CEI Daily - George Washington, Makeup, and the Latest Alcohol Regulation Roundup

George Washington

Americans celebrated George Washington's birthday this month; but many don't think of Washington as a successful entrepreneur.

Director of the Center for Investors and Entrepreneurs John Berlau talks about Washington's legacy as a capitalist.

"Now, some pioneering scholars are documenting little known aspects of [George] Washington's life. His pursuits can be said to be just as creative as those of Franklin and Jefferson, but in a different way. Washington's creativity of the type one associates with modern entrepreneurs such as Bill Gates and even Donald Trump. Whereas Franklin built gadgets at his homestead, and Jefferson built fancy buildings, the notable things Washington built were a series of interconnected businesses. In the 2006 biography 'The Unexpected George Washington,' historian Harlow Giles Unger calls Washington 'one of America's leading entrepreneurs' and chronicles Washington's transformation of Mount Vernon from a sleepy tobacco farm into a type of industrial village."

 

Makeup Recently, there have been reports about endocrine disruptors and carcinogens in everyday cosmetics. CEI Studios just released a video explaining why women who use makeup shouldn't be concerned:

Alcohol Regulation Roundup

In her latest blog pot, Policy Analyst Michelle Minton summarizes ongoing fights against alcohol regulations around the nation.

Read "Alcohol Regulation Roundup" here.



CEI Daily - The State of the Union, Alcoholic Energy Drinks, and Ethanol

State of the Union

The media is now asking experts what Obama should say in the State of the Union.

Vice President Myron Ebell answers.

"In an ideal world, President Barack Obama would use his State of the Union to admit that America is broke and that his policies have laid the groundwork, not for a robust recovery, but rather for perpetual economic stagnation. That could be the start of working with congressional Republicans to undo the damage and get the economy going. Obama, of course, isn't likely to admit that. He is instead likely to continue to claim that his policies of reckless spending and smothering regulation are leading to a bright new future of clean energy, green jobs, and economic security."

Alcoholic Energy Drinks South Carolina is pushing to be the fifth state to ban alcoholic energy drinks. Policy Analyst Michelle Minton explains the flawed rationale behind the ban. "Regulators are attempting to ban the product-not for minors, who are already banned from purchasing alcoholic drinks, but for adults. Why? The rationale used by many lawmakers is that these drinks eventually lead imbibers to engage in illegal behavior like driving drunk."

Ethanol

The EPA has approved the use of increased ethanol blend E15.

Policy Analyst Brian McGraw observes that the ethanol industry is congratulating itself on this new development while simultaneously complaining about how long it took to get the EPA's approval.

"Let us never forget the delicious irony of an ethanol trade association whining about the unfair government regulations that impede the development of their industry, when the majority of ethanol production in the United States is due solely to the ethanol mandates in the Renewable Fuel Standard."



CEI Daily - High-Speed Rail, Snow Cleanup, and Responsible Drinking

High-Speed Rail

Funds intended for Ohio and Wisconsin's high-speed rail lines have been re-allocated to fund projects in California and Florida.

Policy Analyst Marc Scribner explains the difference between the Midwest projects and the new projects.

"Unlike the scuttled Ohio and Wisconsin corridors, the proposed high-speed rail projects in California and Florida actually meet the technical definitions of 'high-speed rail.' But it should not be surprising that these coastal-state corridors are far more expensive than the “medium-speed rail” projects that were proposed in the Midwest."

Snow Cleanup Democratic politicians are less than thrilled with public employee unions these days, thanks to unions' expensive pension programs.  Policy Analyst Ivan Osorio points out that New York unions have been stalling snow cleanup efforts--which is increasing tensions between politicians and union leaders. "As private businesses retrench or cut back hours, governments must carry on, even as tax revenues fall, until they reach a crisis stage at which draconian measures become necessary. Yet even then, government employee unions are wont to push back against any curbs in compensation, as the New York snow cleanup slowdown painfully shows. Thus, elected officials have no option but to face government unions head on."

Responsible Drinking

Proponents of alcohol labeling mandates seem to hold that customers don't have the ability to monitor their own drinking.

Director of Risk and Environmental Policy Angela Logomasini says that there's actually a growing market of products which help people monitor themselves.

"One option for those seeking to monitor their own alcohol-blood levels is a portable, personal breathalyzer device! According to a story in the Buffalo News, this product — called the BAQ Tracker — costs $249 and “provides an accurate and reliable measurement of breath-alcohol concentration.”  For those with a more modest budget, the company provides a blackberry app for just $4.99. It calculates likely blood-alcohol based on input from the user related to weight, height, age, along with the amount and time over which alcohol is consumed."



CEI Daily - Alcohol Labeling, the D.C. Metro, and Bed Bugs

Alcohol Labeling

Proposed wine labeling mandates would regulate how wine producers describe their products on labels. 

Director of Risk and Environmental Policy Angela Logomasini says the proposed mandates are misguided.

"Alcohol producers should have the freedom to include any information on their labels that they desire, except fraudulent claims. That includes nutrition and other health-related information. But unlike [premium drinks company] Diageo, activist groups are calling on the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) to require specific information, rather than allow firms more freedom in labeling."

The D.C. Metro The WMATA held a meeting this week to discuss the implementation of and reactions to their new bag search policy. Research Associate Brian McGraw points out that even though the majority of attendees to the meeting were opposed to the new policy, Metro Transit Police refused to address people's major concerns. "WMATA's response to criticism reminds us that citizen opinion isn’t to be considered, despite the number of sensible critiques (that it will do absolutely nothing to prevent a terrorist attack) and WMATA's own admission that 'there is no specific or credible threat to the system at this time.'"

Bed Bugs

Outgoing Ohio Governor Ted Strickland wants the EPA to approve emergency use of the pesticide Propoxur to rid elderly residential centers of bed bugs.

Director of Risk and Environmental Policy Angela Logomasini explains why the EPA should reconsider their position on using pesticides and DDT to fight bed bugs.

"According to EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson, the agency won’t allow its use indoor because the possibility of adverse effects on children.  She suggests that bedbugs are a serious 'problem' and a 'nuisance' but that the chemical might amount to 'a cure that’s actually worse than the disease.'

    She dismisses the likelihood that Propoxur could provide more benefits than risks. 'If used wisely and against the right kind of pest, then I think it [Propoxur] will probably offer far more benefit than risk,' bedbug expert Dr. Richard Pollack of the Harvard School of Public Health told The New York Times in 2009.

    However, if Jackson really wants to protect kids from toxicity and the 'nuisance' of bedbugs, she should approve limited, home-use of the pesticide DDT.  It helped eradicate bedbugs in the United States during the 20th century, but they returned a few decades after the EPA banned DDT."



CEI Daily - Global Warming, Alcohol and Obamacare

Global Warming

With the recent cold temperature around the globe, many Global Warming Alarmists claim that the severe winter is actually caused by Global Warming.

CEI's, Director of the Center of Energy and Environment, Myron Ebell, dispels this myth.

"According to Ebell, if the Arctic was getting warmer, the air rushing south would also be warm. This would reduce the difference between the two meeting pressure systems, leading to less severe winter weather. This hasn’t happened."

Alcohol Around the Country, many States are enacting their own regulatory rules dealing with alcoholic beverages. Policy Analyst Michelle Minton has the Regulatory Roundup. "Maryland: Lawmakers will likely pass a measure next year allowing direct shipping of wine to Maryland residents. Vineyards, especially smaller wine makers, claim that direct shipping increases demand and their ability to compete with larger producers. Wholesalers, as usual, oppose the measure as it circumvents their long-held grip on the distribution of alcohol in Maryland."

Obamacare

After the passage of Obamacare, many have wondered about the impact it will have on State budgets.

Senior Counsel Hans Bader argues that Obamacare will make State budget problems worse.

"Obamacare is making state budget problems much worse, as governors now lament. Earlier, CEI filed an amicus brief in Florida v. HHS on behalf of two governors explaining how the radical changes to state Medicaid programs resulting from Obamacare violated limits on congressional power under the Constitution’s spending clause. Some of the fiscal burdens Obamacare imposes on states are obviously huge, while many others are ambiguous, unpredictable, and contingent on bureaucratic caprice, and uncertain future events."