GLG News by Political Experts (outside Washington DC)

The internet gambling ban which was attached to last year's port security bill is an example of the power of the fundamentalist, anti-gambling, pro-morality Republican constituency in the waning days of the Bush Era.  Led by (then) Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) in an effort to polish...

By criminalizing the building/lending practices of Beazer, the US Attorney is creating a roadmap for prosecutions in other parts of the country where a combination of poor state regulatory oversight coupled with tenuous federal jurisdiction have contributed to the still emerging mortgage crisis. ...

TXU has hired a veritable battalion of lobbyists to represent its interests on the KKB/TXU deal, a number of whom are extremely well-connected.  This will create a difficult situation for advocates and legislators who are uncomfortable with the deal and wish to use the legislative process to increase...

---With legislation pending that would give explicit authority to the PUC to approve or reject a transaction similar to the KKR/TXU deal, it is questionable whether the PUC can follow through on its consideration of a rules "tweak" that would increase its regulatory authority over the deal

FDA's tightening of conflict-of-interest rules will allow them to claim that thy are using only conflict-free scientists, but this is in fact not the case.And worse, this will skew the pool of scientists- limiting the FDA's access to the best minds.

- This initiative by Mr. Franks is unlikely to lead to legislation in the next 2 years.  - Often overlooked: the federal law does not ban (i.e., has an exception for) internet wagering on horse races. 

Congressional efforts to make it easier to bring generic biotech drugs to the market could hurt biotech profits.

The legislation would legalize importation of pharmaceuticals from Canada and other countries.  This would reduce profits.  

Until recently, soda companies have been under pressure not to add nutrients to sodas because of the FDA's so-called "Jelly Bean Rule," which forbids health claims on low-nutrient foods and drinks. The rule doesn't forbid fortification, but it has had that effect.

In its ongoing drive to reverse the privatizations of previous years, the government of Evo Morales has indicated its intention to bring ENTEL back under government control.   As with similar efforts, it appears this will not take the form of expropriation but rather will involve compensatio...