MedWorm provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest medical blog items that have been tagged with 'campaign'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 01:53:28 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5139678&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36224&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.wsjonline.com%2F%7Er%2Fwsj%2Fhealth%2Ffeed%2F%7E3%2FqCxSoSXzlrc%2F Warning Suit: Cigarette manufacturers filed suit in federal court in an attempt to prevent an FDA requirement for graphic cigarette package warnings from going into effect, the WSJ reports. Lorillard, Reynolds American’s R.J. Reynolds, Imperial Tobacco Group’s Commonwealth Brands and Vector Group’s Liggett claim the proposed changes violate their freedom of speech. Philip Morris’s parent company, Altria, meantime, has supported the law that mandated new labels, the New York Times reports. Screening Recommendation: The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force says there isn’t enough evidence to support regular screening for bladder cancer among healthy people with no symptoms of the disease, Reuters reports. There isn’t enough data to show whether the benefits... WSJ.com: Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5139678 Wed, 17 Aug 2011 12:54:41 +0100 5139678 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5107483&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36224&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.wsjonline.com%2F%7Er%2Fwsj%2Fhealth%2Ffeed%2F%7E3%2FzI5sxWjKWVE%2F Reversal of Course: The federal government won’t try to force the resignation of Forest Laboratories CEO Howard Solomon after the company last year plead guilty to drug-marketing misdemeanors, the WSJ reports. Solomon wasn’t named in the criminal action but the government had sought to exclude him from doing business with the government under a clause of the Social Security Act. Bad Habit: New research shows that when it comes to lung-cancer risk, smoking within 30 minutes of waking up in the morning is worse than waiting at least an hour before lighting up, the BBC reports. It’s not clear why, but one possible explanation is that people suck in smoke more intensely when they smoke first thing in the morning, increasing exposure to chemicals. Unclear Effectiveness?: The U... WSJ.com: Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5107483 Mon, 08 Aug 2011 12:40:52 +0100 5107483 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5062223&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F0lOqIPCKq-k%2F The New Republic has an interesting article explaining “How Campaign Finance Laws Made the British Press so Powerful.” Basically, only British newspapers are free of regulations that suppress political speech. The author suggests adding more controls (including content restrictions) on the British newspapers to enforce “impartial” coverage. In other words, the media should be just as repressed as everyone else, and political leaders should be free of criticism. Like many others, I have long thought that U.S. newspapers editorialize in favor of campaign finance restrictions to control competing speech and thereby become more powerful. After Citizens United, other organizations now enjoy the same First Amendment protections as media corporations like The New York Time... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5062223 Mon, 25 Jul 2011 17:23:23 +0100 5062223 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4992653&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FH3Clc-AJ5EU%2F By John SamplesCampaign finance regulation met celebrity culture for one morning this week. I was not completely bemused. Stephen Colbert and the FEC is a post from Cato @ Liberty - Cato Institute Blog (Source: Cato-at-liberty) Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4992653 Fri, 01 Jul 2011 19:54:48 +0100 4992653 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4921387&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F53tWId1h4xQ%2F By John SamplesFor some time now, the U.S. Supreme Court has placed little weight on the value of anonymous speech, especially in the campaign finance context. True, in McIntyre v. Ohio Elections Commission (1995), the Court struck down a state law prohibiting distributing anonymous campaign literature. But from Buckley v. Valeo (1976) onward, the Court has looked favorably on disclosure of campaign spending. Even Citizens United saw only one justice, Clarence Thomas, speak out in favor of anonymous speech. Long-time First Amendment advocate Nat Hentoff raises some questions about limiting anonymous speech in this video. He praises Justice Thomas and recalls the importance of anonymous speech during the founding era. Defending Anonymous Speech is a post from Cato @ Liberty - Cato Institut... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4921387 Fri, 10 Jun 2011 17:23:19 +0100 4921387 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4911572&cid=t_105811_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F06%2F07%2Fhow-our-intuitions-deceive-us-an-interview-with-daniel-simons%2F In 2004 Daniel Simons and Christopher Chabris received the Ig Nobel Prize in Psychology, awarded for “achievements that first make people laugh, and then make them think,” for the experiment that was the inspiration for their popular book, The Invisible Gorilla, and website. Daniel Simons is a Professor in the Department of Psychology and the Beckman Institute at the University of Illinois. His research focuses on the limits of human perception, memory, and awareness, and he is best known for his research showing that people are far less aware of their visual surroundings than they think. We recently sat down with Simons to talk about his current work. In celebration of the June 7th release of the paperback edition of The Invisible Gorilla you guys are starting a charity campaign. Ple... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4911572 Tue, 07 Jun 2011 18:16:55 +0100 4911572 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4893402&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FPxrcRUxnjW4%2F By Trevor BurrusCornel West feels jilted. In an article on him at Truthdig, Princeton’s Professor of African-American Studies and Religion criticizes President Obama for being ungrateful for West’s service to his campaign. Much of the article reads like post-breakup grumblings. West describes how Obama never calls him back, “but then a month and half later I would run into other people on the campaign and he’s calling them all the time. I said, wow, this is kind of strange. He doesn’t have time, even two seconds, to say thank you or I’m glad you’re pulling for me and praying for me, but he’s calling these other people.” Most interesting are West’s criticisms of Obama’s presidency. Like many former supporters, Professor West feels betrayed by Obama’s “same as the o... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4893402 Thu, 02 Jun 2011 20:23:49 +0100 4893402 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4893418&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FDZAFkJTEtHQ%2F By Emily EkinsMany political pundits have dismissed presidential hopeful Herman Cain as a long shot. However, coinciding with a Washington Post exclusive of the recently announced presidential candidate, a new IBOPE Zogby Interactive Poll shows Herman Cain, businessman and radio talk show host, edging out other leading GOP presidential candidates among Republican primary voters. Cain garnered 19% of vote, the plurality response, finally surpassing Governor Chris Christie who received 16% of the vote. A new Gallup poll shows Herman Cain with the leading Positive Intensity Score among potential GOP contenders at 25%, among those who recognize him. His name recognition has jumped from 21% in March to 37% in May. Cain began receiving substantial media attention due to his popularity with the T... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4893418 Wed, 01 Jun 2011 21:10:44 +0100 4893418 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4872095&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fkudos-to-the-cdc-for-creative-health-messaging-the-zombie-project%2F2011.05.26 This is good.  I knew the CDC was socially tuned-in but this came as a surprise:  Preparedness 101: Zombie Apocalypse .  It’s every American’s guide to dealing with a zombie attack.  You come thinking zombies but take away principles for emergency preparedness.  Well done, CDC. The real take away for those of us looking under the hood: effective health messaging should be creative and fun.  While we’ll never be able to measure the true effectiveness of this approach in an emergency, expect the post’s massive traffic to convert important links on emergency preparedness.  Hopefully the CDC will release stats on the effectiveness of this campaign. I’d like to write more, but I’m goin’ to make my kit. *This blog post was originally published at 33 Charts* (Source... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4872095 Thu, 26 May 2011 19:00:36 +0100 4872095 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4862628&cid=t_105811_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F05%2F25%2Fpoliticians-and-sex-the-type-t-personality%2F Colleague and psychologist Dr. Frank Farley has an interesting op-ed over at the LA Times the other day about some of the underlying psychological motivations that may explain why politicians stray from their marriages. In the article, Dr. Farley refers to the “Type T Personality” — the T stands for Thrill. He makes the argument that we elect the politicians we do because we’re drawn to their bold ideas, their intensity, their charisma. But those same qualities that may make them a good politician (we don’t really know, because there hasn’t been a lot of research done in this area yet), also may put them at greater risk for engaging in unethical relationship behavior, such as cheating on their spouse. Politicians, like Hollywood celebrities, are also con... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4862628 Wed, 25 May 2011 15:45:32 +0100 4862628 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4847951&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=38368&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FDisruptiveWomenInHealthCare%2F%7E3%2FwO2_l_PCpZI%2F By Lois Privor-Dumm. We’ve all heard these words: “There is tremendous need here at home,” or “money in Africa has been wasted for so long.”   This is why this simple video from the ONE campaign struck me. Through a public health lens it is a no-brainer: of course you want to spend on cost–effective interventions that will save lives.  For others, while they admit that it is an admirable goal, the connection is not made.  In times of financial uncertainty, we have to be more careful with our money, don’t we? One of the best and prudent ways to invest though, is in future generations.  In the US, we provide all of our children the best chance at life, with fewer worries about preventable, devastating disease.  Imagine what that kind of security could do for a family in A... Disruptive Women in Health Care blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4847951 Fri, 20 May 2011 13:27:50 +0100 4847951 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4828856&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FRs9Wy_iJqXs%2F By John SamplesThe Internal Revenue Service is investigating campaign donations to groups incorporated under 501(c)(4) of the tax code. Some in the IRS apparently hope to apply gift taxes to the contributions. Higher taxes on an activity would generally lead to less of that activity, especially if a good substitute exists that is not taxed. In this case, donors could give money to 527 groups. Such donations are exempt from taxation. But 527 groups are subject to disclosure of donors. The IRS investigations involve tax provisions “that had rarely, if ever, been enforced.” Why now? We do not know. But 501(c)(4) groups played in a important part in the 2010 campaign. As you know, the party in power lost control of the House of Representatives in 2010.  With the president’... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4828856 Mon, 16 May 2011 14:53:51 +0100 4828856 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4828844&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36224&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.wsjonline.com%2F%7Er%2Fwsj%2Fhealth%2Ffeed%2F%7E3%2FI01GOVFm0So%2F Newt Gingrich, now officially a candidate for the Republican presidential nomination, is staking out some of his positions on the divisive issue of health-care overhaul. As the WSJ reports, the former Speaker of the House dismissed the plan to rejigger Medicare put forth by the current GOP House majority as “right-wing social engineering,” while also endorsing the individual mandate to buy insurance that is vilified by critics on the right. The Medicare plan spearheaded by Rep. Paul Ryan would essentially replace the government insurance plan with vouchers to help seniors purchase private coverage. (The change would apply only to Americans aged 55 and under.) But the value of those vouchers would rise only as fast as overall consumer inflation, which has been outpaced by the ri... WSJ.com: Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4828844 Mon, 16 May 2011 13:57:15 +0100 4828844 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4820805&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36224&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.wsjonline.com%2F%7Er%2Fwsj%2Fhealth%2Ffeed%2F%7E3%2FuRbAsorCGho%2F Mitt Romney is running for president. And he’s also running away from the universal health-care coverage he brought to Massachusetts when he served as governor, since that plan bears a striking resemblance to the none-too-popular-on-the-right health-care overhaul law passed last year. The Massachusetts law includes an individual mandate to purchase coverage, the element of the national plan that has become the chief target for those seeking to overturn the law. As the WSJ reports, Romney will give a speech today that he hopes will address critics of his role in the Massachusetts plan … without totally disavowing the whole thing. (After all, the program means that nearly everyone in the state now has insurance, and is popular with residents though it hasn’t done much to cu... WSJ.com: Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4820805 Thu, 12 May 2011 13:46:06 +0100 4820805 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4758732&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FEJd6AXyKP1Y%2F By John SamplesIn an earlier post, I wrote about the problems with the Obama administration’s executive order to force government contractors to reveal their political activity. The administration defends the mandate by arguing “taxpayers deserve to know how contractors are spending money they’ve earned from the government.” For the first (and perhaps last) time, I rise to the defense of government contractors. The President apparently believes that anyone who sells a good or service to the government must account for the uses of the money received in the transaction in perpetuity? Obama’s press secretary said the President’s “goal is transparency and accountability. That’s the responsible thing to do when you’re handling taxpayer dollars.” I do ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4758732 Thu, 28 Apr 2011 00:28:56 +0100 4758732 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4753664&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FM-da7bJjngI%2F By Michael F. CannonI’ve been meaning to write about how ObamaCare’s unelected rationing board — innocuously titled the Independent Payment Advisory Board — is yet another example of the Left leading America down the road to serfdom.  (Efforts to limit political speech — innocuously called “campaign finance reform” — are another.) As Friedrich Hayek explained in The Road to Serfdom (1944), when democracies allow government to direct economic activity, the inevitable failures lead to calls for a more authoritarian form of governance: Parliaments come to be regarded as ineffective “talking shops,” unable or incompetent to carry out the tasks for which they have been chosen. The conviction grows that if efficient planning is to be done, the directi... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4753664 Tue, 26 Apr 2011 20:54:12 +0100 4753664 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4753675&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FXE0b4fdwzns%2F By Roger PilonToday POLITICO Arena asks: Is Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour’s announcement today that he will not seek the Republican presidential nomination in 2012, and the reason he gave for his decision, the right call? My response: Gov. Barbour’s explanation for why he will not seek the 2012 Republican presidential nomination — because a candidate today “is embracing a ten-year commitment to an all-consuming effort, to the virtual exclusion of all else,” and he cannot make such a commitment — is not only refreshingly candid but points to a much deeper problem. We are moving inexorably not simply to news but to politics 24/7/365. And what better example than our current part-time president who, with no primary challenger in sight, is already on the campaign trail (d... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4753675 Mon, 25 Apr 2011 20:32:23 +0100 4753675 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4709190&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2Fw_3gECG0FYA%2F By John SamplesOver the next few years, most arguments about campaign finance regulation will be about extending mandated disclosure to some of the independent spending freed up by the Citizens United decision. Writing in the Wall Street Journal, James L. Huffman offers a unique perspective on mandated disclosure: he was a candidate for the U.S. Senate last year. He argues that mandated disclosure means incumbents know who funded the campaigns of their challengers.  Incumbents do not have to actually threaten anyone; disclosure plus circumstances means a cautious businessperson will stay clear of electoral participation. Huffman also claims that some people who might have contributed to his campaign heard from associates of his opponent who said contributing to Huffman might be a bad idea... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4709190 Wed, 13 Apr 2011 15:32:20 +0100 4709190 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4676762&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2Fuv0ru12imco%2F By George Scoville "One of the first rules of negotiating is never to threaten to do something unless you are prepared to do it." Policymakers and pundits assume the U.S. is so dominant that we're prepared to fight multiple fronts at once, and that it won't affect our security. Candidates for office should prepare to raise money, not rely on taxpayer subsidies. More market liberalization could help prepare Japan for any other natural disaster. Are Tea Party-backed Republicans prepared to go the distance on spending cuts? Monday Links is a post from Cato @ Liberty - Cato Institute Blog (Source: Cato-at-liberty) Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4676762 Mon, 04 Apr 2011 14:42:02 +0100 4676762 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4664477&cid=t_105811_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F0PSQdhxfE7c%2F Several dozen people protested around London earlier today over the ongoing refusal by Johnson & Johnson to partipicate in the Medicines Patent Pool, which is an initiative designed to streamline patent licensing for producing generics of patented HIV meds and offering lower prices in poor countries. Unlike several other drugmakers that have agreed to hold talks, Johnson & Johnson’s Tibotec unit has not agreed to negotiate and recently struck a separate licensing deal with several generic drugmakers to make, market and distribute an investigational an HIV med in India, sub-Saharan Africa and Least Developed Countries. The move has been interpreted by some as a way to undermine the MPP initiative (see this). The talks with the other drugmakers, meanwhile, got under way recently... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4664477 Thu, 31 Mar 2011 17:11:15 +0100 4664477 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4653315&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FFQQJv3QGBnk%2F By Ilya ShapiroYesterday the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the Arizona matching-public-campaign-funding case, McComish v. Bennett, spearheaded by our friends at the Goldwater Institute and the Institute for Justice. Here's the background:  In 1998, after years of scandals ranging from governors being indicted to legislators taking bribes, Arizona passed the Citizens Clean Elections Act. This law was intended to “clean up” state politics by creating a system for publicly funding campaigns.  Participation in the public funding is not mandatory, however, and those who do not participate are subject to rules that match their “excess” private funds with disbursals to their opponent from the public fund. In short, if a privately funded candidate spends more than his publicly f... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4653315 Tue, 29 Mar 2011 14:26:45 +0100 4653315 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4544947&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FRmhvzKbuPbs%2F By Ilya ShapiroRecently, activist and filmmaker Annie Leonard released a video titled "The Story of Citizens United v. FEC," an eight-and-a-half-minute criticism of last year’s Supreme Court case of the same name. Well, sort of. Competitive Enterprise Institute’s Lee Doren made his own video critique in response to Ms. Leonard’s offering, and points out quite clearly that Ms. Leonard doesn’t really deal with any actual constitutional problems in her position—essentially ignoring the decision and its rationale—and instead spends most of her time corporation bashing. Lee was kind enough to cite, inter alia, a blogpost I wrote last year about what “corporate personhood” does and does not mean. If Ms. Leonard was going to ignore the decision, it may have at least served her wel... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4544947 Thu, 03 Mar 2011 17:40:11 +0100 4544947 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4540740&cid=t_105811_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FvYbfYVPhvKU%2F A French court has ruled that a critical article published by the Prescrire medical journal did not tarnish the reputation of the Protopic eczema ointment that is sold by Astellas Pharma, which sued the publication for denigrating its medication. The decision by the Paris tribunal was closely watched because the lawsuit raised concerns about the ability of medical journals in France, and perhaps elsewhere, to freely publish critiques that drugmakers may find offensive without fear of being taken to court. A 2009 article questioned the preventive use of the ointment and maintained the risk-benefit balance was negative. Astellas, which was seeking nearly $14,000 in damages, charged the piece was misleading and suggested the criticism was part of a smear campaign. Prescrire countered that &#... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4540740 Thu, 03 Mar 2011 00:29:11 +0100 4540740 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4455255&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FoGphyKl99-g%2F By Tim LynchThe Washington Post has an interesting article about what has happened in the city since the Supreme Court declared the city's gun ban unconstitutional in the landmark Heller decision in 2008.  Basically, hundreds of residents have registered thousands of firearms. More than 2 years have passed and the predicted mayhem is not here. DC Mayor Fenty called the court ruling an "outrage" and said the ban was necessary to stop residents from intentionally or accidentally killing one another.  Paul Helmke of the Brady Campaign says the debate over the ban is not over yet.  Several more years of data gathering will be necessary.  And so the debate rolls on! For more on this subject, check out the Cato book on the Heller case,  Gun Control on Trial  by Brian Doherty.  Still more ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4455255 Tue, 08 Feb 2011 17:06:39 +0100 4455255 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4450277&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FoGphyKl99-g%2F By Tim LynchThe Washington Post has an interesting article about what has happened in the city since the Supreme Court declared the city's gun ban unconstitutional in the landmark Heller decision in 2008.  Basically, hundreds of residents have registered thousands of firearms. More than 2 years have passed and the predicted mayhem is not here. DC Mayor Fenty called the court ruling an "outrage" and said the ban was necessary to stop residents from intentionally or accidentally killing one another.  Paul Helmke of the Brady Campaign says the debate over the ban is not over yet.  Several more years of data gathering will be necessary.  And so the debate rolls on! For more on this subject, check out the Cato book on the Heller case,  Gun Control on Trial  by Brian Doherty.  Still more ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4450277 Tue, 08 Feb 2011 17:06:39 +0100 4450277 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4382748&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FoF7XF-mu_R0%2F By Ilya ShapiroAs Caleb noted earlier, today marks the one-year anniversary of Citizens United, a case I first thought ”just” concerned some weird regulation of pay-per-view movies, but turned out to be about asserted government power to ban political speech — including books and TV commercials — simply because the speaker was not one individual but a group (in corporate or or other associational form).  See also this op-ed by ACLU lawyer Joel Gora. Roger similarly noted the continuing discussion in Congress and elsewhere about the public financing of elections.  As it turns out, the Supreme Court has agreed to hear a challenge to such a system, specifically Arizona’s Clean Elections Act.  Brought by our friends at the Institute for Justice and the Goldwat... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4382748 Fri, 21 Jan 2011 18:10:56 +0100 4382748 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4382753&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FXLjjuuNZ2XY%2F By Roger PilonToday POLITICO Arena asks: Would the House plan to vote next week on a proposal to end the system of financing presidential candidates and national conventions with federal funds wisely put to rest a public financing scheme that never worked well, or would it eliminate a bulwark against political corruption by forcing candidates to rely entirely on private money? My response: The decades long effort by the Left to finance presidential candidates and national conventions with federal funds — part of the Left’s more ambitious effort to finance all political campaigns with public funds — never worked as proponents hoped it would, with taxpayer participation through check-offs declining from 28.7 percent in 1980 to 7.3 percent in 2009 — and for good r... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4382753 Fri, 21 Jan 2011 14:45:52 +0100 4382753 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4214080&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FxdKCm7gj4bw%2F By Ilya ShapiroToday, the Supreme Court agreed to review McComish v. Bennett (consolidated with Arizona Free Enterprise v. Bennett), which challenges Arizona’s public financing of elections as an unconstitutional abridgment of speech. Because the case concerns a crucial new battleground in the fight between free speech and “fair” (read: government-controlled) elections, Cato filed an amicus brief supporting the cert petitions filed by our friends at Goldwater Institute and the Institute for Justice. McComish centers on Arizona’s “Clean Elections” Act, which provides matching funds to publicly funded candidates if their privately funded opponent spends above certain limits. In other words, by ensuring that his speech will not go “unmatched” by his opponen... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4214080 Mon, 29 Nov 2010 20:40:14 +0100 4214080 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4197032&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FVTRJXu0VioY%2F By Roger PilonIn a barely coherent editorial this morning, The New York Times continues its decades-long crusade against free speech — except its own, of course — with yet another blast at the Supreme Court over its campaign finance decision last January in the Citizens United case. And again, the Times misstates the decision: it did not overturn “a century of precedent.” Perhaps its editorialists can be forgiven for that, even after nearly a year to get it right: after all, the president himself continues to misstate the decision, and that’s good enough for them. Entitled “Our Constitutional Court,” the editorial’s main point seems to be that the Court is “redefining itself as a constitutional court.” That’s a curious charge. Many countries have “constituti... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4197032 Tue, 23 Nov 2010 18:35:26 +0100 4197032 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4133670&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FUvvg3G17Wzs%2F By Michael F. CannonListening to NPR on the way into work, I twice heard a reporter refer to Meredith McGehee, a champion of (ahem) campaign finance reform, as a “good-government lobbyist.” Got that?  If you disagree with McGehee’s lobbying agenda — if, say, you think campaign finance reform is an unconstitutional attempt by the Left to restrict political speech that they don’t like — then you are against making government better. But did you catch the more subtle form of bias?  I maintain there is no such thing as good government. (Call it Cannon’s First Law of Politics.)  And I’m not alone.  ”Government, even in its best state,” wrote Thomas Paine in Common Sense, “is but a necessary evil.”  Not good.  Less evil tha... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4133670 Thu, 04 Nov 2010 15:22:08 +0100 4133670 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4124990&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FP4EVn3DTZTY%2F By John SamplesThis morning the United States Supreme Court refused to consider the appeal in the case of SpeechNow.org v. Federal Election Commission. That’s a shame. I have written before about the SpeechNow case. Here’s a brief summary of the issues. The judiciary has long held that individuals could spend as much as they wished on elections. The traditional rationale for restricting spending — preventing corruption of the political process — did not apply to spending by individuals. If that is true, the SpeechNow plaintiffs wondered why individuals joined in a group (and independent of the candidates and parties) should not have the same freedom from restrictions. It turned out, thanks to Citizens United, that individuals did have that right to be free of limits... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4124990 Mon, 01 Nov 2010 19:09:27 +0100 4124990 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4119540&cid=t_105811_136_f&fid=37852&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdonnatrussell.com%2F2010%2F10%2F28%2Ftea-party-candidates-catch-us-if-you-can%2F New cartoon by Trussell & Trussell on Politics Daily. Tea Party Candidates: Catch Us If You Can. The way they’re hounded, you’d think they’re running for public office or something. Filed under: Politics Daily Tagged: 2010 election, campaign, christine o'donnell, humor, political cartoon, robert donna trussell, sharron angle, tea party (Source: Donna Trussell) Donna Trussell blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4119540 Thu, 28 Oct 2010 18:46:10 +0100 4119540 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4118896&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FyVeElh030gg%2F By Roger PilonToday POLITICO Arena asks: Is it worrisome that Americans spend on political advocacy – determining who should make and administer the laws – much less than they spend on potato chips, $7.1 billion a year? My response: For decades among modern liberals it has been an article of faith — devoid of evidence — that money corrupts politics and that there is too much money in politics — “unconscionable” amounts, we’ve been told, repeatedly. Thus the crusade to restrict and regulate in exquisite detail every aspect of campaign finance, beginning in earnest with the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 and culminating with the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 (McCain-Feingold). Yet after every new restriction along that tortuous course,... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4118896 Wed, 27 Oct 2010 19:05:40 +0100 4118896 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4097900&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FMiZFbSb-vbY%2F By John SamplesThe New York Times devotes major space today to a story disclosing campaign spending by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. They have uncovered some pretty shocking stuff. Apparently the Chamber of Commerce is raising money from businesses to fund campaign ads. The Times has the goods: [A] review of the nearly 70 chamber-produced ads found that 93 percent of those that have run nationwide that focus on the midterm elections either support Republican candidates or criticize their opponents. What is the world coming to? An organization can raise money and use it to support or criticize candidates for office? It’s almost like we have freedom of political speech in the United States. Shocking stuff. The New York Times may not like freedom of speech much for those who disagree w... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4097900 Fri, 22 Oct 2010 15:23:29 +0100 4097900 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4098459&cid=t_105811_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2Fav8j7ew4lEA%2F Whoever thought the pharmaceutical industry was drifting toward the political center by striking a deal with the White House over healthcare reform must not have been aware of Fred Eshelman. Over the past few weeks, the ceo executive chairman at Pharmaceutical Product Development, a contract research organization, has donated more than $3.3 million to RightChange.com, a 527 conservative group that has funded negative ads in various US Senate races, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. Apparently, his donations constitute most of what the group has raised this year, according to third-quarter data analyzed by CPR, which reported the contributions on its Open Secrets blog. His largesse follows more than $5.4 million he donated to the group during the final months of the 2008 elec... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4098459 Fri, 22 Oct 2010 15:22:16 +0100 4098459 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4086254&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FIv2rif1wiEE%2F By Neal McCluskeyWhile politicians probably support many policies for college students in part because they think the policies will be educationally or otherwise beneficial, vote buying is no doubt also important. Of course, it’s hard to find a politician who will actually cop to the latter. On this morning’s Today show, however, Democratic National Committee Chairman Tim Kaine came about as close to doing that as you could possibly hope for.  Responding to interviewer Ann Curry’s observation that President Obama has aimed a lot of campaigning at college students lately, Kaine noted that young people voted for Obama in record numbers in 2008, and “the message to young voters is pretty simple… we’ve done the largest expansion of the student loa... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4086254 Wed, 20 Oct 2010 16:14:15 +0100 4086254 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4074030&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FNkYpobJCUGg%2F By John SamplesYou might have gotten the impression that spending by outside groups in the current election cycle will fund a “giant bullhorn” for Republican candidates in the current election cycle while Democrats and liberals will have to whisper. Yet the Rothenberg Political Report finds: Throughout the election cycle, the National Republican Congressional Committee trailed the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee in available money by at least a 2-to-1 ratio. A detailed story in the Wall Street Journal summarizes “the Democratic Party and candidates had raised a total of $1.25 billion so far for the election. The comparable GOP figure is $1.1 billion.” The Democrats enjoy, in other words, a $150 million dollar advantage, if we look only at party fundraisi... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4074030 Fri, 15 Oct 2010 15:33:05 +0100 4074030 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4065345&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FzTZRl0bFuCA%2F By John SamplesKenneth Vogel offers an unexpected insight into the nature of campaign finance regulation: “[Wisconsin Senator Russell] Feingold faces an uphill battle against a novice opponent, who, perhaps ironically, has been the beneficiary of hundreds of thousands of dollars in ads attacking Feingold that would have been prohibited had McCain-Feingold remained intact.” In other words, if Feingold’s campaign finance law had not proven to be contrary to the U.S. Constitution, he might well not be facing “an uphill battle” to serve a fourth term in Washington. The political speech that is causing Feingold problems would have been prohibited in that situation. But the First Amendment favors speech and not the re-election needs of senators. Oddly, Vogel writes ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4065345 Wed, 13 Oct 2010 19:41:26 +0100 4065345 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4065354&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FCV9DH-ZUPOE%2F By Roger PilonToday POLITICO Arena asks: Looking at the repeated failures of campaign finance reforms, is it time to end the restrictions? My response: Funny, we didn’t hear the primal scream about campaign finance from liberal Democrats during the 2008 campaigns, when money was pouring into their coffers from everywhere. Do we need any better evidence of the hypocrisy surrounding their screams this year? If so, turn to the lead editorial in this morning’s Wall Street Journal. It’ll tell you all you need to know about the campaign finance “reform” ruse that has been going on for years. As I’ve written often at the Arena, the true aim of this game is incumbent protection, and it has been from the beginning. But thanks to the First Amendment, incumbents ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4065354 Wed, 13 Oct 2010 14:47:16 +0100 4065354 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4060573&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FGgDSOLDkyeU%2F By John SamplesThe New York Times has an odd story today on campaign finance on its front page. The story argues that organizations which do not have to identify their donors are sponsoring ads that criticize candidates for office. Complaints about secrecy notwithstanding, the third paragraph of the story discloses one of the major contributors to a group and reveals his putative interests in becoming involved. It also goes into great detail about the donor, his political associates, and even meetings his associates attended and what decisions were made therein. Later parts of the story recount the already disclosed names of supporters of Karl Rove’s efforts in this cycle. True, the story does not reveal everything the reporters believe should be disclosed about donors. But the group... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4060573 Tue, 12 Oct 2010 21:19:38 +0100 4060573 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4055701&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FJLcEQVaKnlw%2F By Roger PilonToday POLITICO Arena asks: Will President Obama’s campaign finance attacks on the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and others resonate with voters over the next three weeks? My response: With so many senior advisors leaving the White House so early in the term, you have to wonder who’s left to advise the president except, well — the president. And judging from his attacks on corporate campaign spending generally and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in particular, you’re inclined to believe that that’s the case. After all, the attacks are perfectly consistent with the president’s larger agenda. As others here at the Arena have noted, not since the New Deal have we seen so sustained an anti-business political agenda as has come from this president. U... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4055701 Mon, 11 Oct 2010 16:27:12 +0100 4055701 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4022899&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FtXeNkujL5UU%2F By Michael F. CannonIn all of Washington, is there a greater enemy of free speech than Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius? Her department is forcing millions of Americans to finance speech that they oppose, by using taxpayer dollars to broadcast (misleading) television ads that promote ObamaCare. She is using the powers granted her under ObamaCare to threaten insurers with bankruptcy if they publicly disagree with her about the law’s cost. Now, she is decrying the growth of anonymous political speech in congressional campaigns. Would that coerced speech, or government suppression of speech, troubled her as much as anonymous speech. Sebelius: Anonymous Political Speech ‘Dangerous’ is a post from Cato @ Liberty - Cato Institute Blog (Source: Cato-at-... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4022899 Fri, 01 Oct 2010 14:46:09 +0100 4022899 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4023094&cid=t_105811_136_f&fid=37852&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdonnatrussell.com%2F2010%2F09%2F30%2Fattack-ads-in-the-screening-room%2F New cartoon by Trussell & Trussell on Politics Daily. Attack Ads: In the Screening Room. Putting the pain in campaign. Filed under: Politics Daily Tagged: 2010 election, attack ad, campaign, commercial, congress, humor, political cartoon, robert donna trussell (Source: Donna Trussell) Donna Trussell blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4023094 Fri, 01 Oct 2010 04:01:26 +0100 4023094 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4001715&cid=t_105811_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F09%2F26%2Fthe-captured-situation-of-justice%2F Michael S. Kang and Joanna Shepherd recently posted the important paper “The Partisan Price of Justice: An Empirical Analysis of Campaign Contributions and Judicial Decisions” on  SSRN.  Here’s the abstract. * * * Do campaign contributions affect judicial decisions by elected judges in favor of their contributors’ interests? Although the Supreme Court’s recent decision in Caperton v. A.T. Massey Coal Co. relies on this intuition for its logic, it has been until now largely a proposition that has gone empirically untested. No longer. Using a dataset of every state supreme court case in all fifty states over a four-year period, we find that elected judges are more likely to decide in favor of business interests as the amount of campaign contributions that they have r... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4001715 Sun, 26 Sep 2010 04:01:32 +0100 4001715 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3980800&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=34872&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Ffeel%2Fget-a-grip-people-your-favorite-womens-websites-magazines-and-tv-shows-are-also-telling-you-to-lose-weight%2F Here at Blisstree, we recently published a post – 10 Overweight Celebrities We Don’t Want to Look Like – that pissed off plenty of our readers – especially those sent over by Jezebel, who called our gallery “body-shaming,” and mocked our insincere concern for celebrities whose weight constitutes a health threat, by the medical standards of many trained doctors. We’re not claiming to be doctors here at Blisstree (though we do enlist doctors and experts for health advice on a regular basis), but whether or not most people are comfortable admitting it, weight is a serious health issue, and it also happens to be an extremely visible one. Are we concerned with the health of Hollywood celebrities? Well, we’ll confess that we’re not losing tons of sleep o... Healthbolt blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3980800 Fri, 17 Sep 2010 16:44:30 +0100 3980800 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3980814&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F_Ka9_i5F_44%2F By Ilya ShapiroIn 1998, after years of scandals ranging from governors being indicted to legislators taking bribes, Arizona passed the Citizens Clean Elections Act. This law was intended to “clean up” state politics by creating a system for publicly funding campaigns. Participation in the public funding is not mandatory, however, and those who do not participate are subject to rules that match their “excess” private funds with disbursals to their opponent from the public fund. In short, if a privately funded candidate spends more than his publicly funded opponent, then the publicly funded candidate receives public “matching funds.” Whatever the motivations behind the law, the effects have been to significantly chill political speech. Indeed, ample eviden... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3980814 Fri, 17 Sep 2010 15:49:35 +0100 3980814 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3972905&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FpLNHOwmfIrg%2F By David BoazKentucky attorney general Jack Conway went on TV Tuesday with an ad attacking Rand Paul for . . . endorsing freedom. The ad shows a clip from a 2008 panel show in which, according to the Louisville Courier-Journal, there was a “wide-ranging discussion that involved such things as the wisdom of motorcycle helmet laws, the lottery and expanding gambling. In response to a question about whether he favors more gambling, Paul said he opposes ‘legislating morality’ and then added: ‘I’m for having … laws against things that are violent crimes, but things that are non-violent shouldn’t be against the law.’” The ad features that last sentence and then cuts rapidly to uniformed sheriffs criticizing Paul’s position. But note that ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3972905 Wed, 15 Sep 2010 14:16:38 +0100 3972905 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3965506&cid=t_105811_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F09%2F14%2Fsituationist-corruption%2F Molly J. Walker Wilson recently posted her article, “Behavioral Decision Theory and Implications for the Supreme Court’s Campaign Finance Jurisprudence” (Cardozo Law Review, Vol. 31, p. 679, 2010) on SSRN.  Here’s the abstract. * * * America stands at a moment in history when advances in the understanding of human decision-making are increasing the strategic efficacy of political strategy. As campaign spending for the presidential race reaches hundreds of millions of dollars, the potential for harnessing the power of psychological tactics becomes considerable. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has characterized campaign money as “speech” and has required evidence of corruption or the appearance of corruption in order to uphold restrictions on campaign expenditures. Ulti... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3965506 Tue, 14 Sep 2010 04:01:47 +0100 3965506 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3957913&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fcervical-cancer-screening-the-jade-goody-effect%2F2010.09.10 The Telegraph reports that the number of screening pap smears performed in the UK has declined after an 8 percent blip upwards in 2009 when publicity surrounding the death of Jade Goody from cervical cancer may have led more women to have this important screening test: NHS laboratories processed 415,497 tests in 2009-2010, about 35,000 fewer than the previous year when 450,522. Miss Goody’s death in March last year prompted a 20 percent increase in the number of Scottish women taking tests. More than 122,000 were processed between April and June last year, the statistics revealed. The irony of course, is that British reality TV star Jade Goody did have pap smears, but chose to ignore her doctor’s recommendations for treatment when her pap smears came back abnormal. Nonetheless, the d... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3957913 Fri, 10 Sep 2010 20:00:00 +0100 3957913 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3938472&cid=t_105811_136_f&fid=37852&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdonnatrussell.com%2F2010%2F09%2F07%2Fhey-obama-remember-that-leader-of-the-free-world-job-you-won%2F New cartoon by Trussell & Trussell on Politics Daily. Hey, Obama, Remember That Leader-of-the-Free-World Job? You Won. Filed under: Politics Daily Tagged: campaign, comics, humor, obama, political cartoon, unemployment, war (Source: Donna Trussell) Donna Trussell blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3938472 Tue, 07 Sep 2010 05:15:20 +0100 3938472 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3885314&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Flights-out-campaign-saves-birds-and-energy%2F photo: Thinkstock 90,000 migratory birds die every year from colliding with skyscrapers in New York alone. The Lights Out Campaign, which started in Chicago, encourages tall buildings to dim their lights during peak migratory season every fall. While it seems like the lights on skyscrapers might ward off birds, it actually attracts them. The Empire State building, the Chrysler Building, and Rockefeller Center (among other New York skyscrapers) will all be dimming their lights this fall. The campaign won’t only save birds, it will save energy as well. If a 2.5 million square foot building shut off all of its lights after midnight this fall, it would conserve 750,000 kilowatts and save $120,000. via Treehugger Post from: BlissTree Lights Out Campaign: Saving Birds and Energy (Source: B... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3885314 Thu, 19 Aug 2010 19:49:12 +0100 3885314 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3865268&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Famerican-cancer-society-only-a-fundraising-ad-right%2F2010.08.13 EDITOR’S NOTE: Following Gary Schwitzer’s HealthNewsReview.org August 11th blog post below entitled “American Cancer Society: ‘Only’ A Fundraising Ad, Right?”, the American Cancer Society pulled its “Screening Is Seeing” ad the next day. See Schwitzer’s follow-up post “Screening Is Seeing” Ad By American Cancer Society-Cancer Action Network (ACS-CAN) Is Pulled” and a related article by Mary Carmichael of Newsweek: ”The American Cancer Society’s Misleading New Ads.” Also see “Common Themes In The Alzheimer’s Test Stories And The Cancer Society Screening Ad” by Schwitzer. (ORIGINAL POST) American Cancer Society: “Only” A Fundraising Ad, Right? A well-intentioned ad campaig... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3865268 Fri, 13 Aug 2010 12:00:32 +0100 3865268 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3862001&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FTymTSt3LUaY%2F By David BoazPeter Wallsten of the Wall Street Journal writes, “Libertarianism is enjoying a recent renaissance in the Republican Party.” He cites Ron Paul’s winning the presidential straw poll earlier this year at the Conservative Political Action Conference, Rand Paul’s upset victory in the Kentucky senatorial primary, and former governor Gary Johnson’s evident interest in a libertarian-leaning presidential campaign. Johnson tells Wallsten in an interview that he’ll campaign on spending cuts — including military spending, on entitlements reform, and on a rational approach to drug policy. Meanwhile, on the same day, Rand Paul had a major op-ed in USA Today discussing whether he’s a libertarian. Not quite, he says. But sort of: In my mind, th... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3862001 Thu, 12 Aug 2010 13:53:11 +0100 3862001 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3849042&cid=t_105811_136_f&fid=37852&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdonnatrussell.com%2F2010%2F08%2F09%2Fsarah-palin-endorsement-aw-she-shouldnt-have%2F New cartoon by Trussell & Trussell on Politics Daily. Sarah Palin Endorsement: Aw, She Shouldn’t Have. Filed under: Politics Daily Tagged: campaign, comics, election, endorsement, gop, political cartoon, republican, sarah palin (Source: Donna Trussell) Donna Trussell blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3849042 Tue, 10 Aug 2010 03:21:19 +0100 3849042 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3784238&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F63iNm0kwXpM%2F By John SamplesThe DISCLOSE Act, slightly modified, is headed for a cloture vote on Tuesday afternoon. The alterations to the bill have changed few minds outside of Congress. It remains to be seen whether the modification in the bill — the sponsor removed a passage allowing labor unions to transfer funds among its affiliates — will be enough to attract enough support to achieve cloture. My policy analysis of DISCLOSE applies to the altered bill. The Center for Competitive Politics provides an analysis of the altered bill here. The American Civil Liberties Union is sending around a letter of opposition that states “we believe this legislation would fail to improve the integrity of our campaigns in any substantial way while significantly harming the speech and associational... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3784238 Fri, 23 Jul 2010 21:13:58 +0100 3784238 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3740585&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FS5SA1EYNiB0%2F By John SamplesSeveral groups came together to raise $15 million that they are now spending to promote the Fair Elections Now Act, the current public financing bill before Congress. I think this is a good thing. That is, I think it’s a good thing they can raise and spend several million dollars making their case on a public matter. It is an especially good thing compared to an alternative world in which Congress prohibited these groups from raising and spending millions of dollars for political advocacy. Still, we might keep in mind a recent report by the United States Government Accountability Office that examined public financing in Maine and Arizona: While there was some evidence of statistically significant changes in one of the five goals of Maine’s and Arizona’s public fina... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3740585 Fri, 09 Jul 2010 19:11:29 +0100 3740585 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3718699&cid=t_105811_150_f&fid=38374&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FePharmaSummit%2F%7E3%2FQO1X5ewvc0Y%2Fsanofi-aventis-to-raise-awareness-of.html According to Medical Media & Marketing, Jeff Gordon is teaming up with sanofi-Pasteur to promote awareness of whopping cough. Television and radio ads will begin running in August, in combination with print, online and patient materials that will also be distributed.A digital effort will take place as well:Other campaign elements include a website (SoundsofPertussis.com) and Facebook page. By texting “SOUNDS” to 292929 on a mobile phone, participants will receive a text message five days later reminding them to get vaccinated. From the campaign website, visitors can check out Jeff Gordon's “favorite road tunes,” and download the songs from iTunes for $0.99 to $1.29 each. For every song downloaded (selections run the musical gamut, from U2, Sheryl Crow and Rascal Flatts, to Riha... ePharma Summit blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3718699 Thu, 01 Jul 2010 15:41:00 +0100 3718699 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3714161&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F6VOQHyW5RNQ%2F By Jim HarperPolitics and extortion share a similar logic: Give to the one who can hurt you the most. (Source: Cato-at-liberty) Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3714161 Wed, 30 Jun 2010 17:35:38 +0100 3714161 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3714166&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FOh1t0eckg08%2F By Ilya ShapiroMore highlights from Day 2 of the Kagan confirmation hearings: •  In addition to backing away from President Obama’s empathy standard, Elena Kagan, under questioning by Senator Grassley, backs away from her “judicial hero” Aharon Barak, saying that she does not share his judicial philosophy, which involves judges making policy decisions and affirmatively shaping society.  This is an important concession.  Grassley also elicits the statement that only the president and Congress should worry about American influence in the world. •  The wily Arlen Specter, in his last Supreme Court hearing (unless Justice Ginsburg retires over the summer), treats his questioning as a prosecutor would.  Technical questions and cutting off responses when Kagan begins to expound on... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3714166 Wed, 30 Jun 2010 14:32:58 +0100 3714166 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3683607&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FF5zDg0Vzbyw%2F By Malou InnocentToday’s Washington Post reports that residents of Gizab, a village in southern Afghanistan, reclaimed their territory from the Taliban. One U.S. commander called it “perhaps the most important thing that has happened in southern Afghanistan this year.” Gizab may eventually turn back to Taliban control, but at least for now, we can try and postulate as to why local residents successfully defended their territory, achieving what the coalition has been trying to do for years throughout the country but to no avail. Here’s a thought: allow Afghans to fight the Taliban themselves and slowly back away. Unfortunately, this story may reinforce the atrocious ”One Tribe at a Time” formulation, a strategy that entails coalition troops “... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3683607 Mon, 21 Jun 2010 15:41:01 +0100 3683607 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3676654&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F0Kcoyp-ZJuk%2F By Roger PilonToday Politico Arena asks: Can the DISCLOSE Act, with exemptions carved out for large special-interest groups, effectively rein in the influence of spending in campaigns? My response: It’s been a bad week for Barack Obama. His Tuesday night Oval Office speech, the first of his presidency, was panned by left and right alike, not least on the comedy channels. And now at week’s end congressional Democrats have had to pull their answer to the Supreme Court’s Citizen’s United decision that he so ridiculed during his State of the Union Address — because Blue Dog Democrats and the Congressional Black Caucus have balked. Still worse, although it looks like nothing will come of this latest effort by Democrats to rig campaign finance law in their favor... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3676654 Fri, 18 Jun 2010 15:13:09 +0100 3676654 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3671672&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FrAaybV1oE8Q%2F By Tom G. PalmerCAFMI Director Mirsulzhan Namazaliev at 2009 Cato University Kyrgyz libertarians are leading a series of coordinated voluntary efforts to provide emergency aid to the victims of the vicious attacks of the last few days in their country and to promote peace throughout the nation and the region.  I’ve been in regular touch with our friends there, and on Tuesday evening I talked to Central Asian Free Market Institute (CAFMI) Director Mirsulzhan Namazaliev by Skype, as he was interrupted by a stream of volunteers working late into the night in the CAFMI offices.  He made their resolution clear: “We are helping those who are suffering, but we are doing more.  For me personally this is not only a fight for life.  It is a fight for freedom.  We don’t want to be rule... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3671672 Thu, 17 Jun 2010 13:29:58 +0100 3671672 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3662652&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2Fkm5Tcq7om8w%2F By John SamplesDemocratic House leaders apparently have reached a compromise that may bring the DISCLOSE Act to a vote. The National Rifle Association, a group that enjoys some support from House Democrats, objected to the bill’s disclosure provisions. DISCLOSE’s authors have now agreed to exempt “organizations that have more than 1 million members, have been in existence for more than 10 years, have members in all 50 states, and raise 15 percent or less of their funds from corporations.” The National Rifle Association qualifies for the exemption. But you knew that. I wonder what principle of campaign finance regulation justifies this exemption? Earlier the authors of DISCLOSE said the American people deserve to know who is trying to influence elections. Now it woul... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3662652 Mon, 14 Jun 2010 22:40:43 +0100 3662652 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3652395&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FPhAmWAwWzLI%2F By John SamplesCongress has been trying to overturn the Citizens United decision for the past four months. (Citizens United invalidated bans on speech by groups taking a corporate form). Their effort — the DISCLOSE Act — now seems bogged down in the House of Representatives. The National Rifle Association argues that they should not have to disclose their small donors. The labor unions also have complaints: Amaya Tune, a spokeswoman for the AFL-CIO, told Bloomberg this week that “the final bill should treat corporations different than democratic organizations such as unions. We believe the legislation should counter the excessive and disproportionate influence by big business and guarantee effective disclosure of who is paying for what.” Here’s the problem: The Supre... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3652395 Fri, 11 Jun 2010 15:08:42 +0100 3652395 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3648458&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fcyndi-lauper-for-true-colors-fund-daily-do-gooder%2F Though Cyndi Lauper is best known for wanting to have fun, she also gets down to some serious social work: The singer co-founded the True Colors Fund, an organization aimed at the advancement of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) equality two years ago. In the past two years, they’ve raised $200,000 for LGBT organizations like HRC, CenterLink & PFLAG. The True Colors Fund also recently launched their “Give a Damn” Campaign: A far-reaching online initiative to inspire and engage straight people to get informed and support LGBT equality. Post from: BlissTree Cyndi Lauper for True Colors Fund: Daily Do-Gooder (Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3) Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3648458 Thu, 10 Jun 2010 12:30:52 +0100 3648458 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3648481&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F4ZCAYfHGVlc%2F By Tim LynchJohn Lee still has his life and four children still have a father because Mr. Lee  had a handgun when three criminals tried to kill him and take his money. When John Q. Citizen takes out a gun and the criminals flee, reporters don’t consider the incident “news” (at least when there are no injuries)–so guns are typically on the evening news when they are used by criminals.  As a result of that skewed coverage, it is no wonder that many people have a negative view about firearms. On June 17, Cato will be hosting a forum about guns, crime, and self-defense.  Speakers include John Lott, Jeff Snyder, and Paul Helmke of the Brady Campaign. For related Cato scholarship, go here. (Source: Cato-at-liberty) Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3648481 Wed, 09 Jun 2010 18:37:17 +0100 3648481 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3625502&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fdoc-fix-blamed-on-doctors%2F2010.06.02 The American Medical Association will launch a multi-million-dollar ad campaign tomorrow to heighten pressure on Congress for a doc-fix bill. The American College of Physicians (ACP) reacted by calling for doctors to contact their member of Congress directly to let their voices be heard. Robert Centor, FACP, called for doctors to protest as well. (American Medical Association, American College of Physicians, DB’s Rants) Meanwhile, a Florida medical society predicts a crisis in that senior-laden state. The society cited but did not name eight primary care doctors who’ve stopped accepting Medicare patients this year, and 12 cardiologists who left private practice for employment elsewhere because of already reduced payments. Unbelievably, business columnist Steven Pearlstein sorte... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3625502 Wed, 02 Jun 2010 18:00:00 +0100 3625502 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3607478&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F4p9MAsnEARs%2F By David BoazState Rep. Raul Labrador walloped Republican establishment favorite Vaughn Ward in Idaho’s 1st District congressional primary. Idaho native Sarah Palin campaigned for Ward, who had worked in the McCain presidential campaign in 2008. Labrador drew strong support from Tea Party activists. According to Politico, “Ward’s defeat also came despite his high-profile support from former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, who did more to assist Ward than she did for almost any other House candidate. Last Friday, she headlined a rally and fundraiser for Ward, and her parents and in-laws were supporters of Ward’s campaign.” Lots of Republican incumbents lost their legislative seats, too, suggesting the continuing power of Tea Party activism and general populist unrest. (Sourc... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3607478 Thu, 27 May 2010 19:35:34 +0100 3607478 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3590339&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fusing-rap-to-teach-cpr%2F2010.05.22 Earlier this week we facetiously found out how sex is being used to teach CPR. Now the American Heart Association is turning to rap to teach CPR basics in its Be The Beat campaign: *This blog post was originally published at KevinMD.com* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3590339 Sat, 22 May 2010 18:12:45 +0100 3590339 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3549291&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F0nIC1rdITtQ%2F By David Boaz“Max Palevsky, a pioneer in the computer industry and a founder of the computer-chip giant Intel who used his fortune to back Democratic presidential candidates and to amass an important collection of American Arts and Crafts furniture, died on Wednesday at his home in Beverly Hills, Calif. He was 85,” reports the New York Times. Palevsky used his vast wealth to influence politics, especially to oppose the Vietnam War. He was one of the liberal mega-givers who made the Eugene McCarthy campaign possible in 1968, along with such people as Stanley Sheinbaum, Stewart Mott, and Martin Peretz. Describing the McCarthy campaign as “shoestring,” Christopher Hitchens added: When one says “shoestring,” by the way, one is forced to recall that the whole... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3549291 Mon, 10 May 2010 14:17:38 +0100 3549291 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3533812&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FAwfJ783c1GI%2F By John SamplesJournalists are looking closely at the DISCLOSE bill, Congress’ response to Citizens United.  CQ says DISCLOSE will loosen independent spending by the parties on their candidates. Why is Congress liberalizing party spending? CQ explains: According to one GOP attorney, opponents of the Supreme Court’s decision are realizing that they will have a difficult time challenging the constitutional right of outside groups to spend money, so this bill is a response to free up the parties to compete. Mark that. Citizens United has altered the incentives regarding speech. In the past, Congress tried to suppress speech to win elections. Now leaders must liberalize in order to compete for votes. (Source: Cato-at-liberty) Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3533812 Wed, 05 May 2010 15:23:55 +0100 3533812 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3515333&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F3vBUYab2bfI%2F By Roger PilonSpeaking to reporters last evening on Air Force One, in the context of his upcoming Supreme Court nomination, President Obama warned of “conservative judicial activism.” “In the ’60s and ’70s, the feeling was, is [sic] that liberals were guilty of that kind of approach,” he said. “What you’re now seeing, I think, is a conservative jurisprudence that oftentimes makes the same error.” That error? “Not showing appropriate deference to the decision of lawmakers,” the AP reports. Really. And which “activist” decisions from the ’60s and ’70s does this former constitutional law instructor have in mind? Griswold v. Connecticut (1965), where the Court found unconstitutional a state statute criminalizing the sale and use of cont... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3515333 Thu, 29 Apr 2010 13:59:38 +0100 3515333 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3479829&cid=t_105811_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2FhgUc5WDFhvU%2F Congratulations to Blisstree readers mizmama and marinsalem, the two lucky winners of our exclusive Target giveaway! Mizmama and marinsalem were randomly selected and just won: • One $25 Gift Card to Target in support of the Automatic World Campaign! Thanks to everyone for reading, commenting, and entering. We really enjoyed hearing about how automatic doors improve your day! If you didn’t win, don’t despair. At Blisstree, we’ll launch a new giveaway every Monday, so keep it logged on here. (We’ll even give you a little hint about next week’s giveaway – in honor of Earth Week, two readers will win a DVD copy of Disneynature’s new film Oceans, plus the companion book.) Congratulations again, mizmama and marinsalem! Post from: BlissTree Congratulation... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3479829 Sat, 17 Apr 2010 14:52:20 +0100 3479829 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3471767&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FKq_zq09_lNY%2F By David BoazGeorge Will offers conservatives a useful reminder about “judicial activism” and what the Supreme Court ought to be doing: Conservatives spoiling for a fight should watch their language. The recent decision most dismaying to them was Kelo (2005), wherein the court upheld the constitutionality of a city government using its eminent domain power to seize property for the spurious “public use” of transferring it to wealthier interests who will pay higher taxes to the seizing government. Conservatives wish the court had been less deferential to elected local governments. (Stevens later expressed regret for his part in the Kelo ruling.) The recent decision most pleasing to conservatives was this year’s Citizens United, wherein the court overturned part... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3471767 Thu, 15 Apr 2010 14:53:57 +0100 3471767 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3471962&cid=t_105811_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2FL-bB6dd8JyE%2F In our fast food, TV-obsessed nation, childhood obesity is a huge problem. Poor diet and lack of exercise has led to an epidemic among children in which childhood obesity has increased by three times over the past 30 years. One in three children are overweight or obese, and the country spends $150 billion each year to treat conditions related to obesity. Let’s face it – our kids are fat! Overweight Kid Being overweight as a child can lead to the development of high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, orthopedic problems, depression, and a number of other diseases and ailments. Overweight adolescents have a 70% chance of becoming overweight or obese adults. Recently, First Lady Michelle Obama has been leading a nationwide campaign called “Let’s Move”... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3471962 Thu, 15 Apr 2010 12:34:39 +0100 3471962 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3453882&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2Fg4LmRk2HifM%2F By Roger PilonThe retirement of Justice John Paul Stevens at the end of the Supreme Court’s current term, and the coming nomination and confirmation process, will doubtless further complicate and delay the Obama administration’s already complicated agenda during this mid-term election year. And the timing cannot be good news for Democrats running for reelection, because the process will serve to highlight their understanding of the Constitution as a document authorizing all but unlimited government in a year in which, thanks to the Tea Party movement, the Constitution is likely to have a prominent place in reelection debates. Regarding a replacement for Justice Stevens, the nominee will almost certainly come from the Democratic Party’s liberal ranks. As a result, the ideo... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3453882 Fri, 09 Apr 2010 15:42:25 +0100 3453882 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3411093&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FEtMQjrQlTKs%2F By Roger PilonThis post was co-authored with John Samples. Another good day for free speech, and a bad day for campaign finance zealots. Following on the heels of the Supreme Court’s stunning decision two months ago in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, and applying that holding, all nine active judges on the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled unanimously today that government restrictions on the right of citizens to pool their money for independent political ads are unconstitutional. Individuals have long been able to spend unlimited funds on independent political ads. But if two or more people joined together and pooled their money for the same thing, they were considered a “political committee” and were subject to numerous burdensome regulations, including limits on ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3411093 Fri, 26 Mar 2010 18:24:02 +0100 3411093 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3395108&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FX6fN6twbCus%2F By Roger PilonToday Politico Arena asks: Should Republican leaders be doing more to reign in the rhetoric? My response: One hesitates to weigh in on this mud-slinging for fear of getting muddy oneself.  But neither should commentary on Republican and tea-party reaction to Sunday’s House vote be left to the suddenly self-righteous Democratic left:  After all, it’s their appalling disregard for democratic principles and processes that gave rise to the weekend’s demonstrations and outbursts.  So a few points are in order, simply to put things in perspective. First, let’s not leap to factual conclusions.  Last evening the Lehrer News Hour reported (along with Politico this morning) that Rep. Randy Neugebauer shouted “baby killer” as Rep. Bart Stupak w... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3395108 Tue, 23 Mar 2010 14:34:48 +0100 3395108 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3382801&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F9982If77svc%2F By John SamplesLawrence Lessig has proposed a constitutional amendment in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Citizens United.  It reads: “Nothing in this Constitution shall be construed to restrict the power to limit, though not to ban, campaign expenditures of non-citizens of the United States during the last 60 days before an election.” In Citizens United, the Court said that the First Amendment concerns speech rather than speakers. Congress has no power to discriminate against speakers; hence, a source of speech – people organized as a corporation – could not be prohibited from speaking (or funding speech). Professor Lessig hopes to introduce a discrimination among speakers into the First Amendment. His proposed discrimination will not ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3382801 Thu, 18 Mar 2010 20:31:47 +0100 3382801 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3346440&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FNJbo8nr8rWY%2F By John SamplesThe Center for Competitive Politics has just published a new poll measuring public views about the recent Citizens United decision. The poll provides a lot of interesting information. About one in five said they were aware of the decision. Fully 60 percent of respondents said they were not aware of the case, and it is fair to say that almost all of the other 20 percent who responded “don’t know” or refused to answer were also poorly informed about it. Congress is now trying to write and enact legislation to overcome the strictures imposed on campaign finance regulation by the Citizens United decision. Members cite surveys supporting such legislation as a justification for the new restrictions. At best, however, public opinion is immature on this issue. Cong... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3346440 Tue, 09 Mar 2010 15:47:38 +0100 3346440 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3335287&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FuJ2ZjA44jdk%2F By John SamplesDavid Price, a Democratic member of the House of Representatives from North Carolina, has introduced a bill, the Stand by Every Ad Act,  to mandate disclosure of support for political speech by business and union officials. Rep. Price cites three harms from such speech: “the opportunity for corporations, unions and associations to dominate the playing field, intimidating public officials and drowning out the candidates’ own messages.” Notice that these alleged harms are caused by the speech itself and not by the fact that the speech might be anonymous. Notice also that Rep. Price provides no evidence at all that such harms will take place. Where would such evidence be found? Prior to McCain-Feingold, corporations and unions could fund speech. Several state... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3335287 Fri, 05 Mar 2010 14:23:11 +0100 3335287 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3306825&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F2MkyOnb5OyQ%2F By John SamplesThe Washington Post offers an instructive campaign finance story this morning. The essence of the story: employees of banks and brokerage houses contributed more to candidate Barack Obama in 2008 than to his rival John McCain. A lot more in fact: such employees gave almost twice as much to the current president at they did to the Arizona senator. Now, however, President Obama is attacking the banks and Wall Street for greed and selfishness, not to mention for ruining the economy. Moreover, Obama is proposing curbs on Wall Street pay and heavy regulation of banks. It would appear, in other words, that contributions don’t buy many favors with this administration. But the story goes deeper. Wall Street is now shifting its contributions to the GOP.  That’s not surpr... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3306825 Wed, 24 Feb 2010 20:46:17 +0100 3306825 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3283520&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FyKk76th22OY%2F By John SamplesA new poll from Washington Post/ABC News poll shows that most respondents oppose the recent Citizens United decision by the U.S. Supreme Court. Just over 70 percent of those polled want to reinstate the unconstitutional restrictions. The questions asked may be found here. Sean Parnell asks whether the wording of the questions in this poll drove the results. William McGinley shares Parnell’s concerns and suggests some alternative questions for future polling. I was not surprised by the result. Polls have long found that substantial majorities support something called “campaign finance reform.” Over two years ago, a poll found that 71 percent of Americans wanted to limit corporate and union spending on campaigns. 62 percent also supported limiting the amount of money a p... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3283520 Wed, 17 Feb 2010 18:15:41 +0100 3283520 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3231456&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FG3oL3F3fM7s%2F By Roger PilonFollowing on the heels of November’s gubernatorial elections in Virginia and New Jersey, the loss of Ted Kennedy’s Senate seat in Massachusetts two weeks ago was a devastating blow to Democratic Party hopes.  But it must have been especially devastating to President Obama, who promised an adoring University of Missouri crowd, just before he was elected, that “We are five days away from fundamentally transforming the United States of America.”  Yet it would appear, judging from the unrelenting commentary and from the president’s own behavior last week, that those losses pale in comparison to the government’s loss before the Supreme Court two days after the polls closed in Massachusetts.  For 11 days now the wailing over the Court’s C... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3231456 Mon, 01 Feb 2010 20:42:16 +0100 3231456 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3231459&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FUINy8eVRBo8%2F By Jim HarperI was pleased when I learned that Harvard professor Lawrence Lessig had asked to come speak to us at Cato. Julian Sanchez has done a terrific job of capturing some of the subjects highlighted by his visit last week. Lessig is very keen on public financing of elections. In the end, however, Lessig’s visit reminded me of a birthday party I attended many years ago — something had been wrong with the cream sauce on the tortellini. The day after Professor Lessig spoke to a small group of us at lunch, a friend forwarded me an email he had sent to his followers describing his visit to our “prominent conservative think tank.” His email, PowerPoint presentation, and talk were all framed as if we are on “the right,” which doesn’t sit well ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3231459 Mon, 01 Feb 2010 20:18:04 +0100 3231459 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3231460&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FNl1UEnSqIGc%2F By Richard A. EpsteinThis past week Professor Lawrence Lessig of the Harvard Law School dropped into the Cato Institute to give his stump speech on his new passion: the corruption in government. There is no question that he has picked a subject large enough to test his own ambitions, for the ever expanding size of government opens up new avenues for political intrigue that leave the defenders of small government like myself in tears, no matter which party is in power. Lessig and I, it seems, share a common bond on the identification of the disease. But his presentation to the Cato Institute did not reflect the chasm on the question of remedy. Lessig is a one-dimensional man. Once he thinks that public funding of elections is the cure for the political disease, he mounts his crusade. I... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3231460 Mon, 01 Feb 2010 20:15:38 +0100 3231460 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3227782&cid=t_105811_105_f&fid=38964&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdrwes.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F02%2Fhappy-heart-month.html Yes, folks, February is heart month - you know, Valentine's Day and all. (I love it when a marketing plan comes together!)No doubt you'll be hearing plenty about the American Heart Association's "Go Red for Women" campaign that kicks off Friday, February 5th, but don't forget, just like last year: Go Red's still for men, too. So guys, make sure you wear your red boxer shorts every day this month and get out there and purchase stuff, okay?-WesMusings of a cardiologist and cardiac electrophysiologist. (Source: Dr. Wes) Dr. Wes blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3227782 Mon, 01 Feb 2010 16:28:00 +0100 3227782 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3228007&cid=t_105811_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2Fs0Oh7ogJcQc%2F Controversial congressman Steve Buyer, an Indiana Republican, announced late last week he won’t seek re-election after serving since 1992. He cited his wife’s recent diagnosis with an “incurable autoimmune disease,” although as the Center for Responsive Politics points out, he was also accused of numerous ethics transgressions. At issue is the Frontier Foundation, which he founded in 2003 to distribute scholarships, although none have been given. Meanwhile, the foundation collected lots of donation money, most of it from drugmakers and lobbyists, including Eli Lilly and PhRMA, according to The Indianapolis Star. Buyer, it so happens, is a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which oversees health care policy that, of course, affects the pharmaceutical ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3228007 Mon, 01 Feb 2010 13:50:24 +0100 3228007 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3223236&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FmYy8TV6Guj8%2F By Chris Moody A libertarian primer on the real meaning of the phrase “campaign finance reform.” For more, read John Samples’ book, The Fallacy of Campaign Finance Reform. New report shows that Head Start, a sacrosanct (and very expensive) federal education program, doesn’t work. So what should we do about it? Give it more money of course! “In his State of the Union address, President Obama proposed spending another $4 billion annually on K–12 public education. He did not mention that state, local, and federal governments already spend well over twice what they did in 1980, or that there has been no discernible improvement in student achievement during that period.” Just sayin’. Michael Tanner on Obama’s faith-based boondoggle: “The ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3223236 Fri, 29 Jan 2010 22:08:02 +0100 3223236 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3216654&cid=t_105811_109_f&fid=34786&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdrmichelletempest.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F01%2Fcampaign-song.html With the election now fast approaching it is wonderful that a member of the North West Durham Conservative team has already composed our very own campaign song. The lyrics just highlight how much fun we are going to have during our General Election campaign trail. How exciting!VOTE FOR MICHELLE - COS SHY BAIRNS GET NOWTGet plodging lads and lasses in your wellies join the crowd.Give us the job, we want the work, we’ll turn it all around.We are canny, loyal and true, and you know we get things done.Bold, bright and strong and brave, you know we’ll have our say.Don’t take us for granted – because we can lead the way.Get plodging lads and lasses now - cos shy bairns get nowt.Vote 4 Michelle she is the lass, she will look after you.Working hard on your behalf, we all need something new... The Psychiatrist Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3216654 Wed, 27 Jan 2010 21:13:00 +0100 3216654 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3200421&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FJjqXzqg9NM4%2F By Ilya ShapiroYesterday, The Hill asked various pundits and politicos to respond to the Supreme Court’s Citizens United ruling.  The Big Question (as their periodic feature is called) was, “Will corporate money change campaigns?”  You can read my response here. Today, that same newspaper invited me to blog some further thoughts on the Citizens United decision.  Here’s what I wrote: Critics of yesterday’s decision say the sky of American democracy is falling.  Supporters—including myself—say it’s a great day for the republic and a vindication of the freedom of speech.  How can this be?  Are nonprofit think tanks and advocacy groups like my own Cato Institute, the ACLU, the NRA, and many other odd bedfellows who supported Citizens United all in the pock... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3200421 Fri, 22 Jan 2010 20:56:40 +0100 3200421 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3197606&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F6FHHWixFLcc%2F By Timothy B. LeeAs several of my colleagues noted yesterday, the Supreme Court handed down its landmark decision in Citizens United v. FEC. While I regarded the decision as a victory for free speech, a large number of folks on the left — many of whom support free speech in other contexts — were aghast at the decision, arguing that it would vastly enhance the influence of large corporations in the political process. Part of my disagreement with these guys is that I’m just a free speech zealot. The First Amendment says “Congress shall make no law … abridging the freedom of speech,” and I don’t see how that language can be squared with a statute that limits the distribution of a political documentary. The best you can say, I think, is that limiting corporate... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3197606 Fri, 22 Jan 2010 13:31:39 +0100 3197606 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3197612&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FIHjWO80UZx8%2F By Roger PilonAt Politico Arena, today’s focus is on the Court and campaign finance. My comment: The ink is barely dry on today’s Citizens United opinion, and the hysteria has already begun.  Set aside the misunderstandings we’re seeing in some of the comments here at the Arena — corporations still cannot, for example, contribute directly to campaigns — even some of those who understand the law and this decision would have us believe that the world as we know it is coming to an end.  Thus, the inimitable Rick Hasen, whose knowledge of these issues is second to none, tells us that “today’s Supreme Court opinion marks a very bad day for American democracy.”  And attorneys at NYU’s Brennan Center, which made its reputation promoting... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3197612 Thu, 21 Jan 2010 20:40:03 +0100 3197612 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3197613&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FoUBxLSn8xTQ%2F By John SamplesThe Citizens United decision is barely out, and incumbent members of Congress are vowing to restore restrictions on political speech. Sen. Russell Feingold (D-WI) said: “In the coming weeks, I will work with my colleagues to pass legislation restoring as many of the critical restraints on corporate control of our elections as possible.” In the House of Representatives, Robert Brady, Chairman of the House Administration Committee – the panel responsible for campaign finance regulations – sent out an email that said: “I will be working directly with my colleagues, the Leadership and the White House to study the Court’s decision and to put together a timeline for legislative action that ensures the Court’s decision will not define the ways election... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3197613 Thu, 21 Jan 2010 18:27:56 +0100 3197613 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3193692&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F_TO11YwTO6I%2F By Ilya ShapiroToday the Supreme Court struck a major blow for free speech by correctly holding that government cannot try to “level the political playing field” by banning corporations from making independent campaign expenditures on films, books, or even campaign signs. As Justice Kennedy said in announcing the opinion, “if the First Amendment has any force, it prohibits jailing citizens for engaging in political speech.” While the Court has long upheld campaign finance regulations as a way to prevent corruption in elections, it has also repeated that equalizing speech is never a valid government interest. After all, to make campaign spending equal, the government would have to prevent some people or groups from spending less than they wished. That is directly con... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3193692 Thu, 21 Jan 2010 15:29:51 +0100 3193692 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3180284&cid=t_105811_111_f&fid=36048&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAHeartyLife%2F%7E3%2F_1vREUgzj7k%2F Although the H1N1 virus has faded quite a bit in the news, it is still active throughout the world, including the United States. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that as of January 10, 2010, “more than 208 countries and overseas territories or communities have reported laboratory confirmed cases of pandemic influenza H1N1 2009, including at least 13,554 deaths.” The most active regions right now remain parts of North Africa, South Asia and the eastern and southeastern areas of Europe. North Africa The virus is still spreading in countries such as Morocco, Algeria and Egypt. South Asia Countries in South Asia that are reporting active infection spread of H1N1 include Nepal, India (more in the west, less so in the north), and Sri Lanka – although the virus may be... A Hearty Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3180284 Sun, 17 Jan 2010 15:44:26 +0100 3180284 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3139080&cid=t_105811_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F01%2F04%2Fthis-emotional-life-begins-tonight%2F Can I every really be happy? Is it true that money can’t buy happiness? Will more friends help make me feel more happy? What is happiness anyway? This Emotional Life is a two-year outreach campaign anchored by a PBS series, in partnership with Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, (airing January 4 – 6, 2010 — that’s starting tonight!) that examines the science behind our emotions, the challenges to our well-being, and the keys to happier lives. This is a groundbreaking endeavor that is focused on emotional well-being and happiness, and designed to help people foster stronger social relationships. Spearheaded by Allen’s Vulcan Productions, the project includes a three-part, nationally broadcast series on PBS, a dynamic website, a national outreach campaign, and educat... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3139080 Mon, 04 Jan 2010 12:55:50 +0100 3139080 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3036937&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.blisstree.com%2Fbreastfeeding123%2Fadditional-breastfeeding-charitable-ideas%2F The other day I listed the top 5 reasons to give to La Leche League International now. There are several other options out there to make your money support breastfeeding around the world. One Dollar Coins Photo by Pfala1. The United States Breastfeeding Committee’s “One Dollar for Every New Mom” Campaign. The USBC aims to raise One Dollar for Every New Mom in the United States. The USBC says: With these funds, we will make mothers’ voices heard in ongoing national debates on health care, work-life balance, and consumer safety. The closer we come to representing each mother in America, the more clearly we can show the President and Congress: “Americans believe that EVERY MOTHER COUNTS.” Help us reach the goal of one dollar for each new mother. Please dona... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3036937 Sun, 29 Nov 2009 03:15:13 +0100 3036937 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2916157&cid=t_105811_107_f&fid=36672&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencebase.com%2Fscience-blog%2Fa-month-with-an-electricity-monitor.html Right, the kettle is on for a morning brew and apparently our household is using 3.07 kilowatts. That will include the chest freezer in the garage, the refrigerator in the kitchen, the electric kettle, my laptop and wireless network, oh and a little device sitting on my desk right now that’s monitoring all those electrons as they speed through the mains supply cable. The monitor consists of two parts, a battery-powered broadcast unit that has a magnetic clamp that you wrap around the main electricity cable (no wiring necessarily) and a display that picks up the signal and tells you how many kW you’re using at any given time. It can also convert that into an equivalent of carbon tonnage, although that’s a more dubious metric given that the monitor doesn’t know how t... Sciencebase Science Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2916157 Thu, 22 Oct 2009 13:00:42 +0100 2916157 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2916351&cid=t_105811_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2F2h6n0yZFQOw%2F When I asked Genetics and Health readers to send a greetings to people they know who have survived or going through breast cancer, I knew I would hear from quite a few of you. And I was so touched by your prayers, greetings and short stories of triumph in behalf of your loved ones. Thank you to everyone who responded. Your family and friends are blessed to have people who care for them like you do. And thank you for participating in the Melange Perfume give-away as part of the “Think Pink Campaign” and Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Here are the three winners, randomly chosen from 63 responses: Christine, who salutes her mom “she fought and won” Bridget Combs whose friend is a former Dallas Cowboy cheerleader, who had BC several years ago at the same time that her daughter was... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2916351 Thu, 22 Oct 2009 03:42:57 +0100 2916351 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2904859&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FZNjmx3H1Gk0%2F A. It’s encouraging to see Rahm Emanuel and John Kerry saying that we shouldn’t up force levels in Afghanistan without a reliable partner. But if we shouldn’t send 40,000 more troops to prop up a crooked government, why keep the 68,000 we have there? A focused counter-terrorism mission would require far less than that. B. According to Dexter Filkins’ article in the New York Times Magazine, the war in Iraq taught General Stanley McChrystal the following: No situation, no matter how dire, is ever irredeemable — if you have the time, resources and the correct strategy. In the spring of 2006, Iraq seemed lost. The dead were piling up. The society was disintegrating. One possible conclusion was that it was time for the United States to cut its losses in a country that it n... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2904859 Mon, 19 Oct 2009 12:51:04 +0100 2904859 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2865639&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FLpb_NiJ7P3o%2F In 2005, political opponents filed a complaint against the Independence Institute for not complying with the Colorado constitution and other campaign finance regulations when it spoke against a state ballot initiative. These regulations require, among other things, disclosure of the identity of anyone who has donated more than $20 to a cause and imposes registration and contribution limits on groups who have major interests in ballot issues. The Independence Institute challenged the constitutionality of Colorado’s state ballot issue requirements and the issue is petitioning the Supreme Court for certiorari in Independence Institute v. Buescher. Cato has filed an amicus brief, in cooperation with Wyoming Liberty Group, the Center for Competitive Politics, the Sam Adams Alliance, the Monta... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2865639 Tue, 06 Oct 2009 15:40:46 +0100 2865639 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2862467&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FRj9LnW-2nBo%2F Today is the first Monday in October, and so is First Monday, the traditional start of the Supreme Court term.  The Court already heard one argument – in the Citizens United campaign finance case — but it had been carried over from last year, so it doesn’t really count. In any event, continuing its trend from last term, the Court has further front-loaded its caseload — with nearly 60 arguments on its docket already.  Fortunately, unlike last year, we’ll see many blockbuster cases, including: the application of the Second Amendment to state gun regulations; First Amendment challenges to national park monuments and a statute criminalizing the depiction of animal cruelty; an Eighth Amendment challenge to life sentences for juveniles; a potential revisiting of ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2862467 Mon, 05 Oct 2009 15:59:21 +0100 2862467 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2855545&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FDUOrN4dIdDU%2F I am very fearful that the Republicans will nominate another Bush-style candidate for 2012. With the government running trillion-dollar deficits, the country needs a hard-line budget-cutter as the next president. Politico reports: “Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty has been quietly assembling the blueprint of a presidential campaign and will announce Thursday the support of a group of high-level political strategists and donors, complemented by a handful of top new media consultants.” I gave Pawlenty a “B” in my fiscal report card on the governors last year. Here’s what I said about him: Tim Pawlenty pledged not to raise taxes when he ran for governor, but his tax record in office is more mixed than that. He backed a $200 million tax increase on cigarette consumer... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2855545 Fri, 02 Oct 2009 12:30:55 +0100 2855545 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2842705&cid=t_105811_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2FUS_IdeKN2io%2F In 2009 alone, over 190,000 females and 1,900 males have been diagnosed with breast cancer. But over the years, there have already been more than 10 million cancer survivors. With new research, early screening and treatment, the number of survivors grow. But there is much more work ahead to totally eradicate cancer of the breast and all the other types. In support of Breast Cancer Awareness this October, several companies are running the Think Pink Campaign and donating their proceeds towards breast cancer foundations and research. One of these is Melange Perfume, which will donate 30% of all sales of their portable Pink Solid Perfumes in floral fragrances to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc.. Mélange’s Solid Perfumes are a combination of fragrance notes and essential oils fo... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2842705 Tue, 29 Sep 2009 04:12:55 +0100 2842705 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2834247&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FXOz1m0T704I%2F The Citizens United case currently before the Supreme Court may radically reshape campaign finance law for years to come. Former FEC commissioner Bradley A. Smith spoke at a forum on the case a day before the rehearing before the high court. According to Smith, who is also the founder of the Center for Competitive Politics,  under current law, the government does have the power to ban certain books  if those books are published by a corporation, as ruled by the Supreme Court in 1990. Watch: (Source: Cato-at-liberty) Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2834247 Sat, 26 Sep 2009 02:59:01 +0100 2834247 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2814395&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F2xRntifTq7k%2F President Obama argued on TV talk shows this weekend that his proposed mandate for everyone to buy health insurance – or face a large financial penalty – is not a tax increase: In a testy exchange on ABC’s “This Week,” broadcast Sunday, Obama rejected the assertion that forcing people to obtain coverage would violate his campaign pledge against raising taxes on middle-class Americans. “For us to say you have to take responsibility to get health insurance is absolutely not a tax increase,” Obama said in response to persistent questioning, later adding: “Nobody considers that a tax increase.” Well, I consider it a tax increase, so I guess that makes me nobody. The real question is whether this tax increase is a good idea. My answer is no.... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2814395 Mon, 21 Sep 2009 16:43:26 +0100 2814395 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2782012&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FH6_9KADeCQ4%2F I (and several colleagues) have blogged before about Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, the latest campaign finance case, which was argued this morning at the Supreme Court.  The case is about much more than whether a corporation can release a movie about a political candidate during an election campaign.  Indeed, it goes to the very heart of the First Amendment, which was specifically created to protect political speech—the kind most in danger of being censored by politicians looking to limit the appeal of threatening candidates and ideas. After all, hard-hitting political speech is something the First Amendment’s authors experienced firsthand.  They knew very well what they were doing in choosing free and vigorous debate over government-filtered pablum.  Moreove... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2782012 Wed, 09 Sep 2009 21:15:01 +0100 2782012 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2778512&cid=t_105811_111_f&fid=36048&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAHeartyLife%2F%7E3%2FmCGnXwuMevw%2F What did you lose today? That’s what the Lost and Found Campaign is asking people. When someone logs on to their site and chooses the icon that matches something they lost or forgot about, the selection will trigger an Accera donation to Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA). Each donation will be $1. Think of all the money that could raise! The Lost and Found submissions will be accepted on-line through November 13. Log on to the Lost and Found Campaign (www.lostandfoundcampaign.com) to participate. The funds generated throughout this initiative will be donated to AFA on November 17, “National Memory Screening Day,” to further AFA’s efforts to support individuals with Alzheimer’s disease their families. Image: Accera Post fr... A Hearty Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2778512 Tue, 08 Sep 2009 22:44:18 +0100 2778512 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2774611&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FdF9F9UkzdbI%2F The U.S. Supreme Court hears arguments this week in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission.  The case features the Federal Election Commission ruling that for the group Citizens United to run its documentary on Hillary Clinton would violate McCain-Feingold.  The decision was a constitutional travesty, since this is precisely the sort of political speech that constitutes the core of the First Amendment. Theodore B. Olson has given us a taste in the Wall Street Journal of the argument that he will be making before the Court tomorrow: The idea that corporate and union speech is somehow inherently corrupting is nonsense. Most corporations are small businesses, and they have every right to speak out when a candidate threatens the welfare of their employees or shareholders. Time a... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2774611 Tue, 08 Sep 2009 13:55:23 +0100 2774611 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2814756&cid=t_105811_167_f&fid=37833&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnutrition.edublogs.org%2F2009%2F09%2F05%2Fpouring-on-the-pounds-nyc-public-health-ad%2F The New York City Public Health Department has launched an innovative, visual campaign to help convince New Yorkers to limit the amount of calories they are consuming from sodas and other sugary beverages by asking them of they are “Pouring on the Pounds.” You can see the images being used in the campaign below: The Facts According to Cathy Nonas in the related blog about the campaign: The reality is Americans consume 200 to 300 more calories each day than we did 30 years ago. Of these extra calories, nearly half come from sugar-sweetened drinks with zero health benefits. The number of calories and sugar in different beverages can be quite a bit. One 20 oz. bottle of soda = 250 calories with 16 ½ teaspoons of sugar. One 20 oz. bottle of lemon-flavored iced tea = 210 calori... Nutrition and Wellness Biology 50 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2814756 Sat, 05 Sep 2009 18:03:47 +0100 2814756 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2751885&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FDwgvnW8m64Y%2F The Supreme Court is soon to hear a case that may drastically roll back campaign finance regulation in the United States: The case involves “Hillary: The Movie,” a mix of advocacy journalism and political commentary that is a relentlessly negative look at Mrs. Clinton’s character and career. The documentary was made by a conservative advocacy group called Citizens United, which lost a lawsuit against the Federal Election Commission seeking permission to distribute it on a video-on-demand service. The film is available on the Internet and on DVD. The issue was that the McCain-Feingold law bans corporate money being used for electioneering. The right position for the Court is that McCain-Feingold, and all other campaign finance regulation, constitutes unconstitutional limitation on fre... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2751885 Mon, 31 Aug 2009 22:24:51 +0100 2751885 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2820623&cid=t_105811_167_f&fid=37833&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnutrition.edublogs.org%2F2009%2F08%2F31%2Fnew-study-on-obesity-healthcare%2F More than a decade ago, in 1998, the medical costs due to obesity were estimated to be as high as $78.5 billion.  In a recent study, published in the July issue of Health Affairs the authors of the study now estimate the annual healthcare cost of obesity in the US now may be as high as $147 billion dollars a year. The government-sponsored study was conducted by researchers at RTI International, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Key findings from the study on Annual Medical Spending Attributable To Obesity: Payer- And Service-Specific Estimates were summarized in the article on Medical News Today. Lead author  Dr Eric Finkelstein and colleagues found: In 1998 the medical costs of obesity in the US were estimated a... Nutrition and Wellness Biology 50 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2820623 Mon, 31 Aug 2009 18:39:15 +0100 2820623 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2737889&cid=t_105811_125_f&fid=38161&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dentalheroes.com%2Fmarket-oral-healthcare-cant-wait-awareness-campaign%2F What is the Oral Healthcare Can’t Wait™ Awareness Campaign? Most of you are probably familiar by now with the Oral Healthcare Can’t Wait™ Awareness Campaign spearheaded by the Dental Trade Alliance in early July. If you’re not yet familiar, the Oral Healthcare Can’t Wait™ Awareness Campaign is an industry-wide initiative to warn consumers about the risks of postponing regular checkups and neglecting recommended treatments in this down economy. Furthermore, the campaign aims to encourage dental professionals to proactively educate their patients about the potential overall health problems that can develop as a result of avoiding the dentist. There’s no doubt that this is a tall, but necessary task as most dentists report a drop in patient visits over the... Dental Heroes blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2737889 Thu, 27 Aug 2009 04:41:04 +0100 2737889 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2715942&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=34872&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.blisstree.com%2Fhealthbolt%2Fpeta%25e2%2580%2599s-latest-target-fat-women%2F PETA’s at it again. In an attempt to encourage people to go vegetarian, they have introduced a new billboard campaign featuring an obese bikini clad woman alongside this slogan “Save the Whales, Lose the Blubber: Go Vegetarian”. Yet again, PETA has crossed the line and managed to create another tasteless, tacky, ignorant, and insulting campaign. Do they really think that this sort of publicity stunt will encourage people to go vegetarian? According to this Press Release, it seems they do… A new PETA billboard campaign that was just launched in Jacksonville reminds people who are struggling to lose weight — and who want to have enough energy to chase a beach ball — that going vegetarian can be an effective way to shed those extra pounds that keep them from looking good i... Healthbolt blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2715942 Thu, 20 Aug 2009 09:55:19 +0100 2715942 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2688746&cid=t_105811_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FMentalNurse%2F%7E3%2F6vnejQ8ZWYo%2F A new video on youtube, aims to show people another side to schizophrenia. These trailers come a week after the headline about an increase in the number of murders by people with a mental illness. I like the style of schizo the movie, which starts off in a horror style. Further explained on the bbc here It’s certainly better than some of the other crap that is available on youtube featuring mental illness (I’m not even going to link to some of the shit that I found). This is a campaign by time to change, to help end mental health discrimination. Being a mental nurse, I have more knowledge about schizophrenia than random members of the public, and am already aware that a person with schizophrenia is more likely to harm themself than anyone else . What I would like to know i... Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2688746 Mon, 10 Aug 2009 14:29:58 +0100 2688746 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2667399&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FQTAYu_EFm5k%2F At the March 24 argument in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, the U.S. government argued that Section 203 of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 (otherwise known as McCain-Feingold) permits the FEC to ban corporations, including ideological nonprofits like Citizens United, from making independent expenditures on films, books, or even “a sign held up in Lafayette Park.”  The jurisprudential justification for this extraordinary and shockingly expansive view of the government’s power to suppress political speech traces to the Supreme Court’s 1990 decision in Austin v. Michigan Chamber of Commerce.  In Austin, the Court held that Michigan had a compelling state interest in banning political speech funded with wealth accumulated using the corporate form.  Though ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2667399 Mon, 03 Aug 2009 16:43:45 +0100 2667399 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2634348&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FXOVZejvSTIs%2F Check your local paper today for Cato’s full-page ad about a better health care reform solution: “freedom. Freedom to choose your doctor and health plan. Freedom to spend your health care dollars as you choose. Freedom to make your own medical decisions. Freedom to keep a health plan you are satisfied with.” It’s running today in the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Washington Times, the Chicago Tribune, and the Los Angeles Times. Or find the ad here, along with radio ads as well. These ads aren’t cheap, so please consider making a contribution to support Cato’s health care reform efforts. (Source: Cato-at-liberty) Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2634348 Thu, 23 Jul 2009 14:54:13 +0100 2634348 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2630049&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FF_65iTumUiQ%2F The Cato Institute will launch an ad campaign Thursday highlighting under-reported poll data showing Americans’ concerns that current health care reform plans will raise costs, limit choice and reduce the quality of their health care. The campaign will feature full-page ads in major national newspapers, in addition to radio spots focusing on why government-run health care cannot address the problems of growing costs and lack of coverage for many individuals and families. The campaign will expand in the weeks ahead. “Our goal is to help the American public navigate terms like ‘a public plan’ and ‘individual or employer mandates’ to understand what is really happening here,” said Ed Crane, founder and president of the Cato Institute. “The bottom li... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2630049 Wed, 22 Jul 2009 18:55:29 +0100 2630049 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2630050&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FncC9gk5xDgw%2F President Obama will hold a press conference tonight to answer questions about his health care reform proposal. This is what I would ask him: Mr. President, during your campaign, you said, “I can make a firm pledge…Under my plan, no family making less than $250,000 a year will see any form of tax increase.”  You also said that “no one will pay higher tax rates than they paid in the 1990s.” Your National Economic Council chairman, Larry Summers, has written that employer mandates “are like public programs financed by benefit taxes.”  Under the House health reform bill, an uninsured worker earning $50,000 per year, with no offer of coverage from her employer, would face a 15.3-percent federal payroll tax, a 25-percent federal marginal income tax rate, an 8-percent reduction i... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2630050 Wed, 22 Jul 2009 18:41:12 +0100 2630050 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4060678&cid=t_105811_109_f&fid=34859&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.davemsw.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F07%2Fstars_are_just_ordinary_women.php A fashion piece called "Celebrities Without Makeup" can make an effective social education for young girls at risk for eating disorders. I first saw something like this from a ad put together by Dove Campaign for Real Beauty and posted about it. Related articles by Zemanta Eating Disorders in Middle-Age Increasing (diet-blog.com) Eating Disorders Can Strike at Any Age (shoppingblog.com) Kids with eating disorders (timesunion.com) (Source: Ψ Dare To Dream...) Ψ Dare To Dream... blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4060678 Tue, 21 Jul 2009 03:57:08 +0100 4060678 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2616691&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=34872&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.blisstree.com%2Fhealthbolt%2Fhealthbolt-healthy-travel-week%2F I’m off to California tomorrow for three weeks of sun, travel, wine, good food, and great company. But I didn’t want to leave all you Healthbolt reader’s high and dry, so I’ve been doing some pre-posting to keep you informed and entertained while I’m away.     And to start it of, here’s a safety video from Air New Zealand with whom I‘ll be flying with tomorrow. Can you spot what’s different from the usual safety videos? . . Yep, you got it. They are not wearing any clothes. It’s all body paint. Thankfully, it’s just a video and all the real flight personnel on my flight will be wearing real clothes (I hope!) (image source) Post from: Healthbolt (Source: Healthbolt) Healthbolt blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2616691 Mon, 20 Jul 2009 09:57:29 +0100 2616691 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2591429&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2Fp7H3Y8iTh1w%2F “[O]nce it is clear that a bill will be coming to the president’s desk, the White House will post the bill online,” White House spokesman Nick Shapiro told New York Times reporter Katherine Seelye for her June 22 story on President Obama’s “Sunlight Before Signing” campaign pledge. “This will give the American people a greater ability to review the bill, often many more than five days before the president signs it into law.” The story, titled “White House Changes the Terms of a Campaign Pledge About Posting Bills Online,” was about the White House effort to walk back from President Obama’s campaign pledge to post bills he receives for five days before signing them. When the New York Times published the story, five bills had been present... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2591429 Fri, 10 Jul 2009 12:50:35 +0100 2591429 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2570648&cid=t_105811_111_f&fid=36048&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAHeartyLife%2F%7E3%2Fp-N0sWdU3C8%2F You know the fabulous “Got Milk” campaign? It’s where celebrities pose in ads with milk mustaches, all in an effort to have us drink more of the while beverage. From now until September, the milk campaign is traveling to a city near you. From July 2- July 10 the Milk Mustache Mobile Drink Well. Live Well. Tour will be heading through Chicago to encourage residents to “drink well with nature’s wellness drink.” The tour offers: • Health assessments from a registered dietitian • Ice-cold milk from local dairies: Bareman Dairy, Kemps, Kroger, Lactaid, Liberty Dairy, Prairie Farms and Swiss Valley • Homemade smoothie samples • Five-minute chair massages • Souvenir Milk Mustache photos Watch for it in your city. And drink milk! Image: sxc.hu. Sha... A Hearty Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2570648 Sun, 05 Jul 2009 12:11:46 +0100 2570648 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2570383&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FfsXpFV9aQAE%2F Eric Brown poses the correct question here. The Supreme Court said in Austin v. Michigan Chamber of Commerce that the state of Michigan could indeed ban that particular advertisement. (Source: Cato-at-liberty) Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2570383 Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:44:10 +0100 2570383 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2570387&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FUMANFZ4yFM4%2F It’s fair to say that civil liberties and limited government were not high on President George W. Bush’s priorities list.  Indeed, they probably weren’t even on the list.  Candidate Barack Obama promised “change” when he took office, and change we have gotten.  The name of the president is different. Alas, the policies are much the same.  While it is true that President Obama has not made the same claims of unreviewable monarchical power for the chief executive–an important distinction–he has continued to sacrifice civil liberties for dubious security gains. Reports the New York Times: Civil libertarians recently accused President Obama of acting like former President George W. Bush, citing reports about Mr. Obama’s plans to detain terrorism ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2570387 Thu, 02 Jul 2009 12:58:38 +0100 2570387 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2561215&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FG6UeB8BUL3c%2F As I mentioned yesterday, the U.S. Supreme Court surprised many people by ordering a reargument in the case of Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission. Specifically, the Court called for the parties to the case to address the question of overruling Austin v. Michigan Chamber of Commerce. The Court decided Austin v. Michigan Chamber of Commerce in 1989.  The state of Michigan had prohibited corporations from spending money on electoral speech. In the case in question, the Chamber of Commerce wished to pay for an advertisement backing a candidate for the House of Representatives. The Chamber took this action on its own and not in tandem with the candidate or his party.  Paying for the ad was a felony under Michigan law. A majority of the Court in 1989 said the Michigan law did not v... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2561215 Tue, 30 Jun 2009 18:22:12 +0100 2561215 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2473190&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FE9NX-82cCPk%2F Bruce Bartlett has a good opinion piece on money in politics in Forbes.  He mostly focuses on self-funding candidates who rarely win even when they contribute large sums to their own campaigns.  The recent Democratic gubernatorial primary in Virginia, which Bartlett mentions, saw Terry McAuliffe spend over $7 million and lose badly.  McAuliffe financed his bid in the usual way by attracting contributions. His success at fundraising may have cost him votes in the end. Despite the McAuliffe example and others mentioned by Bartlett, people still believe “only money matters in politics” or “money buys elections.” The truth is, money matters but not all that much. Other factors, like circumstances, partisanship and the quality of  the candidate, have more effect on t... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2473190 Fri, 12 Jun 2009 20:28:53 +0100 2473190 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2473191&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FF1ksRi3xT3Q%2F Europe just held elections for the European parliament.  The British National Party — an essentially fascist, all-white grouping — won two seats.  And access to potentially a lot of money. It isn’t literally public campaign financing, but once elected, parties in the European parliament often can get their hands on a lot of public funding.  Reports the Independent: Both men will be entitled to about £310,000 in annual funding, including an £80,443 salary, a staff budget of up to £182,000 and £40,000 for office expenses. But the British National Party (BNP) could also unlock a share of the £22.8m allowance that is given to parliamentary groups if it can find at least 25 fellow MEPs from seven member states willing to form a bloc within the European Parliament. Being part o... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2473191 Fri, 12 Jun 2009 20:06:52 +0100 2473191 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2473208&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F-Md6dwleiBM%2F In a previous post, I noted the irony of taking advice from Karl Rove on how to fight big government. It appears that Rove is not alone in having a battlefield conversion. According to the Wall Street Journal, the Chamber of Commerce is planning to spend $100 million as part of a “Campaign for Free Enterprise.” This sounds great, and I hope it helps, but is it rude of me to point out that this is the same organization that endorsed the bailout last year and the so-called stimulus this year? (Source: Cato-at-liberty) Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2473208 Thu, 11 Jun 2009 17:37:27 +0100 2473208 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2442350&cid=t_105811_133_f&fid=35129&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwhitterer-autism.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F05%2Fcareer-opportunities-for-ever-so.html Today I am also over "here" at "5 Minutes for Special Needs Mums."I sometimes think that I missed my calling as an air traffic controller. So many of the campaigns around here are premised on the scaffolding of visual aids. They used to be mainly PEC’s, writ large but these days anything goes. Not so long back I would send my little darlings to school with a whole collection of aide memoires, dangling from their back backs. From the Incredible 5 Point scale, to talismen, many and various, as well as other clues to help them cope. I do believe that they looked like Christmas trees out of season, all the year round. They needed them to be physically available, as visual and tactile work well together for some children, especially mine. It’s all about helping them to express themselves, s... Whitterer on Autism blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2442350 Sun, 24 May 2009 06:58:00 +0100 2442350 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2417146&cid=t_105811_134_f&fid=34841&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.diabetesmine.com%2F2009%2F05%2Factress-olympia-dukakis-gets-behind-husbands-diabetes.html Forget about risk factors: nothing gives people the “diabetes wake-up call” like getting diagnosed yourself — or living through it with a loved one.  The latter is what happened recently to Academy-Award winner Olympia Dukakis, whose husband Louis Zorich was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes last winter. Suddenly, diabetes awareness was a top-of-mind issue for the couple, [...] (Source: Diabetes Mine) Diabetes Mine blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2417146 Tue, 19 May 2009 13:00:05 +0100 2417146 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2415798&cid=t_105811_150_f&fid=38374&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FePharmaSummit%2F%7E3%2F4bEfGp76f10%2Ftexting-to-provide-answers.html (Source: ePharma Summit) ePharma Summit blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2415798 Mon, 18 May 2009 16:40:00 +0100 2415798 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2375856&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FXNKTlFyA8AM%2F Since taking office, President Obama seems to have discovered that anti-trade rhetoric, while popular on the campaign trail, isn’t so useful to a sitting president whose policies will have lasting consequences, says trade analyst Daniel J. Ikenson in a new Cato study. In “Audaciously Hopeful: How President Obama Can Help Restore the Pro-Trade Consensus,” Ikenson and international trade attorney Scott Lincicome argue that the time has come “to arrest and reverse America’s misguided and metastasizing aversion to trade,” which has “been shaped overwhelmingly by relentless political rhetoric.” The authors’ suggestions for President Obama include: Establish a “trade transparency initiative,” with the goal of publishing independent findings about the effect... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2375856 Tue, 28 Apr 2009 15:14:08 +0100 2375856 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2375863&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FUIm4MUjeQ0w%2F Here are a few highlights from Cato Today, a daily email from the Cato Institute. You can subscribe, here. Marian Tupy discusses African aid in his new Development Policy Analysis, “The False Promise of Gleneagles: Misguided Priorities at the Heart of the New Push for African Development,” and an op-ed in the Washington Times. Swaminathan Aiyar argues against a global currency in The Guardian. Daniel J. Mitchell calls for abolishing the death tax in USA Today. Will Wilkinson argues for more liberal immigration policies in The Week magazine. In the Christian Science Monitor, Benjamin Friedman says the United States should cut military spending in half. In Monday’s Cato Daily Podcast, Jim Harper explains why Obama’s record on following through with his cam... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2375863 Mon, 27 Apr 2009 21:01:03 +0100 2375863 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2375786&cid=t_105811_86_f&fid=38272&url=http%3A%2F%2Flaikaspoetnik.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F04%2F26%2Fblue-ribbon-blog-rally-for-free-speech-online-een-blauw-lint-voor-vrijheid-van-meningsuiting%2F I have never been a person who would stoop to self-censoring and I never will be. I’d rather not write at all if I have to stop being frank and honest in my words. -Omid-Reza Mir-Sayafi Thanks to T at Notes of an Anesthesioboist for getting this going, a group of bloggers is holding a blog [...] (Source: Laika's MedLibLog) Laika's MedLibLog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2375786 Sun, 26 Apr 2009 14:49:00 +0100 2375786 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2364933&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FgHbB7-QQz7Q%2F Though I’m not a Virginia resident or voter, nor a donor to politicians, Virginia gubernatorial candidate Bob McDonnell (whose party affiliation I’m not aware of) has added me to his email list. His name is similar to a past roommate, and that affinity has caused me to open more of his emails than I ordinarily would. Today’s is worth writing about: It’s a political candidate transparently trying to scare voters and use their fear for fundraising. Dear Jim, Terror suspects could be headed to Virginia… With the closing of the detention center at Guantanamo Bay the federal government must find new locations in which to house and try the roughly 240 terrorist suspects currently held 90 miles from our shores. Recent news reports indicate that the Department of Justice ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2364933 Wed, 22 Apr 2009 20:47:22 +0100 2364933 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2356860&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F4ypiJARMyW8%2F In a Cato paper to be released on April 28 (here’s a link to related policy forum), Scott Lincicome and I explain how President Obama can help restore the pro-trade consensus in America. “How?” is one question, but a skeptic might also ask: Why would the president want to do that given his anti-trade campaign rhetoric and the preferences of many fellow Democrats in Congress for a moratorium on trade liberalization and a focus on enforcement? The answer is quite simple: we believe the president understands the importance of both trade and U.S. trade leadership to the broader objectives of economic growth and good will among nations.  Since he is inevitably going to alienate some of the constituencies who helped get him elected by embracing trade openness, he could be forgiven... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2356860 Wed, 22 Apr 2009 15:52:12 +0100 2356860 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2348535&cid=t_105811_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F04%2F20%2Fhappy-14th-birthday-psych-central%2F So here we are, 14 years later after Psych Central first went online in 1995. And what a great 14 years it’s been! If you had asked me 14 years ago, “Hey, John, will this little dinky mental health website still be around 14 years from now?” I would’ve guessed “No.” Of course, I would’ve been happily wrong. The latest stats out from Media Metrix/Comscore shows that Psych Central reaches as many people each month as the British Medical Journal, the famed Mayo Clinic, and even our friends over at the American Psychological Association. But we’re not stopping — we’re experiencing one of the best growth rates for sites in our niche — mental health & psychology — and will continue to provide you with an interesting an... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2348535 Mon, 20 Apr 2009 10:00:51 +0100 2348535 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2326524&cid=t_105811_135_f&fid=35274&url=http%3A%2F%2Facidrefluxweb.com%2F%3Fp%3D3341 I’m going to try really hard not to make this personal, but it’s hard. It’s vow I’ve tried to maintain for sometime now. Sometimes successfully, sometimes not. Having participated in the at times controversial (depending on who you are) HIV stigma campaign, I’ve learned to hear different views. And I got to hear a lot of them. Everything from the campaign is great, contributing to stigma itself, to stigma only exists in one’s head. Admittedly it was a hard campaign to be on as the theme is such a highly individual experience seen through so many personalized filters that you can rarely say to someone they way you feel is right or wrong. Simply put we all have our own take on things, and the campaign was to create a conversation. People got so wrapped up on disclosure that they ... acidrefluxweb.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2326524 Sat, 11 Apr 2009 16:54:25 +0100 2326524 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2300901&cid=t_105811_147_f&fid=38117&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.engageinhealth.com%2F2009%2F04%2Fdo_ya_hv_a_sec.html I woke up to a sunny Monday morning last week feeling rather grim. Brushing it off as regular Monday blues, I headed to work to swim in the sea of weekend emails floating in my inbox. As the day progressed, I realized my condition was more than just lack of coffee and sleep, going on to something more serious with a severe headache, muscle ache and a warm feverish feeling. Off I went to the doc while sneezing for the umpteenth time in the lift to the utter revulsion of my co-passengers. I noticed there was a big ad put up by the Health Promotion Board* on the lift doors highlighting how far and fast the flu bug can travel and infect others within near vicinity. A couple of days later, as I was still recovering, I got an SMS on a new campaign launched by HPB to raise awareness on the co... The Health Engagement Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2300901 Thu, 02 Apr 2009 19:16:31 +0100 2300901 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2306745&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FxB6nTbohbBw%2F As President Obama institutionalizes the permanent campaign, Democrats are using his mailing list and his organization to generate support for his massive spending hikes. Yesterday they announced to the media that they were delivering 642,000 pledges of support for the Obama budget to Capitol Hill. But Washington Post writer Dana Milbank asked a couple of questions and got some interesting answers: At Democratic National Committee headquarters yesterday morning, party workers were loading minivans with Xerox boxes, each addressed to a different congressional office. It was a classic campaign canvassing operation — except that the next election is 19 months away. “Supporters of President Obama’s Budget to Hand Deliver 642,000 Pledges Gathered from Around the Country to Cap... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2306745 Thu, 02 Apr 2009 19:04:49 +0100 2306745 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2306747&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FRRWSBsAh934%2F Good news for Virginia taxpayers! Turns out that gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe, longtime Democratic fundraiser and former national chairman, understands the power of tax cuts. At a forum on Wednesday, he said that $1.25 million in tax cuts could generate $80 million in economic activity. I’m not sure even Art Laffer or Christina Romer would claim that much return on tax cuts. But here’s McAuliffe: At George Mason University yesterday, McAuliffe said Virginia’s appeal to Hollywood filmmakers could improve the state’s economic picture. McAuliffe said he became familiar with the potency of the film industry while serving as chairman of the Democratic National Committee. During a roundtable discussion with local filmmakers and producers at George Mason, he u... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2306747 Thu, 02 Apr 2009 18:31:10 +0100 2306747 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2287311&cid=t_105811_111_f&fid=36048&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAHeartyLife%2F%7E3%2F9_4AP_RIl9E%2F From being the ultimate Bond poster girl to speaking up about osteoporosis, actress Ursula Andress has come a long way. Ursula Andress Ms Andress, born in Swizterland in 1936, was one of the major sexy women and actresses of her time. If you look at her now, you’d hardly believe she’s in her 70s. But, despite taking good care of her body and her physical beauty, time has ravaged her bones, resulting in osteoporosis. As a result of her diagnosis with osteoporosis, Ms Andress agreed to become a spokesperson for the disease, teaching women about the importance of osteoporosis prevention and treatment. To do this, she became involved in the “Timeless Women Campaign ,” an undertaking of the International Osteoporosis Foundation . According to the website, Ms Andress says... A Hearty Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2287311 Mon, 23 Mar 2009 17:59:53 +0100 2287311 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2284386&cid=t_105811_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.blisstree.com%2Fbreastfeeding123%2Fthe-one-million-campaign%2F The “ONE MILLION CAMPAIGN: Support Women to Breastfeed” stems from a global initiative launched by the International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN) - Asia. The campaign cites some staggering statistics: every hour 700 babies in their first year of life die. Of those, 450 are less than one month old. (Those of us in the United States should not be duped into a false sense of security — in the most recent comparison made with data for the year 2004, our infant mortality rate ranked 29th in the world, tied with Poland and Slovakia. The death rate in 2005 was 6.86 infants per 1,000). Research shows us that thousands of babies could be saved by good breastfeeding practices. So what can you do to support breastfeeding through the One Million Campaign? 1. Sign the petition ad... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2284386 Mon, 23 Mar 2009 00:51:46 +0100 2284386 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2228349&cid=t_105811_167_f&fid=37833&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnutrition.edublogs.org%2F2009%2F02%2F26%2Fweight-management-posts%2F I’ve pulled together links to prior entries that are dealing with Weight Managment, Weight Stereotypes and Weight Management Plans. Tyra Banks Retort on “Fat” Comments Queen Latifah - My Weight is “Healthy” Truth in Advertising: No wonder our perception of beauty is distorted Teaching Our Children to Have a Healthy Self Image: Dove’s Onslaught Campaign These prior posts look at many of the issues regarding our perceptions of beauty and weight as well as the impact of these images on our children. Authored by Dr.Dyer. Hosted by Edublogs. (Source: Nutrition and Wellness Biology 50) Nutrition and Wellness Biology 50 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2228349 Thu, 26 Feb 2009 19:00:18 +0100 2228349 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2190691&cid=t_105811_133_f&fid=35129&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwhitterer-autism.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F02%2Flaundry-try-tackling-it-tuesday.html In a household of "7" filthy people, there tends to be a lot of laundry, my sole responsibility. Each step of the laundry process, and we all know that it is a many step process, is just fine with me, except the last step, the ‘putting away’ step. It is not uncommon to find all seven of my laundry hampers full to busting at the top of the stairs. For some unknown reason, probably mere inefficiency on my part, this is my perennial stumbling block. The very best thing to do with stumbling blocks is to blast them into outer space. Personally, I’m sorely tempted to convert the garage into a holding pen, fill it full of racks and shelves, and house everyone’s clothing in one spot, right next to the washer and drier. This would streamline matters considerably. Since the average American ... Whitterer on Autism blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2190691 Tue, 17 Feb 2009 07:57:00 +0100 2190691