The Heartlander: October-November 2008 (Executive Summary)

Mark Your Calendar!

Planning is underway for the 2009 International Conference on Climate Change, to be held March 8-10 in New York City.

Environment Update

• Heartland distributed more than 16,300 copies of Blue Planet In Green Shackles, by Czech Republic President Václav Klaus.

• We also distributed the 2007 decision by a British High Court justice who disapproved of Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth to more than 16,000 local, state, and federal judges.

• The September issue of Environment & Climate News addresses “bias and cronyism” at the IPCC, lead paint, energy, endangered species, and more.

• Heartland spokespersons were published or cited by The Wall Street Journal, Chicago Tribune, and National Review, among other publications. They spoke to audiences in Colorado, Georgia, Kansas, Missouri, and Utah.

Budget & Tax Update

• The September issue of Budget & Tax News highlights transparency, property taxes, excise taxes, unions, the “optimal” size of government, the farm bill, and more.

• Heartland spokespersons were published or cited by the Biloxi Sun-Herald, suburban Chicago Daily Herald, and Louisville Courier-Journal, among other publications.

• Research & Commentary collections on cigarette taxes, TABOR, budget deficits, and freight rail were distributed.

Welfare Reform

Heartland’s July policy study examining states’ progress in “ending welfare as we know it” over the past 10 years continues to attract attention from elected officials and journalists.

Finance, Insurance, Real Estate

• Research & Commentary collections on property and casualty insurance, payday lending, the National Flood Insurance Program, the student lending “crisis,” and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation were distributed.

• Heartland spokespersons were published or cited by the Christian Science Monitor, suburban Chicago Daily Herald, and Palm Beach Post.

Health Care Update

• The September issue of Health Care News compares the health care plans of Barack Obama and John McCain and addresses Medicare price controls, mandated insurance benefits, and more.

• Consumers for Health Care Choices held a workshop in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Director Greg Scandlen met with the new editor of Health Affairs, keynoted an event in Miami, and spoke in Cambridge, Maine.

• More Choices, Better Health: Free to Choose Experimental Drugs, a booklet by Bartley J. Madden, has attracted attention around the world.

• Senior Fellow Richard Dolinar, M.D. addressed audiences in Arizona and Minnesota. Heartland spokespersons were published or cited by the Chicago Sun-Times, U.S. News & World Report, and other publications.

Infotech & Telecom

• September was a scheduled “skip month” for InfoTech & Telecom News.

• Heartland President Joseph L. Bast was quoted by The New York Times. Josh Treviño, outgoing managing editor of InfoTech & Telecom News, appeared on a Canadian talk radio show.

• James G. Lakely has joined Heartland as managing editor of Infotech & Telecom News.

Education Update

• The September issue of School Reform News highlights homeschooling, charter schools, No Child Left Behind, and New Orleans’ new voucher program, among other stories.

• Heartland spokespersons were published or cited by the Oklahoman, Tyler (Texas) Morning Telegraph, and Bonita Daily News, among other publications.

• Heartland spokespersons appeared on talk radio in Iowa and spoke at events in Chicago and at Clemson University.