Under the Government’s Wing
Having just read promises of impending economic recovery, readers may have a common question in response to news about the implementation of the “stimulus” program: THE STATE HAD SPENT $254.2 million of the $1.1 billion [promised to Rhode Island] as of July 24, according to data released by the state Office of Economic Recovery &…
Andrew had a contemporaneous post on Massachusetts health care reform, which includes the stick of a tax penalty on those who refused to participate. Note that the stick gets bigger from 2008 to 2009. Note also that Mass’ reform has not accomplished its goals, though the author provides little to bolster her conclusion that national…
Walter Olson, of Overlawyered, highlights Rhode Island as the base of “America’s costume jewelry industry” in his coverage of the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s ban on rhinestones and crystals and has collected multiple telling details, including this one: It doesn’t even matter whether a kid’s health is at more risk (by way of traffic accidents)…
So, the economy is struggling, right? Well, what better time to beginning banning products that are acknowledged to be safe and for which there’s an active market? … all items for children ages 12 and under — from sneakers and sunglasses to dance costumes and denim jackets — won’t be shimmering as much now that…
A defect to suit every taste. – Contrary to representations by the Obama administration, the proposed reform would increase not “Reduce long-term growth of health care costs for businesses and government”. – Funding to come at the expense of Medicare; i.e., care of our seniors. In fact, the Philadelphia Inquirer, not exactly a radical right…
On June 26, 2009, Congressman Patrick Kennedy returned to the House of Representatives to cast a partisan vote in favor of the Waxman-Markey Climate Change bill known as Cap & Trade. A few days later, a blast e-mail arrived from the Congressman’s office to tell Rhode Island how proud of this vote he was. Despite…
A bill is on its way from the House to the Senate. It would mandate that you buy an annual license at a cost of $100 $7 (seven dollars) [correction supplied by Rep Loughlin via e-mail: the cost of the license is $7.00; it would be a $100 fine if you were caught without a…
So the story is that business executives and corporate boards have created a scheme of mutual backwashing that has resulted in salaries disconnected from economic reality. I’m open to that possibility, as well as solutions that open up the process to light and give tools to shareholders, but how in the world does the concept…
President Obama now has on his desk a bill permitting the FDA to regulate tobacco. After the bill becomes law, tobacco-product manufacturers must register with the FDA and provide a detailed product list. They also must pay user fees to cover the cost of the new regulation. The FDA can evaluate health claims made by…
Referring to the federal government acquisition of 60% of General Motors, President Obama stated that the government would refrain from playing a management role in all but the most critical areas It appears, however, that “critical” is in the eye of the beholder. The latest self-appointed car czar is Massachusetts’s own Barney Frank, who intervened…
