In Arizona, Louisiana and a few other states, well-meaning citizens would like to recall their U.S senators. Fair enough. But while this opinion represents a commendable movement to make Congress more accountable for its actions, it tramples on the U.S. Constitution and undermines the rule of law. Contrary to popular Web sites, the recall of members of the U.S. Congress has never been permissible according to the Constitution, and no member of the Congress has ever been removed by such means. That’s because the U.S. Constitution sets the qualifications and …
Writing in support of a speedy vote for the Colombia Free Trade Agreement, Competitive Enterprise Institute scholars Fran Smith and Ryan Young write: American businesses large and small conduct considerable trade with Colombia. The U.S. Commerce Department estimates that 9,000 companies trade with that country. Nearly 8,000 of those are small or medium-sized businesses. According to the U.S. Trade Representative, U.S. goods exports to Colombia in 2007 totaled $8.6 billion, making Colombia the U.S.’s fourth largest trading partner in Latin America. The benefits of trade with Colombia spread throughout the …
If passed, the Lieberman-Warner carbon-cap bill being debated in the Senate would raise energy costs, kill jobs and lower family incomes. Add up all the economic pain, and passing Lieberman-Warner would be the same as inflicting a hurricane’s worth of damage on the U.S. economy every week till 2030. Here is how much of its economic output, or Gross State Product, Louisiana would lose in 2025 alone:
Starting in 2010, Louisiana parents will be allowed to deduct certain education expenses (including private school tuition) from their state income tax bill, thanks to a new law passed by the state legislature. Gov. Bobby Jindal is expected to sign the measure. When he does, Louisiana will become the 14th state to provide public support for private school choice. (For an overview of school choice programs across the nation, see this recent Heritage report.) Louisiana’s new tax deduction will provide some tax relief for Louisiana private school families, who are …
