The Heartlander: July-August 2009 (Executive Summary)

Events

• Heartland will celebrate its 25th anniversary on Thursday, October 29 with a gala dinner at the Hilton Chicago Hotel.

• On June 14 through June 16, Heartland hosted its second annual President’s Council Retreat.

• Global warming skeptics added new ammunition to their arsenal June 2 at the Third International Conference on Climate Change in Washington, DC.

Climate Change Reconsidered

Climate Change Reconsidered “demonstrates overwhelming scientific support for the position that the warming of the twentieth century was moderate and not unprecedented, that its impact on human health and wildlife was positive, and that carbon dioxide probably is not the driving factor behind climate change.”

Environment

• June was a scheduled skip month for Environment & Climate News. The July issue covers EPA regulation of greenhouse gases, nuclear power, renewable power, climate change, and more.

• Senior Fellow Maureen Martin coordinated preparation of Heartland’s comments on EPA’s proposed finding that carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases endanger human health or welfare and must be regulated.

• Heartland spokespersons attended or addressed events in Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and Wisconsin. They appeared in The Wall Street Journal, Chicago Sun-Times, Washington Examiner, and Investor’s Business Daily.

Finance, Insurance, Real Estate

• Consumers in four U.S. states enjoy more attractive homeowners insurance at better prices than citizens in other states, according to our new Property & Casualty Insurance Report Card.

• Legislative Specialist Matthew Glans addressed the Troubled Asset Relief Program and the use of credit scoring in insurance in Research & Commentaries, op-eds, and letters to the editor. He reported legislative successes in Florida, Texas, and Washington, DC.

Budget and Tax

• The June issue of Budget & Tax News introduced a new four-page insert addressing FIRE issues and reported on cigarette taxes, card check, eminent domain, and more. The July issue addresses privatization, corporate taxation, mortgage cram-downs, stress tests, and more.

• Legislative Specialist John Nothdurft addressed tobacco tax hikes, “sin” taxes, government pensions, and budget practices in Research & Commentaries, op-eds, and letters to the editor. He reported legislative victories in Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, South Carolina, and Texas.

• Heartland appeared in the Chicago Sun-Times, Detroit News, Investor’s Business Daily, Omaha World-Herald, Sacramento Bee, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, State Journal-Register, and Miami Herald.

Health Care

• The June and July issues of Health Care News cover rationing, individual insurance mandates, health information technology, inter-state purchase of insurance policies, and more.

• More than 80 people attended a day-long roundtable on May 8 at the Milwaukee Athletic Club to discuss “The Future of Health Care in America.” Similar events are being scheduled across the country.

• Heartland spokespersons addressed audiences in Georgia and Washington, DC; were quoted by syndicated columnist Deroy Murdock. and appeared in the Denver Post, on more than a dozen heavily trafficked Web sites, and on WYPR-FM and KTRH-AM radio.

InfoTech and Telecom

• The June and July issues of Infotech & Telecom News addressed cybersecurity, file-sharing, social networking, net neutrality, sales taxes on Internet commerce, online gambling, and more.

• Heartland appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle and Investor’s Business Daily.

Education

• The June 2009 issue of School Reform News reported on the DC and Milwaukee voucher programs, federal stimulus funds for schools, charter schools, and virtual schooling. July and August were scheduled skip months.

• Heartland spokespersons appeared in the Boston Herald, Denver Post, Sacramento Bee, Washington Examiner, and Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.

Legal Affairs

• Four issues of Lawsuit Abuse Fortnightly were released in May and June.

• Senior Fellow Maureen Martin wrote on public corruption in Illinois and filed a friend-of-the-court brief in the California Supreme Court on a lead paint “public nuisance” lawsuit.

CORE Partnership

Local Legislation Manager Ralph Conner is working with allies to develop a pilot program for teaching entrepreneurship to incarcerated youth. He appears in a 20-minute video titled “No Guns For Negroes.” He participated in a CORE-Chicago “Stop the War on the Poor” event and attended the Third Annual Summit on African Immigrants and Refugees at Malcolm X College.