The EU Just Gave Monsanto an Early Christmas Present
Genetically modified seed and pesticide giant Monsanto has had tough row to hoe lately. The company’s long-proposed marriage with German chemical giant Bayer is undergoing withering scrutiny by regulators in Europe and Brazil, likely putting off its consummation for months. Here in its home country, two states have imposed new rules that could limit the…
This Map Shows Exactly How Many Republicans in Your District Don’t Believe in Global Warming
Nastco/Getty Republicans have a long history of denying climate science, but a new study shows that a plurality of Republican voters in all 50 states believe that global warming is occurring—but they are not convinced that human beings have anything to do with it. Environmental and political science researchers from University of California- Santa Barbara,…
Garrison Keillor Is Fired Amid Allegations of “Inappropriate Behavior” the Day After Writing a Defense of Al Franken
Garrison Keillor thanks the audience after the show on May 21, 2016 at the State Theatre in Minneapolis for ”A Prairie Home Companion.” Leila Navidi/Minneapolis Star Tribune/ZUMA Wire The day began with Matt Lauer. Hours later, Minnesota Public Radio announced it was cutting ties with the former longtime host of “A Prairie Home Companion,” Garrison…
Comcast Is Already Ditching Net Neutrality
Ars Technica reports on Comcast’s statement of net neutrality: Starting in 2014, the webpage, corporate.comcast.com/openinternet/open-net-neutrality, contained this statement: “Comcast doesn’t prioritize Internet traffic or create paid fast lanes.” That statement remained on the page until April 26 of this year. But on April 27, the paid prioritization pledge was nowhere to be found on that…
Chart of the Day: The US Economy Has Finally Caught Up
I’ll be damned. Wonkblog’s Andrew Van Dam points out today that GDP has finally closed the huge gap with potential GDP that opened up after the Great Recession. He’s right: I’m not sure I ever believed this would happen, even though CBO predicted exactly this a couple of years ago. Unfortunately, there’s some bad news…
Killing the Individual Mandate Will Probably Kill Obamacare
Does the individual mandate work? CBO estimates that if it’s repealed, 13 million fewer people will buy insurance. That’s something like two-thirds of all Obamacare enrollees, which means that CBO thinks it has an enormous impact. Without it, Obamacare collapses. A few weeks ago I linked to a study of traffic fines that suggested the…