NH INSIDER

CEI Weekly

March 12, 2010 

>>CEI Against Climate Change Policy

>>On Tuesday, the two articles on the front page of the Washington Times' Commentary section were written by CEI analysts William Yeatman and Chris Horner, both criticizing proposed funding of green jobs by the Obama administration.

>>Additionally, CEI's Chris Horner also appeared on Fox's America's Newsroom, to debate the US' role in the IMF's Climate Fund which would pay for climate programs.

>>Shaping the Debate

Real Competition Among Health Plans

John Berlau and Jonathan Moore's article in the Politico

Avoid Land Grabs while Downsizing Detroit

Marc Scribner's article in the Detroit News

FCC Summit Pushes Broadband for all, Spending Unused Stimulus

Wayne Crews and Ryan Radia's citation in the Washington Examiner

DOE E-Mails To Wind Energy Lobbyists Cast Cloud Over Green Jobs Proposals

Chris Horner's citation in the Investor's Business Daily

>>Best of the Blogs

 Climate Alarm Declining - Gallup

by Marlo Lewis

Gallup’s annual update of Americans’ attitudes on things environmental found that 48% of Americans believe the seriousness of global warming is generally exaggerated, up from 41% in 2009, and 31% in 1997, when Gallup first posed the question.

The Hidden Costs of Health Care Reform: “Obamacare Is A Budgetary Disaster”

by Hans Bader

The health care bills backed by President Obama will cost $2.3 trillion, not the $900 billion Obama claims, and will be a “budgetary disaster” that drives up the national debt, explains health care expert James C. Capretta.  The Obama administration managed to hide $1.4 trillion in costs generated by the health care reform bill though a series of budgetary “gimmicks” that the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) is required to treat as valid in scoring the bill’s enormous cost.

Lagerfeld, Chanel - Jumping the Shark with Global Warming Fashion?

by Christine Hall

Did Karl Lagerfeld jump the shark with his fall-winter 2010-11 ready-to-wear collection for Chanel? The collection was described by the AP as global warming in theme, and subsequently scorned on Newsbusters.  The show featured icebergs reportedly flown in from Sweden (whoa! with the carbon footprint!) and some extreme costume elements - like an antler-and-ear headdress - that would only appeal as street-wear to a Lady Gaga or Bjork.  Ridiculous and unwearable?  Certainly. 

>>LibertyWeek Podcast

Episode 83: What Would Reagan Do?

Richard Morrison, Jeremy Lott and Marc Scribner collaborate to bring you episode 82. We cover the ever-growing deficit, the Reagan legacy, Cablevision v. ABC, the RNC’s fundraising strategy and David Paterson on scandal watch.

 >>Support CEI

Like what you read?

The Competitive Enterprise Institute’s 25-year record of success is made possible by our over 3,000 supporters. Make sure to stop by www.cei.org/support and make a donation to continue your support or become a supporter. Curious about all the possible ways to donate to CEI? Contact Al Canata at acanata@cei.org or 202-331-2280 to find out more.  



CEI Weekly

February 19, 2010 

>>CEI and Allies Challenge EPA Global Warming Regulations

This week, CEI's Sam Kazman and other allies filed a lawsuit challenging the EPA's plan to regulate emissions under the Clean Air Act and filed a petition with the EPA, asking it to reconsider its decision. Read the full story at CEI.org.

>>CEI Co-Sponsors CPAC 2010

This year's Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) is taking place this weekend in Washington DC. CEI's Fred Smith and other policy analysts will be speaking and participating in forums during the whole weekend. To see where to catch them and get more information on CPAC, click here.

>>Shaping the Debate

Texas, Skeptics Seek Court Review of EPA's 'Endangerment' Finding

Sam Kazman's quote in the New York Times

Big Firms Drop Support for US Climate Bill

Myron Ebell's quote in the Guardian

Tom ‘I, Me, Mine’ Friedman Responds to the Global Warming Deniers, Hilarity Ensues

Christopher Horner's op-ed in Big Journalism

>>Best of the Blogs

Obama Defends Misguided Spending Stimulus on One-Year Anniversary

by Wayne Crews

Today on the anniversary of Porkulus, President Barack Obama and his staff are defending the massive spending stimulus and sweeping financial, health care, energy efficiency, “green job” and other interventions. We have called instead for a major “Deregulatory Stimulus” to reject endless political stimulus and liberalize the economy. Meanwhile, alongside trillions in spending, regulations now exceed $1.2 trillion a year and are growing at the rate of over 3,000 new rules a year. 

Of Snow, Shovels, and Property Rights

by Michelle Minton

Imagine that you brave the cold to complete the laborious task of carving out a parking space on some snow encrusted street. How pissed off would you be if you come home from work to discover that some other motorist decided to take advantage of your effort and park their car in the space you created? Does the labor you put into “creating” the space in the snow give you a right to that stretch of public parking? In some cities like Boston, MA you have a legal right to reserve cleared parking spots with lawn chairs or cones, but in DC it isn’t so

Scientist at Center of Email Scandal Admits No Recent Warming

by Michael Fumento

I noted that Kevin Trenberth, a lead author of the warmist bible, the 2007 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report—told Congress two years ago that evidence for manmade warming is “unequivocal.” He claimed “the planet is running a ’fever’ and the prognosis is that it is apt to get much worse.” Yet in one of the released emails he admitted that data showed there was no warming “at the moment.” Now Professor Phil Jones, director the University of East Anglia Climatic Research Center and the central figure in the ‘Climategate’ affair, has conceded there’s been no ‘statistically significant’ warming. Naturally he said it was a “blip” and not a trend

>>LibertyWeek Podcast

Episode 80: Say Bayh Bayh

Host Richard Morrison and co-hosts William Yeatman and Marc Scribner sort through the political fallout from Sen. Evan Bayh’s surprise retirement. They also pick through the mess that is the U.S. Senate, finding both good and bad. Also coming under the microscope are the latest developments in the ever-growing Climategate scandal, and Kevin Smith’s troubles with Southwest Airlines.

 >>Support CEI

Like what you read?

The Competitive Enterprise Institute’s 25-year record of success is made possible by our over 3,000 supporters. Make sure to stop by www.cei.org/support and make a donation to continue your support or become a supporter. Curious about all the possible ways to donate to CEI? Contact Al Canata at acanata@cei.org or 202-331-2280 to find out more.  

You can tune in Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET when CEI global warming policy experts Myron Ebell and Christopher Horner address the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on

As I write to you this morning, the snow of our second blizzard-like storm of the week is piling up outside.

Ironically, President Obama picked this week to announce the formation of a new global warming bureaucracy within the Department of Commerce.  The news conference announcing this new “climate service" had to be canceled due to our D.C. area blizzard.

How out of touch is the radical environmental movement that, sadly, has a deep hold on the Obama Administration?

The Department of Commerce news release announcing the new “climate service" actually said the following, "More and more Americans are witnessing the impacts of climate change in their own backyards..."

There's more.  The release, paid for with your tax dollars, goes on to say that "People are searching for relevant and timely information about these changes to inform decision making about VIRTUALLY ALL ASPECTS OF THEIR LIVE)." (emphasis added)

This kind of out-of-touch left-wing extremism inspired us here at Americans for Prosperity to create a new video I think you'll find interesting CLICK HERE

But even worse, the Obama Administration, in pursuit of their radical environmental goals, is still pursuing a cap-and-trade agenda that will kill jobs, raise utility bills and gas prices and infringe on our freedoms.

For the last two years, we've fought their radical agenda tooth-and-nail with the help of folks like you.  We've held over 80 “Hot Air Tour" balloon rallies from Bozeman, Montana to Jacksonville, Florida and from Little Rock, Arkansas to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to raise awareness of the Left's cap-and-trade energy tax and to get activists to call and email their Senators and Congressmen to vote against it.  CLICK HERE FOR MORE ON THESE RALLIES AND OUR EFFORT 

Despite the fact that a Pew Foundation poll showed Americans rank "combating global warming" dead last on their list of priorities, President Obama used his recent State of the Union speech to once again demand passage of his cap-and-trade legislation. They even wrote a blank line in the federal budget labeled "allowance for climate policy" to keep secret how much they plan to tax and spend via cap-and-trade.  So, the cap-and-trade fight is not over.

Even worse, Obama is not waiting for Congress.  The president is now intent on using the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to bypass Congress and move full steam ahead to enforce the Left's global warming agenda.  
 
Soon after President Obama's election, this un-elected bureaucracy issued a "finding" that greenhouse gas emissions endanger human health and welfare and therefore should be regulated by the EPA.  Now, the EPA is moving to impose job-killing, freedom-encroaching regulations and mandates on American businesses - at a time when our economy is desperately struggling to create jobs and rebuild prosperity.  Over 40,000 AFP activists put official comments in at the EPA on this issue.  But to win, we will have to convince Congress to step in and stop the EPA.

Fortunately, there are now serious bipartisan efforts underway in both the House and Senate to do just that - block the EPA's outrageous global warming power grab and return the power to make our country's laws to Congress.

At Americans for Prosperity, we're going to be announcing in the near future an intensive effort to combat this job killing EPA power grab.  So stay tuned!  In the meantime, please take a moment to click here and let your members of Congress know that if they fail to stop the EPA, you will hold them responsible for the consequences.

I hope you’re safe and sound at home if you live in the path of this storm.  And you can just look out in your "backyard" for the devastating "impacts" of climate change (that’s what global warming is apparently called during blizzards!).

Tim Phillips

P.S.The Left is coming back in 2010 with a powerful new attempt to push through their radical environmental agenda.  And they are intent to bypass Congress and do it through the EPA.  Please take a moment to CLICK HERE to let your members of Congress know you understand the stakes and will hold them responsible if they let EPA get away with it.

Dear Fellow AFP Activist,

January was a big month for the conservative movement and for our country. In crystal clear fashion, the people of Massachusetts told President Obama and Congressional Democrats to end the health care takeover now with the election of Senator Scott Brown. 

After receiving the message, the president attempted to pass himself off as a job-creating, fiscally responsible political leader in his first State of the Union address. Sadly, Americans know better as they witnessed his big-government, tax-and-spend liberal agenda all last year. 

Despite the president's misleading speech and despite the massive liberal majorities in Congress...WE ARE WINNING.  Our conservative, pro-freedom, low tax, less government principles are winning.

I know you have put in tireless hours to make your voice heard in Washington and you are making a difference. This month we took huge steps forward in the fight for freedom. However, we know the president and Congress will move ahead with their liberal agenda in the coming months. That's why we can't let up.

Thank you for all that you do. Please read on to learn more about what we are doing at AFP.

State of the Union, the Voice of the People

Tonight AFP President Tim Phillips and six other leaders in the conservative movement, representing organizations with a combined membership of over 15 million Americans, will deliver The State of The Union, The Voice of The People live at 8p.m. eastern time. To register and watch visit http://tvtownhall.com/ 

Recent National Highlights 

AFP Crowds Around the Country Gather to Watch the State of the Union 

AFP hosted town hall meetings across the nation on Wednesday night during the State of the Union to send a message that this attempted big-government health care takeover must end now.  

Read more and see video HERE.

Grassroots Activists Reject So Called "Open Internet" Regulations

AFP conducted a public comment campaign that resulted in more than 22,000 comments from regular Americans opposed to new regulations in the name of "net neutrality" or an "open Internet."

Read the full story HERE. Stay tuned for another round of comments soon.

Recent Local Highlights

• Join AFP-New Hampshire for a town hall with the Wall Street Journal's Stephen Moore
• Today's News NJ names New Jersey state director Steve Lonegan political activist of the year
• Hundreds of Arkansans join together for State of the Union watch parties
• AFP-Kansas unveils new tax alert system
• AFP-Texas creates new citizen watchdog program

Activist Survey

We want to learn more about you and how we can improve our future efforts.

Please take a few minutes to complete our short activist survey by clicking HERE.

Coming up at AFP

Don't buy the hype! The so-called 'jobs bill' is just more failed Washington stimulus.

Top Democrat leaders admit that last year's "stimulus" did not (and will not) work.  But now they're calling for yet another round of waste and special-interest handouts - this time they're calling it a "jobs bill," but it's really just more of the same failed stimulus policies. Sign the NoStimulus petition today!

New Obama Budget Conceals Massive Cap-and-Trade Tax

The big news in last year's budget release was the revelation that the Obama administration planned to use cap-and-trade to raise $646 billion over ten years to finance its big spending programs. This year's budget actually has, literally, a blank line for the cap-and-trade tax.

Read more HERE and stayed tuned to Americansforprosperity.org for more details.