather at the White House to discuss the global financial downturn. Lawmakers prepare to debate a financial…
Newsletter
Freezing Regulations, Attorney General Prospects and Bailing Out Detroit
President Elect Obama meets with his team of economic advisors. Controversial law professor Charles Ogletree is mentioned as a possible nominee for Attorney General. Detroit’s…
Newsletter
A Second Stimulus, Federal Lands and Al Gore’s Failure
Obama’s transition team denies rumors of a political fight over a second federal stimulus plan. Lawmakers prepare to vote on a bill to bring more…
Newsletter
White House Transition, More Bailouts and Power Struggles in Congress
George W. Bush and Barack Obama hold transition talks at the White House. Auto manufacturers continue their push for their own federal bailout. Two senior…
Newsletter
Online Ads, Regulatory Reform and Free Trade
Google and Yahoo abandon a proposed advertising partnership amid antitrust concerns. President-Elect Obama begins transition work with the current White House staff. Rep. Rahm Emanuel…
Newsletter
Michael Crichton, Press Censorship and a Technology Czar
Bestselling author Michael Crichton dies at age 66. Members of the Bureaucrash Activist Network join forces with free speech activists to protest press censorship in…
Newsletter
E-voting, the Fairness Doctrine and Economic Unrest in Ecuador
Problems with electronic voting machines are reported in several states. Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) argues for the re-imposition of the “Fairness Doctrine” for TV and…
Newsletter
Auto Industry Bailout, Voter Fraud and Nobel Laureates Go Political
Politicians pressure Treasury Secretary Paulson to provide a bailout to the auto industry. Election officials object to loosened voter registration rules for college students. …
Newsletter
Taxing the Rich, the Costs of Ethanol and the Fed’s Loose Money Policy
Joe “The Plumber” Wurzelbacher becomes a national campaign personality. The Federal Reserve lowers a key interest rate in hopes of reviving investment. Environmentalists debate the…
Newsletter
Internet Censorship, Reforming Fannie and Freddie and Free Trade with Colombia
American tech companies announce new guidelines for doing business in nations threatened by censorship. Lawmakers urge embattled mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to…
Newsletter
Credit Card Settlements, Wireless Networks and What’s ‘Killing the Earth’
Visa and MasterCard reach a $2.75 billion settlement with Discover Card over an antitrust complaint first brought in 1998. Cox Communications plans to roll out…
Newsletter
Home Sales Rise, Voter Fraud Accusations and Another Ban on Bottled Water
Existing home sales rise 5.5% in September. Groups around the country preemptively prepare for the possibility of voter fraud. Bottled water faces a ban by…
Newsletter
Greenhouse Gases, Broadband Speeds and the Future of Transit
California officials ignore the high costs of implementing the state’s greenhouse gas reduction plan. Comcast implements upgrades for broadband customers that will double download speeds…
Newsletter
Stimulus Redux, Benefits of Bottled Water and the Pro-Poverty Left
Senators consider a second round of taxpayer-financed economic stimulus. Bottled water producers attempt to work constructively with environmental groups that have called for additional taxes…
Newsletter
More Stimulus, AIG’s Financial Trouble and Tax Promises
Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke calls for a 2nd economic stimulus package. Troubled insurance giant American International Group Inc. halts its lobbying efforts and cancels…
Newsletter
Banning Bottled Water, Disaster Insurance and the Mortgage Meltdown
The U.S. Conference of Mayors votes to endorse banning the sale of bottled water across the country. Florida’s Hurricane Catastrophe Fund could face a shortfall…
Newsletter
Bailout Reactions, ACORN’s Shady History and Challenging Medicare Rules
Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson announces plans to invest in thousands of U.S. banks. Prominent politicians weigh in on the voter fraud controversy linked to activist…
Newsletter
Voter Fraud, Disability Law and Green Hypocrisy
Republican House Leader John Boehner (R-OH) calls for an end to federal support for leftist activist group ACORN. President Bush signs into law new amendments…
Newsletter
Voter Fraud, Health Care Reforms and Latin American Politics
Competing legal teams prepare to do battle over allegations of voter fraud. A new report contrasts the competing health care plans announced by the major…
Newsletter
Horrible Mortgage Ideas, Environmental Non-Disasters and Defending Delaware’s Honor
Senators spar over a plan for the federal government to buy up “distressed” mortgages. The Capital Research Center releases the “Doom List,” a litany of…
Newsletter
Subprime Accusations, Russia’s Energy Politics and ACORN’s Shady History
Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) plays the race card in the debate over subprime mortgages. Russian officials play politics with energy supplies throughout Eastern Europe. Law…
Newsletter
Lehman Brothers Hearing, Consequences of the Bailout and Online Ad Controversy
The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee holds a hearing to investigate the collapse of Lehman Brothers. The Wall Street bailout fails to slow economic…
Newsletter
Bailout Fallout, the New (Green) Deal and Scaring Parents with Toxic Arguments
The House and Senate agree on a $700 billion financial bailout bill. Environmentalists try to leverage the mortgage and Wall Street financial crisis to argue…
Newsletter
Bank Insurance, Banning Wine Coolers and Rationing Meat for the Planet
Members of Congress consider raising the federal bank insurance limit for individual deposits to $250,000. Utah bans flavored alcoholic malt beverages from grocery and convenience…
Newsletter
Internet Radio, Mark-to-Market Accounting and Private Mortgage Insurance
The Senate approves a bill to regulate royalties for web-based radio services. The Security and Exchanges Commission relaxes accounting rules that may have worsened current…
Newsletter
Bailout Rejected, Affordable Housing Mandates and Faltering Stock Values
The House of Representatives rejects the White House’s proposed $700 billion corporate bailout plan. Thirty years of “affordable housing” laws take some of the heat…
Newsletter
Hurricane Recovery, Union Politics and Disaster Insurance
Residents of the hurricane-ravaged Gulf Coast are being advised to avoid taps and drink only bottled water. Unions increase their spending on campaign advertisements and…
Newsletter
Congress Does Energy, Lehman Bankruptcy and Price Gouging
The House of Representatives considers a new bill on offshore oil drilling. The bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers shakes confidence in the U.S. economy. Texas Attorney…
Newsletter
Lehman Brothers, Flood Insurance and Energy Independence
Lehman Brothers files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Members of Congress consider reforming the National Flood Insurance Program. Democrats and Republicans debate U.S. offshore oil…
Newsletter
Mortgage Madness, Media Diversity and World Car Free Day
The bailout of mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac is attacked as unfair to responsible consumers. The Federal Communication Commission considers reinstating the “Fairness…
Newsletter
Offshore Drilling, Mortgage Bailouts and Union Campaigns
Democrats propose a compromise plan for drilling in U.S. offshore oil fields. Troubled mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are de-listed from the S&P…
Newsletter
Fannie Mae Takeover, Stimulus Scams and Censoring TV Ads
The federal government assumes direct control over troubled mortgage companies Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Democrats in Congress seek a second round of federal spending…
Newsletter
Stem Cells, Regulating Lawn Mowers and Standing up to the SEC
The National Academy of Sciences argues for continued use of embryonic stem cells. The Environmental Protection Agency requires that new gas-powered lawn mowers come with…
Newsletter
Economic Projections, Comcast Sues the FCC and Cholesterol Drugs
A new report from the Federal Reserve projects continued slow growth and a weak business climate. Comcast sues the Federal Communications Commission over…
Newsletter
Stem Cells, Mad Cow Disease and Cuba’s Police
Scientists hail a new breakthrough in stem cell research. A federal Appeals Court rules that the U.S. Department of Agriculture can forbid private meat packers…
Newsletter
Banning Grocery Bags, Hurricane Gustav and Pelosi on Oil Drilling
Lawmakers in Hawaii join others in San Francisco and Los Angeles in voting to ban plastic grocery bags. Hurricane Gustav blasts past Jamaica on its…
Newsletter
Fannie Mae, HIV Rates and Greenhouse Gases
Mortgage giant Fannie Mae announces a shakeup of its senior management. A new study finds New York City’s HIV infection rate to be three times…
Newsletter
Offshore Drilling, Union Corruption and Power Politics in Russia
Santa Barbara County, California considers supporting oil drilling off its coastline. Corruption charges against leaders of the Service Employees International Union crop up in yet…
Newsletter
West Nile, Union Corruption and Federal Courts
The West Nile Virus has infected individuals in 28 states so far this year. The Los Angeles Times publishes a 3-part series on corruption allegations…
Newsletter
Oil Speculators, Immunity for Phone Companies and Global Warming Reports
Members of Congress blame oil “speculators” for driving up the cost of oil with their investments. Legal wrangling continues over Congress’ grant of immunity to…
Newsletter
Hurricane Damage, Wind Power and Comcast in the Crosshairs
Florida residents watch the shifting course of Tropical Storm Fay. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg unveils a plan to build a series of windmills…
Newsletter
Fewer New Laws, Disability Regulations and Bottled Water Bans
The current Congress has passed the fewest number of new laws in twenty years. The U.S. Justice Department finds that more than 100,000 apartments in…
Newsletter
Renewable Energy, Anti-Whaling Protesters, and Fed Chairman Bernanke
The state of Colorado expands requirements for the use of renewable power. Japanese authorities plan to arrest anti-whaling protesters from the group Sea Shepherd. Federal…
Newsletter
Day Laborers in LA, Nuclear Power and Corporate Finance
Los Angeles lawmakers require home improvement stores to construct shelters for day laborers who wait for work in their parking lots. Electricity provider Constellation Energy…
Newsletter
Drug Approval at the FDA, Childhood Obesity and the War on Bottled Water
Industry analysts characterize the Food and Drug Administration’s drug approval process as especially “conservative.” An anti-obesity advertising campaign targeted at children generates controversy. Local government…
Newsletter
Global Warming Apathy, Pelosi on Oil Drilling and Government Health Care
A new survey suggests that public concern about global warming is on the decline. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi reverses her opposition to a vote on…
Newsletter
Home Schooling, Online Privacy and Oil Drilling
A California appeals court issues a major new ruling on home schooling. Members of Congress investigate online privacy and the use of “behavioral advertising.” New…
Newsletter
Losses at Fannie Mae, Satellite TV Merger and Toxic Chemicals
Mortgage giant Fannie Mae reports a loss of $2.3 billion. Cable TV provider Dish Network proposes a merger with DirecTV. Former New York Times environmental…
Newsletter
Global Warming Allergies, Change at the SEC and Accounting for the Cost of Government
Global warming gets blamed for an increase in allergies. Paul Atkins steps down as Commissioner of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Taxpayer advocates observe…
Newsletter
Video Gamers Win in Court, Free Speech on Campus and the Impact of Biofuels
The state of California is ordered to pay video game makers $280,000 in legal fees over an unconstitutional law that sought to restrict game sales.
Newsletter
Obama on Offshore Drilling, Tobacco Lawyer Goes to Prison and Video Game Violence
Sen. Barack Obama changes his position on offshore oil drilling. One of the nation’s richest attorneys begins a prison sentence for bribery. The government of…
Newsletter
Costs of Regulation, FDA Reform and Global Warming Skepticism
The House Small Business Committee hears testimony on the costs of federal regulation. Patient advocates urge lawmakers to pass legislation forcing the Food and Drug…
Newsletter
Bottled Water, Government Bonds and Wind Power
California’s attorney general threatens to sue Nestlé over a bottled water plant’s alleged environmental impacts. House Financial Services Committee chairman Barney Frank (D-MA) champions legislation…
Newsletter
Whole Foods Merger, Ethanol’s Impact and Health Savings Accounts
A federal court calls into question the recent merger of Whole Foods and Wild Oats natural food stores. South Asian leaders meet to discuss food…
Newsletter
FCC Takes on Comcast, GM Crops and the Housing Bailout
The Federal Communications Commission puts Comcast in the hot seat over its network management practices. Security becomes the number one cost for scientists developing genetically…
Newsletter
Ethanol’s Sins, Menthol Cigarettes and Property Rights
USA Today details the troubling side effects of using corn-based ethanol as an auto fuel. Legislation to give the Food and Drug Administration authority over…
Newsletter
Fairness Doctrine, Wind Power and Flood Insurance
Lawmakers debate the return of the “Fairness Doctrine” for news broadcasts. Famed Texas oilman T. Boone Pickens launches a multimedia campaign to replace oil use…
Newsletter
Online Gambling, Fannie Mae Bailout and WTO
Congressman Barney Frank sponsors legislation to legalize online gambling. President Bush endorses the taxpayer bailout of mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. India raises…
Newsletter
Satellite Radio, Mortgage Bailout and Union Organizing
The Federal Communications Commission continues to stall the merger of XM and Sirius satellite radio companies amid antitrust concerns. The New York Times reports that…
Newsletter
Housing Bill, XM-Sirius Merger, and Energy Conservation
The Senate passes a housing bill that includes a new mandatory fingerprint registry. FCC commissioner Jonathan Adelstein signals he may cast his deciding vote to…
Newsletter
Al Gore’s Energy Plan, Fannie Mae’s Lobbying Bill and Intel’s Legal Troubles
Al Gore delivers a major speech calling for the U.S. to eliminate all fossil fuel use in the next ten years. The Associated Press reports…
Newsletter
Expensive Regulations, Fannie Mae Bailout and Baseball Stadiums
Americans for Tax Reform marks the annual “Cost of Government Day.” Plans to spend billions of taxpayer dollars to rescue mortgage companies Fannie Mae and…
Newsletter
Banking Crisis, Globalization and Internet Poker
Federal officials charge that a letter from Sen. Chuck Schumer sparked the run on deposits that triggered the second-largest bank collapse in U.S. history this…
Newsletter
Bank Failure, Offshore Oil Drilling and Online Gambling
The multi-billion dollar failure of IndyMac bank in California fuels calls for greater government regulation of financial institutions. President Bush lifts the White House ban…
Newsletter
Bank Failure, EPA Reports and the Future of Wind Power
Federal officials seize control of IndyMac bank in the second-largest bank failure in U.S. history. An Environmental Protection Agency report casts doubt on whether greenhouse…
Newsletter
The Cost of Government, Cell Phone Fees and the Housing Bailout
American for Tax Reform prepares to observe “Cost of Government Day.” Verizon settles a lawsuit over its “early termination” fees for mobile phone customers. The…
Newsletter
Internet Privacy, Greenhouse Gases and Offshore Drilling
Senators hear testimony on the privacy implications of online advertising. Developing nations reject the plan for cutting greenhouse gases created by leaders of the “Group…
Newsletter
Oil Prices, Housing Markets and Power Plants
The president of OPEC predicts even higher oil prices in the near future. Washington, D.C. suburb Fairfax County, Virginia plans to spend $10 million to…
Newsletter
Free Trade, Satellite Radio and Lead Paint in Court
A free trade agreement with Colombia continues to be stalled in Congress. Democratic senators continue to hold up approval of the merger of XM and…