CEI Weekly: CEI Starts Gore Debate Fundraiser

CEI Weekly

November 20, 2009

>>[Video] CEI Encourages Al Gore to Debate on Global Warming

In an attempt to convince Al Gore to change his mind about refusing to debate, CEI has started a new campaign called the Pledge-a-Dollar-to-Debate campaign. This campaign will allow individuals to pledge money to Al Gore should he choose to debate Lord Monckton. Check out the video and send your pledges to: GoreDebate@CEI.org.

>>Shaping the Debate

Health Care is Not a Right

Iain Murray and Roger Abbott's Article in the Washington Examiner Opinion Zone

VAT Would Be One Big Tub of Trouble

Wayne Crews and Ryan Young's Op-ed in the Investor's Business Daily

Congress, Tobacco, and a President Who Lights Up

Sam Kazman's Article in Cigar Magazine

Climate Charter

Myron Ebell's quote in the San Jose Mercury News

>>Best of the Blogs

Harvard Medical School Dean Gives ObamaCare a “Failing Grade”

by Hans Bader

The Dean of Harvard Medical School just gave the Obama health care plan a “failing grade,” saying it will harm America’s health and finances, and hamper the medical innovation needed to save patients’ lives. Dean Jeffrey S. Flier writes, "In discussions with dozens of health-care leaders and economists, I find near unanimity of opinion that, whatever its shape, the final legislation that will emerge from Congress will markedly accelerate national health-care spending rather than restrain it. Likewise, nearly all agree that the legislation would do little or nothing to improve quality or change health-care’s dysfunctional delivery system."

Labor's Day at the Federalist Society

by F. Vincent Vernuccio

Workers may get violent if their wages are cut. The United Auto Workers union (UAW) has a monopoly and was an anchor on the Big Three U.S. automakers. These two ideas were professed by two labor leaders at the recent Federalist Society Convention in Washington, D.C. There may be violence, says Damon A. Silvers, Associate General Counsel for the AFL-CIO and Deputy Chair of the Congressional Oversight Panel for TARP. Silvers spoke on last Friday’s panel “Labor: Wall Street, Labor Unions, and the Obama Administration: A New Paradigm for Capitol and Labor?” Speaking to the panel, he claimed economic downturns which cause people to have their wages cut, can have devastating results.

Making Broadband Accessible: Innovation, Not Intervention

by Ryan Young

FCC regulators want to provide wider and cheaper broadband access by subsidizing it, raising taxes, and forcing network owners to share their network infrastructure with competitors.
A few things the FCC should consider: Subsidies don’t make broadband access any less expensive. They just change who pays for it. In this case, that would be anybody with a phone.

Not Sure What DDT Does to Birds, But I Know How it Helps People

by Michael Fumento

There’s been much in the news lately about the brown pelican being delisted as an endangered species since its recovery from the effects of DDT. I happen to know people whose work I trust who disagree as to whether DDT actually thinned bird eggshells and thus led to declines in various species. That said, all of them are agreed as to the value in saving lives in poor areas – including parts of Africa today. 

 >>Liberty Week Podcast

Episode 69: Feed the World With Property Rights

We start by pigging out on swine flu statistics, putting off action on global warming and wagging our finger at a corrupt judge. We proceed with the fight between Intel and AMD and wrap up with an interview with CEI Senior Fellow Gregory Conko on how to end world hunger. 

>>Support CEI

Like what you read?

The Competitive Enterprise Institute’s 25-year record of success is made possible by our over 3,000 supporters. Make sure to stop by www.cei.org/support and make a donation to continue your support or become a supporter.

NH HOUSE REPUBLICAN ALLIANCE MEMBERS JOIN AMICUS BRIEF IN SUPPORT OF PETITIONERS IN MCDONALD V. CITY OF CHICAGO

GOP organization supports Friend of the Court Brief before the Supreme Court as part of an effort to secure citizens’ federal constitutional right to bear arms.

McDonald v. City of Chicago is one of several actions that have been filed as an aftermath of last year’s District of Columbia v. Heller decision in which the D.C. ban on keeping loaded, operable firearms in the home and possession of handguns was overturned. McDonald seeks to establish that the Second Amendment forbids both state and local governments from banning handguns.

The specific issue under consideration is whether the Second Amendment right to bear arms is incorporated by the 14th Amendment to the Constitution and/or the Privileges and Immunity Clause and therefore applies to the states. The petitioners in the action make a persuasive argument that this right is incorporated and are seeking support from legislators across the country in the form of a Friend of the Court Brief.

Representative William O’Brien (R-Mont Vernon), Co-Chair of the New Hampshire House Republican Alliance (NHHRA), stated that the right to bear arms is fundamental and not dependent on constitutional language alone. Therefore, the Second Amendment recognized right to bear arms applies directly against the states as well as the federal government, despite 19th century decisions that might be read as contrary. “This is a good brief and one that is worthy of the support of those members of the NHHRA and others who support the Second Amendment,” he said.  O’Brien added that “should this action be successful, it will provide long-lasting, constitutional protection of the fundamental right to possess arms against states seeking to infringe upon it”.

The NHHRA is comprised of members of the NH House of Representatives striving for legislative support for bills representing the NH and U.S. Constitutions and NH Republican party platform. For more information, please log onto http://www.nhhouserepublicanalliance.org.

NRCC Expands GOP Playing Field in NH

Major Announcement in NH’s 00 Congressional District

By Grant Bosse on November 19, 2009

http://newhampshire.watchdog.org/2009/11/major-announcement-in-nhs-00-congressional-district/

I will be making a major announcement concerning New Hampshire’s 00 Congressional District tomorrow at 11am [November 20] at the LOB in Concord. Please join us.

Since it was my story on Monday that discovered the 00 Congressional District, along with the 4th, the 6th, and the 27th, I consider myself the Christopher Columbus of New Hampshire’s Phantom Congress.

###

NRCC Comment: “In New Hampshire, we have more opportunities than ever before, literally.  We’re expanding our playing field to include New Hampshire’s 00 Congressional District, and we expect to have a strong candidate to run for what we think is an open seat.  We’re also considering our options in NH-04, but turnout is expected to be an unknown variable.  All kidding aside: If the stimulus bill’s countless failures have taught – a reminder to many – us anything, it’s that the government should not be in charge of your health care.” – Tory Mazzola, NRCC Spokesman

NOTE from the Union Leader: “…the Web page dedicated to New Hampshire's portion of the stimulus package showed most of the money went to the 1st and 2nd congressional districts, which actually do exist. But $1.4 million also went to the 6th District and more than $1 million went to the 4th District, which do not. Recovery.gov also showed funds distributed to New Hampshire's 27th and 00th congressional districts.” (Beth Lamontagne Hall, ‘Phantom’ Data Adds to GOP Stimulus Doubts, New Hampshire Union Leader, 11/19/2009)

NetRight Daily: NY 23 Vote Now in Question

NY 23 Vote Now in Question:  A new vote or a paper recount may be needed in New York's 23^rd Congressional District, ALG President Bill Wilson said today, citing erroneous computerized voting machines.

How Not to Win Elections:  The ten Senate Republicans who broke the filibuster Tuesday against Barack Obama's nomination of radical Judge David Hamilton to the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals may find themselves in some hot water back home.

Senate Republicans' Lack of Unity Paves Way for Radical Judges:  On Tuesday, the Senate voted 70-29 to invoke cloture on Judge David Hamilton, clearing the way for a confirmation vote for the controversial Obama nomination to the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals. Senator Jeff Sessions had a hold on the nomination for weeks and demanded the cloture vote, citing the judge's radical judicial record.

Save the Planet:  Don't Eat Meat:  Welcome to Green Living 101. We have a special pop quiz for you today. Let's begin...

The Crony Capitalism Cafe:  Everyone wants a free lunch these days, and it seems that in the Cafe of Crony Capitalism, sometimes known as Washington, the free lunch special is being handed out as openly as the candy given to children who knock at the door on Halloween. But alas, not everyone gets a treat, because there really is no such thing as a free lunch. Someone has got to pay. That's why you, the taxpayer, are always the one who is tricked into picking up the tab.

Be sure to follow us on Twitter!

NetRight Daily: Government Care Will Fail

Government Will Fail on Health Care Record Keeping:  As the era of Big Government begins to wear on people, a multitude of evidence has come to the fore to show us just how inefficient and even dangerous the growth of government can be.

Another Tax Cheater from Obama:  It appears that the Obama Administration has hit yet another tax road block with one of its top appointments. Lael Brainard, Obama's choice to become the Treasury Undersecretary of International Affairs, has a tax problem. In short, she conveniently forgets to pay them.

State Recessions, Big Government Obsessions:  House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) has now announced that it is time for the bankrupt federal government to bail out the various bankrupt states. In the real world, this would be known as absurd. In Washington, it is known as politics as usual.

DC Stimulus Funds La Raza and AARP:  Longtime Washington, DC residents are in for a surprise. According to the website Recovery.gov, which supposedly tracks stimulus spending under the recently passed American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the District of Columbia contains 99 congressional districts. (H/T Watchdog.org)

Be sure to follow us on Twitter!