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IAIN MURRAY
Worlds Poor:
We Want Capitalism
S partan mothers reputedly would tell
their sons as they went off to war:
Come home with your shield, or on it!
I did not impart such encouraging words
to my son when he journeyed across the
Pond, but I did admonish: Come home
with a bottle of whisky, or not at all.
Two years ago, he and a high school
Were currently in the anger phase, though its not sive. Joining us in our lawsuit are the National Center
clear precisely which one. But we probably would for Transgender Equality and the Rutherford Institute.
have been stuck somewhat longer in the depression If the TSA were half as transparent about the basis
stage were it not for a new ruling in our constitutional for its decision-making as passengers are when they
challenge to Dodd-Frank. pass through its scanners, wed be a lot better off.
We filed this case back in 2012, on behalf Speaking of transparency, when it comes to
of ourselves, the 60 Plus Association, and, most secret emails theres no reason to let Hillary Clinton
importantly, the State National Bank of Big Spring, hog the limelight. John Holdren, the chief White
Texas. The bank may be small, but it is one incred- House Science advisor and star of the hit movie, The
ibly courageous institution. We challenged the Polar Vortex Explained in 2 Minutes, has his own
structure of three major Dodd-Frank institutionsthe personal email account. Our Freedom of Information
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the Financial Act request for work-related documents in that
Stability Oversight Council, and the Orderly account was turned down flat by the White House
Liquidation Authorityeach of them with incredibly Office of Science and Technology Policywhich
broad powers over the economy, and each of them Holdren heads; no coincidence there, Im sure. Our
miraculously free of the checks and balances under appeal is supported by the Reporters Committee for
which government entities generally operate. Freedom of the Press and 26 media organizations.
Our lawsuit was soon joined by 11 states, and Now if only there were body scanners for personal
then had the rug pulled out from under it when a email accountsbody scanners that worked, that is.
federal district court ruled that none of us had stand- By the way, as of October 1, Ted Frank and his
ing. Happily, on July 24 a major part of that ruling Center for Class Action Fairness have joined CEI.The
was reversed by the Court of Appeals, which held Center focuses on objecting, in court, to settlements
that we did indeed have standing to go after the in class action and shareholder suits where class
CFPB, as well as the recess appointment of its direc- members get little or nothing, while their attorneys
tor, Richard Cordray (and while the appellate court get ridiculously huge attorney fees.The Centers track
affirmed the states lack of standing to challenge the record is awesome, and its success may well change
Liquidation Authority, it noted that this could change the dynamics behind the filing of these abusive
in the future once that authority started being used). cases.More on this to come.
On other fronts, in mid-July we filed a manda-
mus petition challenging the Transportation Security *Back in the saddle
Administrations (TSA) policy on body scanners.
R.M.
honor of and appreciation for Robert M. Freedman, a
business owner who placed CEI in his estate and gave
CEI its first legacy gift. Today, many of CEIs extended
FREEDMAN family choose to include CEI in their estate plans through:
Bequests Charitable Lead Trusts
S O C IET Y Charitable Life insurance
Remainder Trusts beneficiary
On Capitol Hill
CEI Vice President for Policy Wayne Crews
appeared at a Capitol Hill panel event sponsored
by the Mercatus Center in June. Crews, one of the
contributors to the new Fraser Institute collection
of essays, What Americas Decline in Economic
Freedom Means for Entrepreneurship and
Prosperity, joined fellow contributors from George
Mason University and New York University
to discuss the challenges of and strategies for
confronting the modern regulatory state.
International Outreach
CEI Vice President for Strategy Iain
Murray spoke to students at the Institute of
Economic Studies, a European educational
organization dedicated to advancing
free market and classical liberal thought.
IES sponsors Europes Summer Seminar
on markets and liberty. Murray joined
academics, analysts, and thought leaders
from across Europe and the United States, at
an IES July conference in Bansko, Bulgaria.
Reason Editor-
in-Chief Matt
Welch, master of
ceremonies
In August, CEIs RealClear Radio On August 27, the National Labor On August 3, the Environmental
Hour with Bill Frezza expanded to Relations Board voted 3-2 to expand Protection Agency (EPA) released
three additional markets: Spokane, employers liabilities as so-called two final rules and a proposed rule
Washington, Nashua, New joint employers. Yet another deci- that are considered a major part of
Hampshire, and Riverton, Wyoming. sion by unelected regulators, this time President Obamas climate agenda.
This brings the shows total number at the National Labor Relations Board, Consumers, particularly in the heart-
of radio markets up to 11, including will have a devastating impact on land states that have affordable elec-
Boston and San Francisco. As an American employers and employees, tricity from coal-fired plants, are going
entrepreneur, investor, and 40-year said CEI Vice President Iain Murray. to see their rates skyrocket, just as
veteran of the technology industry, The decision will force franchise and the president promised, said Myron
host and CEI Fellow Bill Frezza offers contract businesses into a one-size- Ebell, director of CEIs Center for
an independent perspective, asking fits-all business model when it comes Energy and Environment in response
questions and telling stories you to liability and wage issues. That may to the Clean Power Plan final rule.
wont hear in the mainstream media. be good for labor union bosses and Because the EPA does not anticipate
Each week, RealClear Radio Hour trial lawyers in search of big targets anyone building new coal-fired power
presents fresh ideas and in-depth dis- of opportunity, but it will hurt anyone plants anyway, evidently, the new
cussion of diverse issues ranging from who now benefits from flexible work source performance standards rules
education and health care to science arrangements. value is purely instrumentalto pro-
and technology. More information vide the regulatory springboard for the
can be found at RealClearRadio.org. so-called Clean Power Plan for exist-
ing power plants, said CEI Senior
Fellow Marlo Lewis in response to the
EPAs new source performance stan-
dards final rule. The administrations
proposed Federal Implementation Plan
was derided by CEI Senior Fellow
William Yeatman as yet another
example of mission creep.
...END NOTES
Chronically Tardy New Jersey Teacher Keeps Job, Minimum Wage Hike Targets Severely Disabled
Blames Breakfast Like many American cities dominated by left-wing politi-
In two years, elementary school teacher Arnold cians, St. Louis is considering a minimum wage hike. Many
Anderson was late for class 111 times. As one might expect, economists warn that mandating higher wages for the same
administrators at Roosevelt Elementary School in New work will simply increase unemployment, particularly among
Brunswick, New Jersey, found this behavior unacceptable. low-skilled youth, as some work is not worth the govern-
They then suspended and moved to fire Anderson. His union ment-defined minimum wage. But the St. Louis case is poised
challenged the dismissal. In August, an arbitrator reinstated to harm an even more vulnerable community: the severely
Anderson to his $90,000 per year job, saying he was developmentally disabled. For decades, sheltered workshop
entitled to progressive discipline, though Anderson will nonprofits such as Industrial Aid have employed cognitively
remain suspended without pay until January 1. His reason disabled individuals to perform meaningful employment for
for being late so many times? I have a bad habit of eating these otherwise unemployable workers. In August, the bills
breakfast in the morning, and I lost track of time, Anderson sponsor removed a provision exempting sheltered work-
told reporters after being reinstated. I have to cut out eating shops, similar to a federal exemption. Mike Stroud, execu-
breakfast at home. tive director of Industrial Aid, doesnt fault the motives of the
campaign organizers, noting they are trying to improve the
Officials Grudgingly Accept Coins for Fines lives of these folks, but theyre going to destroy their lives.
In August, handyman Justin Greene was fined $25 by
Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, for parking his work truck Calls for Flamethrower Ban Lead to Sales Spike
on the wrong side of the street for about 10 minutes. Irked Detroit software developer and device maker Ion
by the petty tyranny of the boroughs officials, Greene Productions Team recently released its XM42 Flamethrower,
attempted to pay his fine with 2,500 pennies. I work too capable of shooting a 25-foot stream of flaming fuel. The
hard for my money and thought it would be fun to get back company suggests possible uses for the $900 handheld
at someone, inconvenience them like they inconvenienced flamethrower, including weed control, clearing snow, start-
me, Greene admitted to the Chambersburg Public Opinion ing your bonfire, and offers discounts to law enforcement,
newspaper. Officials initially declined his request, claim- firefighters, and military veterans. But some lawmakers in
ing the law allowed them to reject payment in such small Michigan are worried about the potential for misuse and
denominations. However, the law cited by officials had have filed bills that would outlaw the devices. After press
been amended in 1965 to recognize all U.S. coins as legal reports suggested flamethrowers would soon be banned,
tender. Legal issues aside, officials eventually caved to the move backfired. Business is skyrocketing higher than
public pressure and went the extra mile by installing coin- ever due to the discussion of prohibition, Chris Byars of Ion
counting machines in city offices. Productions told the press.