Obama’s Nominee for Safety Agency Would Ensure Pro-Regulatory Majority
President Obama’s choice of a Michigan trial lawyer to serve on the Consumer Product Safety Commission would shift the balance of power at the agency… Read More
No Dessert for Jay Leno?
Should the government regulate sugar so that Americans consume less of it? Does Jay Leno need to eat more fruits and vegetables? According to the… Read More
Tales of the Red Tape #26: Taxpayers Finance Rat Condos
Millions of American homeowners face foreclosure, but at least one sort of housing crisis has been remedied: No longer will research rats suffer the indignities… Read More
GOP Candidates Unanimously Denounce Anti-Internet Piracy Bills
During a presidential debate on Thursday night, all four Republican candidates denounced pending legislation aimed at combating online piracy. Their responses came in the midst… Read More
Have You Been Negatively Affected by Regulatory Overreach? Tell Us About It
Stories are powerful. They help us relate to other individuals and communicate complex issues. They are an essential ingredient to making policy change in Washington…. Read More
Scribecast: Patrick Ruffini Explains SOPA’s Unintended Consequences
Few issues before Congress have united online activists like the current debate over the Stop Online Piracy Act in the U.S. House and its Senate… Read More
Senate Conservatives Warn Reid Against PROTECT IP Blitz
Six conservative U.S. senators voiced concerns Friday over the substance and procedural context of controversial legislation to block Internet piracy, noting potential economic damages and… Read More
On Environmental Regulation, Obama Can’t Have It Both Ways
Whatever his other qualities, outgoing White House Chief of Staff Bill Daley seemed to understand that punitive environmental policies entail tradeoffs. When one environmentalist explained… Read More
Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary Roasts the EU … at the EU
Innovation and market disruption can be powerful forces for economic growth. But government involvement in the market tends to be a force against disruption, and… Read More
Gas Prices at All-Time Christmas High
Americans hitting the road this week are likely to encounter the highest-ever price for gas at Christmas in history. According to figures from AAA, the… Read More
Constitution, Anyone? Obama Promises to Rule… Without Congress
Well, we can’t say he didn’t warn us. After the November 2010 elections when the President’s party lost control of the U.S. House, Barack Obama told… Read More
Regulation: You Can’t Have Jobs and Eat Them, Too
As the debate swirls around regulations and jobs, it is refreshing to hear a businessman weigh in on the issue. This week, the CEO of… Read More
Senate Poised to Vote on Resolution Blocking FCC’s Net Neutrality Rule
Congress could move a step closer to rejecting the Federal Communications Commission’s plan to regulate the Internet this week when the Senate considers a resolution… Read More
Steve Jobs to Obama in 2010: ‘You’re Headed for a One-Term Presidency’
Steve Jobs, the late Apple founder and digital pioneer, told President Obama in a 2010 meeting that his anti-business attitude and enthusiasm for federal regulations… Read More
Quality of Light, Quality of Life
The soon-to-be-effective ban on traditional incandescent light bulbs creates more concerns than just the forceful shift of market shares; it also raises questions regarding individual… Read More
House Members Ask DOJ to Investigate Bank Fees — Will the Trail Lead Back to Them?
When Bank of America announced a new $5 debit card fee in late September (along with a slew of other banks), President Barack Obama condemned it,… Read More
Poor Sales or Economic Uncertainty Preventing Stronger Recovery?
Various organizations and media outlets have attempted to refute the notion that government policy is creating uncertainty and hindering economic growth. However, when properly analyzed,… Read More
Obama Confirms Fears About New Financial Regulator
The newly created Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) took a step forward today to getting its first director, as the Senate Banking Committee voted 12–10… Read More
Tales of the Red Tape #21: USDA’s Affirmative Action for Vegetables
First they came for the donuts, and few dared to defend partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Then they came for the soft drinks, declaring high-fructose corn… Read More
Look Before You Regulate: Measuring the Costs of Financial Rules
You would think that any regulation that could affect a major part of the economy and cost industry and/or consumers millions of dollars to comply… Read More
Tales of the Red Tape #20: The Outer Limits of Regulation
The Obama Administration has issued a record number of costly rules and regulations compared to its predecessors. But one set of new guidelines, in particular,… Read More
EPA’s Tighter Ozone Standards Will Strangle Economic Recovery
A few weeks ago, the President asked Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lisa Jackson to withdraw the agency’s draft for more stringent Ozone National Ambient… Read More
House Set to Rebuke NLRB for Meddling in Boeing’s Expansion Plan
The House of Representatives is poised to pass legislation today that prohibits the National Labor Relations Board from interfering in the business decisions of U.S…. Read More
Texas Coal Company Announces 500 Layoffs, Sues to Block EPA Regulation
It was sadly ironic that Texas energy company Luminant announced it would lay off 500 employees on the same morning that President Obama unveiled legislation… Read More
Business Leaders to Join Boehner at Obama’s Jobs Speech
House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) is looking to make a point with his invitee list at the president’s address to the joint session of Congress… Read More
Morning Bell: Four Ways Obama Has Blocked Job Growth
Wonder who’s to blame for today’s stagnant economy? Look no further than 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue to see where the buck ought to stop. Though President… Read More
Obama’s Maleficent Seven
President Obama is accustomed to having his way—like trying to dictate the date and time when Congress would assemble for him to address a special… Read More
Morning Bell: Food Regulators Out of Control
First Lady Michelle Obama’s obsession with “childhood obesity” has bothered many since it began two years ago, especially those who think that White House nagging… Read More
Feds to Trucking Company: You Cannot Fire Alcoholic Drivers
The federal government has sued a major trucking company for its firing of driver with an admitted alcohol abuse problem. Alcoholism is classified as a… Read More
