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June 29, 2018
Time to Check Out of Checkoffs
Most people are familiar with the slogans: “Got milk?”, “Pork, the other white meat,” and “Beef, it’s what’s for dinner.” But what they might not be aware of is the cronyist underbelly of these slogans. The US Department of Agriculture checkoff programs behind these slogans collect compulsory fees from producers of milk, eggs, beef, and other agricultural products. The funds are then used to promote and do research on those particular commodities.
June 29, 2018
Honoring the Founders Promise on Federal Lands
How did it come to pass that the federal government owns nearly half of the land in the West, compared to just 5 percent of the land in the East? Throughout the 19th century Lawmakers sought to facilitate expansion of the nation by acquiring land—and then transferring it to the people, so they could live out their lives as responsible citizens of the republic.
June 29, 2018
Honoring the Founders Promise on Federal Lands
It was 170 years ago that Brigham Young and the first group of Mormon pioneers came to the Salt Lake Valley in search of religious freedom… and, finally, a land of their own in which to practice it. It is easy to take for granted, or to forget. But so much of American history – and of human happiness – has depended on the ability of ordinary people to have a part of this earth they can call their own, “to dress it and keep it.”
June 28, 2018
Visualizing the Distribution of Social Capital across America
The Social Capital Project recently released a Social Capital Index covering every state and nearly every county in America. As we discussed in the accompanying report, states with high index values tend to be smaller than states with low values. Fully 56 percent of Americans live in the 40 percent of states with the lowest social capital values, while just 21 percent reside in the 40 percent of states with the highest values. In our report, population size had a negative correlation with both the state and county-level versions of our index (-0.34 and -0.15, respectively).
June 22, 2018
Waters of the United States
In the movie The Lion King, Mufasa is teaching young Simba about the lands he will eventually rule by saying “Look, Simba, everything the light touches is our kingdom…” While this moment is fine when played out by a cartoon monarchy, it is gross federal overreach when it’s perpetuated by a federal bureaucracy in the United States. Yet that is essentially what is happening under the Waters of the United States, or WOTUS, rule that was imposed by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Army Corp of Engineers in 2015. These bureaucrats essentially said “everything the water touches is our
June 22, 2018
Congress Must Act to End Suffering at the Border
It is a searing image. A toddler in pink shoes, a pink jacket, and jean shorts staring up at her mother who is talking to a United States border patrol agent. She is afraid. She is in tears. She could be any of our daughters. This young girl quickly became a symbol for opposition to President Trump’s “zero tolerance” policy of prosecuting all illegal border crossings. A policy that, due to a 1997 federal court decision, also necessitates separating parents from children when families are arrested for crossing the border illegally.
June 22, 2018
Sens. Lee, Markey Release Statement on Facial Recognition Technology Uses at Airports
WASHINGTON – Today, Sens. Mike Lee (R-UT) and Ed Markey (D-MA) released the following joint statement regarding Orlando International Airport’s recent commitment to use facial recognition technology on all international travelers traveling through their airport.
June 20, 2018
Sen. Lee Applauds U.S. Exit from Fraudulent U.N. Council
WASHINGTON – Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) issued the following statement Wednesday after US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley announced the United States would no longer participate on the United Nations Human Rights Council. “Yesterday, the United States took a bold, much needed step to roll back some of the illegitimate authority we have allowed the UN to wield in its failed attempts to govern the world,” Sen. Lee said. “I applaud our US Ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley for withdrawing the U.S. from the UN Human Rights Council, which has proved to be a total farce. It is
June 20, 2018
Sen. Mike Lee’s letter supporting the Falun Gong
WASHINGTON – Today, Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) released a letter supporting the Falun Gong, a banned religion in China whose followers are routinely persecuted, even to the point of death, for their religious beliefs. Sen. Lee is a consistent advocate of religious freedom at home and internationally, and the letter will be read at a rally supporting followers of the Falun Gong being held at the U.S. Capital today. Similar rallies are being held across the country today. The letter reads, in part: “I applaud the efforts of each of you who continue to raise awareness of the plight of
June 20, 2018
Sen. Lee Applauds End of Family Separations at Border
WASHINGTON – Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) issued the following statement Wednesday in response to President Trump’s Executive Order ending the separation of migrant families who cross the border illegally while seeking asylum. “Ending the separation of migrant families who cross the border illegally is a step in the right direction,” Sen. Lee said. “But to make this change permanent, Congress needs to act. We need to pass legislation to make sure the federal government has the proper authority and funding to house migrant families. We need to pass legislation to make sure the federal government has the resources needed for