CEI Daily - The Obesity Epidemic, Charles Rangel, and Food Safety

Obesity Epidemic

Environmentalists say manmade chemicals dubbed "obesogens" are causing the obesity epidemic.

Director of Risk and Environmental Policy Angela Logomasini says the "obesogens" hype is irrational.

"Even if chemicals — man-made or natural — have an impact on weight, the impact is likely tiny, particularly compared to known factors related to weight gain: over eating and low activity levels. In fact, as the nation has grown fatter, it is no coincidence that portion sizes have grown larger. On the positive side, our weight problem reflects our growing wealth.  We simply need to better manage our food consumption, which is something that only individuals — rather than bureaucracies — can do."

Charles Rangel Last week the House censured Charles Rangel. Research Associate Brian McGraw says that the 45-second "censuring" by Nancy Pelosi wasn't an appropriate punishment for Rangel's behavior.   "This entire process makes a mockery of the idea that our politicians are actually subject to any sort of accountability, and to the news media who continually use the word “severe” in the same sentence as censure. [...] After being found guilty of over 10 different violations (some of them admittedly benign), his severe and humiliating punishment is a 45 second announcement."

Food Safety

Food safety legislation now being considered would give the FDA the ability to order product recalls.

Senior Fellow Gregory Conko urges Congress to reject this expansion of the FDA's power.

"[G]ranting FDA the power to order product recalls is a solution in search of a problem. Supporters would be hard pressed to identify a single case in which producers refused to honor a recall request based on evidence that a product was actually or likely to be tainted. [...] But with public and media pressure for authorities to "do something" any time there is a food-borne illness outbreak, an FDA with unlimited power could be expected to order recalls on countless products that are perfectly safe, with predictable impacts on prices and consumer choice."



Shea-Porter’s Statement on the House Voting to Censure Congressman Rangel

Yesterday, Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter voted to censure Congressman Charles Rangel.  The vote came after an Ethics Committee trial found Congressman Rangel guilty of eleven violations of House rules.  The resolution censuring Congressman Rangel passed by a vote of 333-79. 

“I have always been clear that should Congressman Rangel be found guilty, I would vote to uphold the Rules of the House and hold him responsible for his actions.  Today’s vote is a signal to all Members, both current and future, that the House of Representatives should always honor the integrity of this institution.  Members of Congress should always be held to the highest of ethical standards.”  said Shea-Porter. 

Censure is the strongest penalty that a Member of Congress can face, short of expulsion.  This is the first time the House has voted to censure a member in 27 years.

ALG Renews Demand that Rangel Resign or Be Expelled

November 16th, 2010, Fairfax, VA—Americans for Limited Government President Bill Wilson today issued the following statement in response to the guilty verdict issued by the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct of Representative Charlie Rangel:

"The House ethics panel has issued a decisive verdict against Charlie Rangel, but it's not over yet.  It's now up to the panel to recommend a punishment.  If Rangel refuses to resign, the only proper punishment is expulsion. 

"Charlie Rangel must go.

"Rangel used a rent-stabilized apartment for campaign activities, failed to pay taxes on rental property in the Dominican Republic, and improperly used congressional letterhead to raise funds for a City University center to be built in his name. These were not small infractions. 

"The House ethics panel must air on the side reestablishing public trust in Congress after this notorious corruption scandal by recommending Rangel's expulsion from the House forever. Anything less than expulsion will be viewed as simply a slap on the wrist and an affirmation of the 'good ol' boy' network.  If Congress should have learned anything from the 2010 elections, it's that the American people want members of the House to be held accountable for their actions.  Rangel is as good a place as any to start."

NRN - Must Reads for August 13, 2010

• April 15th is no holiday
• Bailout bribery
• 10 reasons why Obama is in meltdown
• Historic voter volatility in this year of fear
• Cartoon of the day, "Rangel's Biggest Gift"
• Where did all those 'green shoots' go?
• Who's the radical?
• Charlie Rangel's War
• Congress decides to help its own
• The Anti-Obama Democrats
• A roadmap to saving Medicare
• White House's Keynesian trick bag runs empty
• A memo to Alan Greenspan
• Real or Fake: What was stimulus money spent on?

Bill Wilson, President of Americans for Limited Governemnt, issued the following statement on Texas fighting the off-shore drilling moratorium:

"The state of Texas is leading the charge against the Obama Administration's arbitrary decision to suspend deepwater off-shore oil drilling. After District Court Judge Martin Feldman enjoined the enforcement of the original moratorium as arbitrary and capricious, Interior Department Secretary Ken Salazar simply resubmitted almost the same exact moratorium with a few minor changes. No where along the way has the Interior Department consulted with affected states, as it is required to do under Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, including Texas.

"Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott deserves the praise of all Americans for refusing to stand by idly as the Obama Administration uses the Gulf oil spill as a pretext to restrict American energy production, and cost the oil industry jobs. The moratorium stands to cost Texas some $622 million in GDP, and $22 million in tax revenue, and puts as many as 190,000 jobs at risk should the moratorium continue indefinitely.

"Texas has also challenged the Environmental Protection Agency's arbitrary finding that carbon dioxide, a biological gas necessary for the existence of life, is somehow a dangerous and harmful pollutant. The EPA's endangerment finding itself endangers the future of the U.S. economy, which relies on carbon energy consumption to fuel transportation, heating, and other essentials, and Texas' fight must be joined by other states.

"States must continue to push back against the overreach of the Obama Administration in federal court, whether against the off-shore drilling moratorium, the EPA endangerment finding, the individual mandate under ObamaCare, or the latest mandatory state participation in the $10 billion education fund.

"This isn't merely a matter of overregulation by government. This is about a consistent pattern by the Obama Administration to usurp and destroy the states as legitimate institutions enjoying the consent of the governed. Texas Governor Rick Perry and Attorney General Greg Abbott are leading the charge to make certain that states will remain relevant in our federal system of government, and not run roughshod over. These usurpations will only continue unless the states reassert their sovereignty and remain determined to fight to protect the rights of their citizens."

Read more at NetRightDaily.com.

NRSC Response To Hodes' Refusal To Return Rangel's Tainted Campaign Cash

According to today’s Union Leader, Democrat Senate hopeful and Congressman Paul Hodes (D-NH) still refuses to return at least $17,000 in donations that he received from embattled Congressman Charlie Rangel’s (D-NY) campaign committee and leadership PAC because he claims the money was given to his House campaign committee, not his Senate account.

Just as a reminder, Hodes already transferred $39,000 to his Senate account from his House account just last year.

In reporting on this story, please consider the following response from the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC):

 “Granite State voters can see through Paul Hodes’ empty excuses and his hypocritical double-speak, and there’s no doubt that they will hold him accountable when they elect a Republican Senator who will fight for accountability and checks-and-balances in Washington.” – Amber Marchand, NRSC Press Secretary

Background Information:

Paul Hodes Transferred $39,000 To His Senate Account From His House Account. "A look behind the numbers for Hodes reveals the actual dollars that he raised were even smaller… there’s the $39,000 Hodes transferred from his House campaign account." (Kevin Landrigan, "Parts Of NH In Danger Of Running Out Of Liquor," The Nashua [NH] Telegraph, 4/19/09)

Hodes Has Accepted At Least $17,000 From Rangel’s Campaign Committee And Leadership PAC:

• ·         Hodes Accepted $2,000 In September 2006, And Two
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http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?headline=GOP+asks+Dems+to+return+Rangel+dollars&articleId=5ce5230e-ab0f-44bc-9e4d-dc9d530dbee9

GOP asks Dems to return Rangel dollars

By Mark Hayward

Union Leader

July 30, 2010

New Hampshire Congressman Paul Hodes called on his embattled Democratic colleague, veteran Congressman Charles Rangel, to step down yesterday, while Republicans insisted Hodes should return campaign contributions from Rangel.

The statements came after House investigators accused Rangel of 13 violations of congressional ethics standards. A New York politician, Rangel has been a congressman for 40 years.

"I was saddened to read the very serious charges made against Congressman Rangel today," Hodes said in a statement distributed to UnionLeader.com last night. "After reading these very serious charges, I believe that it has come time for him to step down."

The latest news prompted New Hampshire Republicans to reiterate their call for Hodes and Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., to return campaign contributions received from Rangel in previous elections.

Hodes, who is running for the Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Judd Gregg, has received $17,000 from Rangel for previous campaigns. Shaheen has received $10,000.

Republican Party spokesman Ryan Williams said Hodes should donate the Rangel money to a New Hampshire charity, as did second-district congressional candidate Katrina Swett.

"The call for resignation is hollow and empty given his refusal to give back that money," Williams said.

But Hodes campaign spokesman Mark Bergman said the money has been spent.

"This money was never given to the Senate campaign," Bergman said. "The money's been spent in previous cycles and was not transferred over (to the Senate account)."

Shaheen spokesman Nell McGarity e-mailed the Union Leader to say the senator's two current campaign committees have never received a contribution from Rangel. She said a 2008 account is closed and no longer exists. The Union Leader received no response to follow-up e-mails.