The chattering political class, with scant exception, prognosticated that Donald J. Trump had only the narrowest of opportunities to win the White House in the 2016 general election. Indeed, many such solons suggested that his bombastic style, in addition to losing his own race, might also cost the Republicans control of the Senate (all but a foregone conclusion, given that the GOP was in a much more vulnerable position, defending 24 of the 34 seats up for election).
NPS Ban on Bottled Water – “Going Forward”
For more than a year, Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) has been investigating the National Park Service’s (NPS) ban on the sale of bottled water, believing it was an obtrusive inconvenience to visitors and a waste of taxpayer dollars. To date, 23 parks have decided to follow NPS Director Jonathan Jarvis’s December 14, 2011 NPS Policy Memorandum 11-03. This policy allows parks, on a case-by-case basis, and after an extensive review and approval by their respective regional directors, to ban the sale of water contained in disposable plastic bottles. The stated purpose of the ban was to reduce plastic in the parks’ waste stream and to decrease the carbon footprint as part of the NPS’s “Go Green” initiative.
California’s “Netflix Tax”
Cities in the Golden State are exploring what they might call a “golden opportunity” to compensate for the loss of tax revenue from declining cable-television subscriptions as more Americans choose video streaming services like Netflix and Hulu.
USPS Board of Governors Now Empty
On December 8, 2016, Chairman James Bilbray of the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) Board of Governors served his final day, leaving the board with no independent governors for the first time in its short history. As of this writing, only the Postmaster General and the Deputy Postmaster General make up the members of the “independent” […]
Intellectual Property Rights Fuel the Economy
On December 6, 2016, the International Intellectual Property Alliance (IIPA) issued a report highlighting the economic impact copyright industries have on the economy. These industries include producers and distributors of books, journals, movies, music, software, and video games. The study measures the economic contribution of various industries that are primarily responsible for creating and distributing […]
FCC Moves Headlong into Free Data Investigation
In the latest net neutrality salvo, the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Wireless Bureau has upped the ante on its investigation into free data plans offered by wireless providers on December 1, 2016. At the core of the investigation is whether free data services offered to consumers violate net neutrality rules. The investigation has been ongoing since […]
Tom Price is Right
President-elect Donald Trump has chosen Doctor Tom Price (R-Georgia) to be the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in his administration. This is an excellent choice. Representative Price has been a leader in fighting the misnamed Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), better known as Obamacare, since it first appeared […]
President Trump Must Submit Paris Climate Agreement to the Senate
On November 14, President Obama made the following remarks in a press conference before his final foreign trip. When asked about legal constraints placed on him by Congress (specifically with respect to prisoners housed at Guantanamo Bay and his belief that the limitations were unconstitutional), he said, “One of the things you discover about being […]
Taxpayers Fund Absurd Government Marketing
According to Gallup, Americans’ trust in government rests near an all-time low. Gallup’s 2015 survey found that, “Fewer than three-in-ten Americans have expressed trust in the federal government in every major national poll conducted since July 2007 – the longest period of low trust in government in more than 50 years.” There are copious reasons for this valid opinion.
Tobacco Harm-Reduction: Big League Healthcare Savings
In the twenty-first century, remarkable technology innovations have improved nearly every aspect of everyone’s lives. Smart TVs and smartphones are the most well-known examples; however, these innovations even extend to smoking. By 2025, health experts approximate that there will be nearly 1 billion cigarette smokers around the world. While cigarette smoking has declined in the […]