Opinion
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Britain: E-Cigarettes Almost Exclusively Used by Smokers and Ex-Smokers
Opinion -The British government has just released statistics on e-cigarette use (here). -
Storm Brewing Over New EPA Ozone Standard
Opinion -With Republican majorities both Houses, the incoming Congress is likely to be unreceptive to the Obama administration’s regulatory agenda and could pose resistance to the Environmental Protection Agency’s highly controversial proposal to lower the -
Rural Nebraskans hit with Big Obamacare Rate Hikes
Opinion -LINCOLN, Neb.–Allan Douglas has been selling insurance since the 1980s, and as the owner of an independent insurance agency in Omaha he had a front-row view of the rollout of the Affordable Care Act. -
Jonathan Gruber and the Truth About Obamacare
Opinion -Consumer Power Report #446[Subscribe] Jonathan Gruber has been called to testify on Capitol Hill before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee in December, a hearing that will almost certainly turn into an airing of grievances over Obamacare -
States Reject GMO Scares
Opinion -Voters in two states, Colorado and Oregon, defeated GMO labeling at the ballot box in the November elections. This is the third year in a row activists who want labels identifying genetically modified foods have lost state initiatives and referenda. -
Government Green Appliance Subsidy Half-Baked, Says Study
Opinion -Academic research examining the outcomes of a green subsidy program in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 has found the program largely failed to achieve its stated goals. -
Alaska Doctors Hit by Federal Overregulation
Opinion -Kaiser Health News offers a pretty good roundup of stories each day on health care, and anybody who wants to stay on top of things would be well advised to subscribe to their daily e-mail (it's free). -
Medicaid Expansion Damages Corbett Reelection Bid
Opinion -In the Republican wave election that swept the nation in November, Pennsylvania Republicans increased their majority in the State House of Representatives to a 60-year high and added to their majority in the state Senate. -
Colorado’s Renewable Energy Mandate Constitutionality Challenged
Opinion -The Energy & Environment Legal Institute is challenging the constitutionality of Colorado’s renewable energy standard.In November of 2004, Colorado voters passed a referendum imposing a renewable portfolio standard on the state. -
New Congress Should Heed Voters, Kill Internet Sales Tax
Opinion -As the 113th United States Congress gives way to the incoming 114th Congress—a transition that will include 50 new representatives and 12 new senators—hopes for passage of a plan to tax goods and services purchased online are dead for 2014. -
CPSC Offers Bad Tidings of Holiday Season Regulations
Opinion -Federal consumer safety regulators made the holiday season less festive for homeowners this year, as a wave of new product safety rules took effect in December. -
Study Says States Skimping on Pension Funding
Opinion -Despite requirements to fully account for and balance spending and revenue, state governments are carrying a massive amount of unfunded liabilities on their accounting sheets—endangering the finances of future taxpayers and retiring public-sector -
Hundreds of Records Fall During Cold Spell
Opinion -Climate Change Weekly #148 Climate tweet of the week from economist Richard Tol: “The US-China climate deal is a model for world diplomacy: too small to fail” http://gu. -
The Evolving Urban Form: Tianjin
Opinion -Tianjin is located on Bohai Gulf, approximately 75 miles (120 kilometers) from Beijing. It was the imperial port of China, by virtue of that proximity. -
Snus Users’ Hearts Keep on Ticking, Not Fluttering
Opinion -Swedish researchers from several institutions document that snus use is not associated with atrial fibrillation (commonly known as AFib), the most common heart arrhythmia (irregular timing of the heart beat) and a risk factor for stroke (abstract here). -
State Ballot Measures Tackle Sugared Drinks, Drug Restrictions, Insurers
Opinion -In addition to two statewide measures on the ballot in California on Election Day, several states and cities also addressed obesity, experimental drug treatments for the terminally ill, and limited provider insurance networks at the ballot box on -
Progressives and Insurers, Living Together…
Opinion -Usually, cats and dogs aren't known for cuddling up together (there's a reason Dr. -
San Francisco Voters Sour on Soft Drinks Sin Tax
Opinion -Voters in San Francisco in November rejected a proposal to add a new tax on sugary beverages sold within the city—a “sin tax” with the stated goal of reducing consumption of the products. If enacted, the ballot proposition would have added roughly $0. -
Surgeons General Say the Darndest Things About Tobacco
Opinion -Acting U.S. Surgeon General Boris Lushniak recently tweeted, “@OxfordWords #Vape may be #WOTY but the increase in never-smoking youth using e-cigs is a not a trivial story. -
Gruber and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Month (*Updated)
Opinion -November has not been kind to Jonathan Gruber, a very smart man who has said some astonishingly stupid things. -
Republicans Have Opportunities to Force Obamacare Changes
Opinion -The 2014 election results will have an enormous impact numerous policy discussions, but none will feel as great an impact as Obamacare, which now faces new and unprecedented opposition and challenges. -
For Once, a Court Sided With People Rather Than ‘Threatened’ Rodents
Opinion -For the first time, a federal court has struck down a regulation under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 for exceeding the government’s constitutional power. -
Top Ten Questions to Ask About Title II Utility Regulation of Internet
Opinion -If Congress or the media seek incisive oversight/accountability questions to ask the FCC about the real world implications and unintended consequences of its Title II net neutrality plans, here are ten that fit the bill.1. Authority? -
“Where to Watch” Piracy Decrease
Opinion -The Internet ecosystem just added a new tool to preserve the property of rights holders even while encouraging greater use of broadband. The Motion Picture Association has announced the launch of a new search engine called WheretoWatch.com.