Publications -- Regulations

Apr 25, 2000

BA #322 – Clearing the Air About the Bush Environmental Record

Presumptive Republican presidential nominee George W. Bush's environmental record as Texas governor has come under heightened scrutiny for two reasons. First, his record could indicate the types of policies he would pursue as president. Second, his likely opponent, Vice President Al Gore, is closely associated with environmental causes. Gore wrote a book warning of an impending environmental crisis, was chosen as President Clinton's running mate in 1992 largely to garner the environmental vote and is often touted as an environmental leader by groups pressing "green" issues.

Apr 25, 2000

BA #321 – Should the Fed Raise Margin Requirements?

On March 21, the Federal Reserve raised both the federal funds rate (the interest rate banks charge each other on loans) and the discount rate (the interest rate the Fed charges banks) by another 25 basis points (1/4th of 1 percent). In the wake of this latest increase, growing numbers of economists and politicians are starting to question the Fed's action. They are asking why farmers, small businesses and home buyers must be punished when the Fed's principal target appears to be the stock market. They are urging the Fed to raise margin requirements (the maximum percent of an investment that can be made with funds investors borrow from their brokers) instead of raising interest rates.

Apr 10, 2000

BA #320 – Power For Sale

For most of the 20th century, electric power has been produced and sold by local monopoly utilities. Consumers were prohibited from buying power from rival producers and other sellers were prohibited from entering utilities' protected markets. Deregulation of other industries, such as long-distance telephone service and natural gas, has reduced prices and increased the variety and quality of services available. This has led to increasing pressure to deregulate the electric power industry.

Dec 03, 1999

BA #307 – Patients' Rights: A Double Standard

As everyone "knows," the Patients' Bill of Rights that recently passed the House of Representatives would allow members of Health Maintenance Organizations to sue their plans. What most people probably don't know is that members already can sue their HMOs under current law. So what's going on?

Oct 14, 1999

BA #305 – Portland: Smart Growth's Bad Example

City officials and planners from all over the world are traveling to Portland, Ore., for a first hand look at the municipal pioneer of Smart Growth (also known as the New Urbanism), the latest fad in urban planning. Smart Growth promises less congestion, less air pollution, reduced infrastructure costs, more affordable housing and protection of open space through six basic policies...

Oct 01, 1999

ST #228 – Turning On The Lights: Deregulating The Market for Electricity

Consumers, industry and business have reaped enormous benefits from increased competition and innovation following the deregulation of major industries in the United States and other countries. Commercial and residential customers spend more than $200 billion a year for electricity. Of that amount $20 billion to $50 billion is unnecessary spending caused by regulatory inefficiencies.

Aug 11, 1999

BA #304 – Secret Disservice: Covering Up Scientific Data Violates the Public's Right to Know

Policy makers often rely on scientific research, much of which is funded by the federal government, in making important policy decisions. Faulty research can result in bad policy.

Aug 10, 1999

BA #303 – Income Distribution

Almost daily, left-wing organizations - Citizens for Tax Justice and the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities are two of the most prominent - have been publishing attacks on the House and Senate tax bills. Their analyses are often recycled in White House and Treasury Department statements and repeated by liberal reporters. The gist of the attacks can be summarized briefly: the tax cuts are nothing but give-aways to the rich.

Jun 30, 1999

BA #299 – The Collapsing Scientific Cornerstones of Global Warming Theory

In 1988, James Hansen, director of NASA's Goddard Institute of Space Studies, testified before the Senate that based on computer models and temperature measurements he was "99 percent sure . . the [human caused] greenhouse effect has been detected and it is changing our climate now."

Jun 30, 1999

BA #298 – Dispelling The Myth Of A Cost-Free Global Warming Treaty

The Clinton/Gore administration negotiated a treaty in December 1997 in Kyoto, Japan, that would require the United States and most other industrialized countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in an effort to slow global warming. The U.S. committed to reducing its annual greenhouse gas emissions, mostly carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) from fossil fuel use, by about 40 percent - to 7 percent below its 1990 level - between 2008 and 2012.