For the past several years, activist groups such as Food Democracy Now! and Just Label It! have been pushing for mandatory labeling of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Unfortunately, the exuberance of this grassroots effort may cause more harm than good.
Bureaucratic Quagmire…Leads to Billions Wasted
A July 9, 2014 Government Accountability Office (GAO) report revealed that in fiscal year (FY) 2013 federal agencies issued an estimated $105.8 billion in improper payments. The GAO report serves as an alarming example of bureaucratic waste. The puzzling mismanagement of funds encompassed 84 government programs spread across 18 agencies.
Weird Science
In John Hughes’ 1985 sophomoric romp, Weird Science, a pair of hormonal high-schoolers manufacture the girl of their dreams with the help of a Barbie doll, a home computer, and a well-timed bolt of lightning. It was an absurd premise, but if recent grant recipients are any guide, it might be a good candidate for […]
CAGW Files Comments on Net Neutrality Order
On July 7, 2014, Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) President Tom Schatz filed public comments on the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) May 15, 2014 Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) regarding net neutrality.
When it Comes to Ending the Federal Helium Reserve, Congress Is Full of Hot Air
Turn back the clocks to 1914, when the U.S. government considered using blimps as military aircraft. It was the beginning of World War 1, and helium, a nonrenewable resource extracted from natural gas first discovered by French astronomer Pierre Janssen in 1868, had become a hot commodity. As the second-most-abundant element in the universe after hydrogen, the Navy was also attracted to the possibility of using this lighter-than-air gas in military weaponry and devices.
What a Week!
Last week, important but opposing court opinions were released within hours of each other on two similar cases involving the Affordable Care Act (ACA), often referred to as Obamacare. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit released the opinion on Halbig v. Burwell, formally Halbig v. Sebelius, while the U.S. Court of Appeals […]
Agency Charges Taxpayers for Free Reports
According to its website, The National Technical Information Service (NTIS) seeks to “promote American innovation and economic growth by collecting and disseminating scientific, technical and engineering information to the public and industry, by providing information management solutions to other federal agencies, and by doing all without appropriated funding.” However, with the advent of the internet, […]
Senate Plans Short-term Fix to Taxes on Internet Access
If Senator Harry Reid (D-Nev.) gets his way, taxes on Internet access and other discriminatory or duplicate taxes will only be staved off until 2015, rolling the final decision on whether to make it permanent or to attach other more controversial measures onto the bill either for consideration during a lame duck session or until […]
House Passes Permanent Ban On Internet Taxes
Consumers across America are increasingly using the Internet to shop, apply for jobs, perform schoolwork, and email one another. In 2012, the Federal Communications Commission found in its annual report on advanced communications capabilities that 95 percent of Americans have access to broadband Internet services. According to the International Telecommunications Union, 84.2 percent of individuals […]
Gallup: “Uninsured Rate Sinks to 13.4%…Significant Decline in Uninsured Rate!” Really Gallup? Really?
Gallup released a poll yesterday with the blaring headline, “In U.S., Uninsured Rate Sinks to 13.4% in Second Quarter; Significant Decline in Uninsured Rate Across Age Groups Since the End of 2013.” But before the Obama administration and those that support Obamacare take credit for this supposed sharp decrease in the uninsured, one needs to […]