- In The Tank (ep204) – Climate “Contrarians” Blacklisted? Red Flag Laws - August 16, 2019
- In The Tank (ep203) – Bernie Sanders on Joe Rogan Podcast: A Response - August 9, 2019
- In The Tank (ep202) – Craziest Proposals From Democratic Candidates - August 2, 2019
If you don’t visit Somewhat Reasonable and the Heartlander digital magazine every day, you’re missing out on some of the best news and commentary on liberty and free markets you can find. But worry not, freedom lovers! The Heartland Weekly Email is here for you every Friday with a highlight show. Subscribe to the email today, and read this week’s edition below.
Cruz, Trump Go on Record on Climate, Energy
H. Sterling Burnett, Climate Change Weekly
The two leading Republican presidential candidates gave comprehensive statements on the topics of energy and climate when they responded to a survey by the American Energy Alliance. Both Trump and Cruz are skeptical of the policies implemented by the Obama administration to prevent purported dangerous anthropogenic global warming. Both candidates reject imposing a carbon tax, complain of regulatory overreach, and promise to scale back Obama’s Clean Power Plan. While the candidates agreed on a number of subjects, they did disagree on energy subsidies and the renewable fuel mandate. READ MORE
IRS Serves Government, Not Taxpayer
Jesse Hathaway, Real Clear Policy
With Tax Day upon us, now is the perfect time to remind ourselves that the Internal Revenue Service is the government Leviathan’s enforcer, nothing more. The IRS’s disregard for public safety was recently highlighted by a new report from the Government Accountability Office. The report showed the IRS failed to make recommended improvements, leaving taxpayers’ private information at the mercy of hackers, both domestic and foreign. READ MORE
Prosecute Climate Deniers? No, First Amendment Protects Debate
H. Sterling Burnett, The Philadelphia Inquirer
The global warming debate has reached a new, and chilling, level. U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch reports discussing with the FBI pursuing legal action against companies, research institutions, and scientists who debate whether humans are causing catastrophic climate change. This is an unprecedented politicization of justice and attack on our First Amendment right to freedom of speech. READ MORE
Featured Podcast: Yaron Brook: America’s Misguided Fight Against Income Inequality
“Income inequality” has once again become a rallying cry for the Left. Since achieving the goal of perfect equality is impossible, politicians like Bernie Sanders can forever champion the objective of increasing equality regardless of the amount of government intervention currently in place. Yaron Brook, president and executive director of the Ayn Rand Institute, joins the Heartland Daily Podcast to explain the truth about “income equality alarmism” and why equal is, in fact, unfair. LISTEN TO MORE
Coming Next Week to Arlington Heights: The Vaping Wars!
If you love discussions about liberty, you will not want to miss the great series of events Heartland has lined up through the spring. OnWednesday, April 20, a discussion will take place about the “vaping wars” – the government’s war on e-cigarettes. OnWednesday, May 11, Ryan Yonk, executive director of Strata Policy, comes to Heartland to discuss the new book, Nature Unbound: Bureaucracy and the Environment. We hope to see you here in Arlington Heights, but if you are unable to attend in person, the events will be live-streamed and archived on Heartland’s YouTube page. SEE UPCOMING EVENTS HERE
Exelon Again Threatens to Close Nuclear Plant Unless Taxpayers Subsidize Operations
H. Sterling Burnett, The Heartlander
Exelon, a utility with the largest fleet of nuclear plants in the United States, is once again seeking corporate welfare from taxpayers. Exelon told Illinois lawmakers it will close its Southern Illinois Clinton nuclear plant if it does not receive new financial support from the state in 2016. This isn’t the first threat. In 2015, Exelon said it would close three plants in the state unless Illinois agreed to impose a special surcharge that would have provided an additional $300 million to the company. READ MORE
College Admissions Offices Adapt to Homeschooling Boom
Andy Torbett, The Heartlander
As the popularity of homeschooling continues to grow, colleges and universities are changing their admissions processes to better accommodate homeschooled children’s unique backgrounds and skills. “There are colleges that are actively recruiting homeschooled students,” said Lennie Jarratt, The Heartland Institute’s project manager for education transformation. “Just one decade ago, this didn’t happen.” Could this be a solution to the radical left’s takeover of K–12 and higher education? READ MORE
Bonus Podcast: Brian Blase: Obamacare’s Broken Promises
In 2009, the Affordable Care Act was touted as a cure-all, required to expand health insurance access and reduce health care costs nationwide. In the six years since Obamacare’s passage, the shortcomings have become evident. Brian Blase, senior research fellow at the Mercatus Center, joins the Heartland Daily Podcast to discuss the disparity between Obamacare’s promises and the reality that exists three years into its full implementation. LISTEN TO MORE
Insurers Are Abandoning Obamacare Exchanges
Justin Haskins, Consumer Power Report
One of the most ambitious aspects of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was the creation of health insurance marketplaces, which proponents said would increase market competition and lead to lower costs for consumers and insurers. A new report by The Heritage Foundation shows ACA has actually limited consumers’ insurance options by driving health insurers out of the Obamacare marketplace. According to the report, there are now only 287 “exchange-participating insurers,” down from 395 insurers in 2013. READ MORE
Help Us Stop Wikipedia’s Lies!
Joseph L. Bast, Somewhat Reasonable
Many people rely on our profile on Wikipedia to provide an objective description of our mission, programs, and accomplishments. Alas, the profile they find there is a fake, filled with lies and libel about our funding, tactics, and the positions we take on controversial issues. Wikipedia refuses to make the changes we request. It even deletes and reverses all the changes made by others who know the profile is unreliable. We need your help! READ MORE
School Choice Fosters Racial, Economic Equity
Joy Pullmann, School Choice Weekly
A common criticism thrown at school choice advocates is that school choice programs create segregation in the education system. Reality shows quite the opposite effect. Kevin Chavous, founding board member for the American Federation for Children, responds to this frequently made claim by pointing out that school choice programs typically serve far more minority students than is representative of their states’ populations, thereby serving to desegregate public and private schools. READ MORE
