Where We Stand

Here’s where we stand on some of today’s important legislative issues:

AGRICULTURE

America’s farmers and ranchers are being forced to pay hundreds of millions of dollars annually to mandatory assessment programs, or checkoffs, for so-called "generic" advertising. In fact, the twelve largest commodity promotion boards spend more than $700 million per year of hard earned producer money. The Center believes that these types of mandatory checkoff programs violate the First Amendment, which exists, in part, to prevent the government from compelling individuals to subsidize the expression of certain views with which they may disagree. The U.S. Supreme Court has upheld the Center’s belief in United States v. United Foods, as it relates to mushroom producers. The Center is committed to putting an end to unconstitutional checkoffs.

CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM

The issue of federal campaign finance reform is as hot as ever now that Congress has passed the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (BCRA) and the Supreme Court has upheld many of its provisions.

The Center vigorously opposed BCRA and fought its provisions before the Supreme Court. The Center will continue to work in the legislative and legal arenas to protect and promote free political speech.

EDUCATION

Educating our nation’s youth should be a top priority. Unfortunately, the public school system in our country is in a state of disarray, and the US continually ranks near the bottom of all industrialized nations in education.

The Center supports true education reform. We believe public schools should be held accountable for their students’ academic achievement. We also believe parents should have a choice in the education of their children through programs such as portability, home schooling and charter school initiatives.

ENERGY

America’s energy consumption has grown at twice the rate of domestic production since the energy crisis in the 1970s. Yet more than half of our nation’s oil is currently imported from foreign sources, including the Middle East, a region plagued by instability and turmoil. In fact, more than 700,000 barrels a day comes from Iraq. The Center believes, now more than ever, reducing America’s dependence on foreign oil is vital to our nation’s security. The Center supports a national energy policy that promotes energy development and production here at home, including limited and responsible drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR).

INTERNET

Now more than ever, developments in technology are changing the way we live our daily lives. The Internet is providing businesses and consumers with unprecedented luxury and convenience. However, all of this does not come without a cost to society. As the Internet continues to grow and reinvent itself overnight, serious concerns must be raised regarding a wide range of issues, including consumer privacy protection, intellectual property rights and the possibility of new taxes on the Internet.

Consumer Privacy

The Center is a strong advocate of both consumer privacy and the free-market system. We believe that Congress and the states should encourage the private sector to respond to the increased needs for consumer privacy on the Internet and refrain from imposing over-burdensome regulations that could affect the evolution of e-commerce and violate vital free speech rights embodied in the First Amendment. Internet consumers demand and expect basic protections of their privacy. We are confident the marketplace will respond to the needs of its customers, particularly in today’s market climate where a company’s survival may depend on it.

Intellectual Property

The Center is committed to the fundamental rights of intellectual property owners. We also are staunch First Amendment advocates. To the Center, those two positions are not in conflict — even as they relate to the Internet. We believe, as the courts have long held, that copyright is a vital "engine of free expression." We oppose those who seek to sacrifice copyright protection on the Internet for the lure of free, pirated materials.

E-commerce

Internet Taxation
While Internet commerce is exploding at a rapid pace, it is still relatively new and has yet to reach its full potential. The Center believes that the imposition of new taxes at such an early stage would threaten the future growth of e-commerce, as it would discourage companies and consumers from using the Internet to conduct business and would create regional and international barriers to global trade. We support efforts to make permanent the Internet tax moratorium.

Spam
The Center believes addressing consumer and Internet service provider concerns regarding unsolicited commercial e-mail ("Spam") through overly restrictive legislation or regulation may only serve to open a Pandora’s box of roadblocks to the free market on the Internet. We support increased enforcement of current federal and state laws that have been effectively used against so-called "spammers." We also encourage the development of new technologies that can effectively deal with the issue, without unnecessary government intervention.

SECOND AMENDMENT

The Center believes in the fundamental right to keep and bear arms, as provided by our founders in the Second Amendment to the US Constitution.

With school shootings and "gun violence" in today’s headlines, it is easy for some to simply point the finger at gun owners and gun manufacturers as the root of the problem. Incredibly, lawsuits have been filed by several cities against gun manufacturers for the costs associated with crimes committed with firearms.

We believe this complex issue cannot and should not be oversimplified. We are opposed to legislation and litigation that seeks to erode or circumvent the Second Amendment. We support strict enforcement of current laws concerning criminal use of firearms, as well as private gun safety and firearm educational efforts.

TAXES AND THE FEDERAL BUDGET

One of the single greatest threats to individual freedom is uncontrolled spending by the federal government. Year after year, Americans are taxed at enormous rates to fund ballooning federal bureaucracies that reach into every aspect of our daily lives. Although many members of Congress preach smaller government, the federal budget continues to grow every year — and working citizens are forced to shoulder the financial burden.

The Center supports meaningful efforts to reduce spending and lower taxes, thereby reducing the size of government and countless unnecessary and overburdensome regulations and restrictions to the free market.

TORT REFORM

Our nation’s businesses, and by extension we as consumers, are under attack by an alarming number of lawsuits. Each year, small businesses and corporations pay billions of dollars in damages and lawyers’ fees related to tort lawsuits. Billions more will be paid in out-of-court settlements.

At risk for America is corporate innovation and added costs for consumer goods to offset increased liability to lawsuits.

In addition, our courts are increasingly being asked to effectuate social reform in areas where Congress and the states have been reluctant or unwilling to act — legislation through litigation, as some have termed the concept. This has led to a tremendous increase in class action lawsuits against corporate defendants, at times with the full weight of the federal government behind them.

The Center supports meaningful and effective tort reform that will both eliminate abuses in our justice system and protect an individual's right to bring legitimate lawsuits forward.

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