Opinion
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Chicago Wants Feds to Fund Failed Broadband Effort
Opinion -Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley is asking for $100 million in federal grant money to create a broadband network in underserved communities, though an earlier 2007 plan to bring high-speed Internet to low-income areas failed. -
Obama’s CTO Plugs Broadband Stimulus Plan
Opinion -President Barack Obama’s Chief Technology Officer says the administration wants to develop partnerships with service providers to support development of new advances in the technology industry, especially in broadband. -
FTC Establishes Endorsement Rules, Penalties for Bloggers
Opinion -The Federal Trade Commission has instituted new rules, effective December 1, requiring all bloggers to reveal any ties they have to products they review in a “clear and conspicuous” manner or face fines of up to $11,000 per offense. -
Vermont City’s Muni Wi-Fi $50 Million in Debt
Opinion -The mayor of Burlington, Vermont is being asked by the city council and residents why his administration tried to hide the fact its Burlington Telecom project is approximately $50 million in the red. -
Google Book-Scanning Deal Still in Limbo
Opinion -A federal judge has given his preliminary approval to Google’s plan to digitize tens of millions of out-of-print books, with a final decision expected in mid-February in a case rife with copyright and antitrust questions. -
FCC Eyeing Google Voice
Opinion -The Federal Communications Commission reportedly has launched an inquiry into Google Voice, following complaints of the tech giant’s voice service blocking some calls, especially in rural areas. -
Heartland Institute Analyst: Florida Government Is “Suffering from Political Schizophrenia” on Insurer Withdrawal Plan
Opinion -A Florida-based analyst at The Heartland Institute reacted today to the news that the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR) had again delayed its hearings on the potential exit of State Farm. -
ClimateGate: Follow the Money
Opinion -Last year, ExxonMobil donated $7 million to a grab-bag of public policy institutes, including the Aspen Institute, the Asia Society and Transparency International. -
Nuclear Energy Past, Present and Future
Opinion -Unlike some applications of nuclear technology, the process of generating electricity in a nuclear power plant is not rocket science. -
Financial Collapse Was No ‘Failure of Capitalism’
Opinion -Richard Posner, the noted judge of the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals and professor of law and economics at the University of Chicago, says the recent U.S. financial collapse represents a “failure of capitalism. -
Congress May Limit Credit Card ‘Interchange’ Fees
Opinion -Legislation to limit credit card interchange fees, also called “swipe” fees, is moving through Congress, cheering some consumer and retail groups and worrying others, who say they fear it would harm consumers. -
FHA Near Limit on Home Loans
Opinion -Since the collapse of the subprime housing market the Federal Housing Administration and its financing arm, the federal government-sponsored enterprise Ginnie Mae, have grown by leaps and bounds. -
Obscure Terrorism Insurance Provision Could Bust Federal Budget
Opinion -After hijackers destroyed the World Trade Center on 9/11, taxpayers ended up spending many billions of dollars to aid the injured, rebuild public infrastructure, improve security, and help the jobless. -
OpenRegs.com Challenges Government Info Clearinghouse
Opinion -Regulations.gov, the federal government’s central clearinghouse for information about the hundreds of rules its agencies promulgate each year, is supposed to be the main gateway for citizen participation in the regulatory process. -
Skepticism Runs High Toward Federal Consumer Watchdog Plan
Opinion -Citing the downfalls of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, pundits and banking lobbyists warn separating consumer protection from safety and soundness through a Consumer Financial Protection Agency could be a calamity waiting to happen. -
2009 December Fire, Insurance, & Real Estate News (full text pdf)
Opinion -The December 2009 issue of Fire, Insurance & Real Estate News features a report on mitigation discounts on homeowners insurance in Florida. -
Push to Audit Fed Begins on Hill
Opinion -Led by Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), legislation mandating a thorough audit of the Federal Reserve is moving through Congress. -
Government Didn’t Solve Financial Crisis—It Caused It
Opinion -Signs of a potential economic recovery have policymakers and pundits jumping to claim credit for the expected turnaround. -
Mitigation Discounts Pose Growing Problem in Florida Insurance
Opinion -Insurance companies and consumer groups agree one of the best ways to prevent storm damage and limit claims is to harden homes adequately before an event occurs. -
Money Woes Keep Nation’s Largest Shopping Center Closed
Opinion -This was to be the year that Xanadu, a two million-square-foot entertainment/shopping complex, was to open in the New Jersey Meadowlands. -
Easing of Credit Union Restrictions Could Create 100,000 Jobs
Opinion -A legislative proposal to ease restrictions on credit union lending to small businesses could create more than 100,000 jobs at no cost to taxpayers, according to industry organizations. -
Congressman Readies New Internet Regulations
Opinion -Rep. Rick Boucher (D-VA), chairman of the House Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, and the Internet, has revealed plans for an ambitious agenda for greater regulation of the Internet, especially in the area of privacy. -
Net Neutrality Regulation Under Fire from Congress
Opinion -Members of Congress, both Republicans and Democrats, are expressing growing concern about plans by the Federal Communications Commission to impose network neutrality regulations. -
Hollywood Pushes FCC to Prevent Consumers’ DVR Use
Opinion -Hollywood is continuing to put pressure on the Federal Communications Commission to prevent consumers from recording and storing movies on their digital video recorders.
