The Heartlander: November-December 2009 (executive summary)

Heartland Celebrates 25 Years

You can relive the excitement of Heartland’s 25th anniversary gala through the online photo gallery and video.

Exposing Network Neutrality

Heartland responded to FCC Chairman Genachowski’s announcement concerning network neutrality with a media advisory and Heartland Policy Study that had the Internet and mainstream media buzzing.

Infotech & Telecom

• The October and November issues of InfoTech & Telecom News address antitrust, bloggers, texting, net neutrality, cybersecurity, and municipal broadband.

• Research Fellow Jim Lakely contacted hundreds of state and federal legislators and the media and spoke at an event in Washington, DC.

Legal and Urban Affairs

• The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to review Chicago’s gun ban put Senior Fellow Maureen Martin and Local Legislation Manager Ralph Conner on the air and in the news. Maureen also weighed in on a lawsuit against Philip Morris and public nuisance theory.

• Ralph distributed copies of books on black conservativism and engaged in debate over the Second Amendment, the War on Drugs, and smoking bans.

Budget & Tax

• The October issue of Budget & Tax News reports on a proposed high-speed rail line in Wisconsin, economic development tax incentives, and health care overhaul proposals.

• Heartland co-sponsored the March on Washington, DC and attended a Tea Party in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

• Legislative Specialist John Nothdurft was published in Connecticut, Florida, North Carolina, Washington DC, and Wisconsin and was on talk radio in Connecticut. Research Fellow Steve Stanek was interviewed for CBS Evening News with Katie Couric.

• John contacted elected officials on tobacco taxes, smoking bans, and public pensions.

Finance, Insurance, and Real Estate

• The October issue of Finance, Insurance & Real Estate News covers insider trading, speculation, and property and casualty insurance.

• Legislative Specialist Matthew Glans contacted elected officials on property and casualty insurance, the optional federal charter, Federal Reserve transparency, unemployment insurance, and housing finance.

Education

• The October and November issues of School Reform News address Race to the Top, the DC Opportunity Scholarship Program, special education vouchers, and alternative teacher certification.

• Senior Fellow Robert Holland was published by U.S. News & World Report online and newspapers in Alaska, Illinois, and Nevada, and he was on talk radio in Toledo, Ohio.

Environment

• The October and November issues of Environment & Climate News cover dredging of the Hudson River, renewable power, global warming, cap-and-trade, and recycling.

• We distributed the Spanish edition of Unstoppable Global Warming and Climate Change Reconsidered to influential audiences around the world. The Skeptic’s Handbook has been translated into nearly a dozen languages.

• Senior Fellow James M. Taylor addressed audiences in Florida and Washington, DC, where he was joined by Special Correspondent Paul Chesser. The two appeared on several talk radio programs, as did Science Director Jay Lehr, and were published in Chicago, San Francisco, and Washington, DC.

Health Care

• The November issue of Health Care News reports on health care overhaul proposals, Medicare, the H1N1 vaccine, and prevention.

• Senior Fellow Greg Scandlen and Government Relations Director Peter Fotos addressed audiences in Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, and Washington, DC. Heartland held a Health Care Roundtable meeting on the campus of Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan.

• Greg and Health Care News Managing Editor Ben Domenech participated in nearly a dozen talk radio programs following President Obama’s address to Congress on health reform.