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Cato Daily Dispatch for December 2, 2005

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(Links to outside sources were active as of the date of this dispatch; however, not all news sources maintain links to current stories indefinitely. Some links also may require registration.)

Blaming Soda Companies for Childhood Obesity
Louisianans Praise Charities, Flunk Government
Connecticut Strengthens Campaign Finance Laws

Blaming Soda Companies for Childhood Obesity

"A coalition of lawyers who have actively and successfully sued tobacco companies says it is close to filing a class-action lawsuit against soft-drink makers for selling sugared sodas in schools," reports the Washington Post. "The lawyers, who have been trying to develop a case against the soft-drink makers for more than two years, say a lawsuit could be filed within the next few weeks, probably in Massachusetts, which has one of the nation's most plaintiff-friendly consumer-protection laws."

In "Trimming Waistlines by Trimming Government," Michael F. Cannon, Cato's director of health policy studies, and Radley Balko, a Cato policy analyst, argue that some nutrition activists are using America's ever-expanding waistlines to limit what the public can choose to eat, resulting in more lawsuits against food companies. They say, "Of course, sensible people oppose such [a] measure and prefer a system where everyone is free to make his or her own decisions about diet and lifestyle, but also is required to bear the consequences of those decisions."

Cannon and Balko continue: "But there are a number of things we can do that could both facilitate an increased sense of personal responsibility and harness the power of the marketplace to encourage good decisions about diet and activity. For one thing, we could allow health insurance companies to do 'medical underwriting'-- charging lower insurance premiums for people who exercise regularly and follow healthy diets. That only makes sense, as those people are expected to have lower health care costs than donut-munching couch potatoes."

Louisianans Praise Charities, Flunk Government

"Louisiana residents gave churches higher marks than government agencies in responding to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, according to a Louisiana State University study," reports the Washington Times. "On a scale of one (not effective) to 10 (very effective), residents gave churches the highest mark of 8.1, and New Orleans city agencies and state agencies received the lowest rating of 4.6.

"Hundreds of churches and synagogues stepped up to help when municipal, state and federal governments faltered in their early responses to the devastation wrought by the hurricanes. They fed, clothed and sheltered survivors and raised more than $100 million to do so. 'First and foremost, the survey shows the tremendous generosity of Louisianans,' said Kirby Goidel, co-director of LSU's Public Policy Research Laboratory and principal investigator of the survey."

In "Government Failure, Private Success," Michael D. Tanner, the director of Cato's health and welfare studies, writes: "While the response to hurricane Katrina has uncovered failures of government at every level -- federal, state, and local -- it has also revealed again the amazing generosity and effectiveness of America's private charitable efforts. America is the most generous nation on earth. And we are proving it. From Hollywood glitterati to school-children in rural Georgia; from wealthy executives to men and women on the assemblyline; in our churches, mosques, and synagogues; and in a thousand other ways, we are reaching deep in our pockets and giving."

Connecticut Strengthens Campaign Finance Laws

"Connecticut lawmakers passed some of the nation's toughest campaign finance laws early yesterday, placing strict limits on contributions and creating a publicly funded election system for all statewide races," according to the Associated Press. "Republican Gov. M. Jodi Rell pledged to sign the measure into law.

"The bill, which would take effect Dec. 31, 2006, allots about $17 million each year in public funds for political campaigns. To reduce the influence of special interests, it bans political contributions from lobbyists and state contractors."

In the Cato Policy Analysis "The Effect of Campaign Finance Laws on Electoral Competition: Evidence from the States," Thad Kousser, now an assistant professor at the University of California at Berkeley, and Ray LaRaja, a professor at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, argue that restrictions on campaign finance may reduce the competitiveness of elections: "Many states have enacted regulations on campaign finance, including limits on how much can be given to political parties. A close analysis of those state limits shows that restrictions on how much parties can raise and contribute to their nominees hinder the ability of candidates, especially those in close races, to raise money. Such restrictions do not hurt incumbents as much as they do challengers, since sitting lawmakers can attract more money from interest groups and individual donors. State regulatory limits on parties reduce the vote totals of challengers, thereby reducing the competitiveness of elections."

Greg Garner, editor, ggarner@cato.org