Cooler Heads Coalition
Encyclopedia
The Cooler Heads Coalition was originally a project of the National Consumer Coalition in the United States, a project of the nonprofit organization Consumer Alert
. The Cooler Heads Coalition is now financed and operated by the Competitive Enterprise Institute
. Its objective is described as "dispelling the myths of global warming by exposing flawed economic, scientific, and risk analysis". In 2004, its stated position was that "the science of global warming is uncertain, but the negative impacts of global warming policies on consumers are all too real."
The Coalition offers a primer on global warming that includes information on the economics, public debate, and science of global warming. The primer argues, in part, that government-imposed limits on energy use negatively impact the well-being of people worldwide, curtailing economic growth and prosperity. It also offers a series of videos on energy and global warming topics.
The National Consumer Coalition was formed by Consumer Alert on February 4, 1997; it conducted research and educational activities on a variety of issues, including housing, transportation, food, health and safety, the environment, utilities, tax policy, financial issues, and telecommunications. A major issue of the National Consumer Coalition in the late 1990s was opposition to a federal mandate that airbags be installed in automobiles sold in the United States. The NCC argued that manufacturers should be allowed to install switches in automobiles so consumers can turn the airbags off. After federal permission for such switches was given, the NCC sought to persuade automakers to install the switches.
The founding principles of the National Consumer Coalition were stated as follows:
In 2001, the National Consumer Coalition launched the website www.NCCprivacy.org, saying it would cover four issue areas: online privacy, medical privacy, financial privacy and government surveillance.
In 2004, the National Consumer Coalition joined with the Free Congress Foundation to ask Congress not to eliminate "sunset" provisions calling for the expiry of regulations in the Patriot Act that Consumer Alert's James Plummer called "violations of consumer privacy."
Consumer Alert and the National Consumer Coalition ceased operations in 2005.
enacted any legislation targeted at reducing CO2
emissions. The Coalition has been accused by Mother Jones
of astroturfing
. For example, writing in October 2004 for The American Prospect
, Nicholas Confessore
described the Coalition as "an Astroturf group funded by industries opposed to regulation of CO2 emissions.".
Consumer Alert
Consumer Alert was an American non-profit organization which advocated on business and consumer issues. It was primarily funded by corporations. It was founded in 1977 by Barbara A. Keating-Edh and John Henry Sununu, who would later go on to become Governor of New Hampshire and White House Chief...
. The Cooler Heads Coalition is now financed and operated by the Competitive Enterprise Institute
Competitive Enterprise Institute
The Competitive Enterprise Institute is a non-profit think tank founded on March 9, 1984 in Washington, D.C. by lobbyist Fred L. Smith, Jr to advance economic liberty and fight over-regulation by big government...
. Its objective is described as "dispelling the myths of global warming by exposing flawed economic, scientific, and risk analysis". In 2004, its stated position was that "the science of global warming is uncertain, but the negative impacts of global warming policies on consumers are all too real."
Projects
Among other projects, the Coalition operates a website and blog, and publishes the e-newsletter Cooler Heads Digest.The Coalition offers a primer on global warming that includes information on the economics, public debate, and science of global warming. The primer argues, in part, that government-imposed limits on energy use negatively impact the well-being of people worldwide, curtailing economic growth and prosperity. It also offers a series of videos on energy and global warming topics.
Membership
Notable members of Coalition currently include:- 60 Plus Association60 Plus AssociationThe 60 Plus Association is an American conservative advocacy group founded in 1992 and based in Arlington, Virginia, that bills itself as the conservatives' alternative to the AARP, . Over the years, it has sought to privatize Social Security, end the federal estate tax, and strengthen gun rights...
- Alexis de Tocqueville InstitutionAlexis de Tocqueville InstitutionThe Alexis de Tocqueville Institution is a Washington, D.C.–based conservative think tank that produced reports and policy research....
- Americans for ProsperityAmericans for ProsperityAmericans for Prosperity is a Washington, D.C.–based political advocacy group. According to their literature, they promote economic policy that supports business, and restrains regulation by government...
- Americans for Tax ReformAmericans for Tax ReformAmericans for Tax Reform is an advocacy group and taxpayer group whose stated goal is "a system in which taxes are simpler, flatter, more visible, and lower than they are today. The government's power to control one's life derives from its power to tax...
- American Legislative Exchange CouncilAmerican Legislative Exchange CouncilThe American Legislative Exchange Council is a politically conservative 501 non-profit Policy Organization, consisting of both state legislators and members of the private sector. ALEC's mission statement describes the organization's purpose as the advancement of free-market principles, limited...
- Committee for a Constructive TomorrowCommittee for a Constructive TomorrowThe Committee for a Constructive Tomorrow is a conservative Washington, D.C.-based non-profit organization whose stated mission is to promote free market solutions to environmental problems...
- Competitive Enterprise InstituteCompetitive Enterprise InstituteThe Competitive Enterprise Institute is a non-profit think tank founded on March 9, 1984 in Washington, D.C. by lobbyist Fred L. Smith, Jr to advance economic liberty and fight over-regulation by big government...
- Fraser InstituteFraser InstituteThe Fraser Institute is a Canadian think tank. It has been described as politically conservative and right-wing libertarian and espouses free market principles...
- FreedomWorksFreedomWorksFreedomWorks is a conservative non-profit organization based in Washington D.C., United States. FreedomWorks trains volunteers, assists in campaigns, and encourages them to mobilize, interacting with both fellow citizens and their political representatives....
- George C. Marshall InstituteGeorge C. Marshall InstituteThe George C. Marshall Institute is a politically conservative think tank established in 1984 in Washington, D.C. with a focus on scientific issues and public policy. In the 1980s, the Institute was engaged primarily in lobbying in support of the Strategic Defense Initiative...
- Heartland InstituteHeartland InstituteThe Heartland Institute is a libertarian, American public policy think tank based in Chicago, Illinois which advocates free market policies. The Institute is designated as a 501 non-profit by the Internal Revenue Service and advised by a 15 member board of directors, which meets quarterly. As of...
- Independent InstituteIndependent InstituteThe Independent Institute is a libertarian think tank based in Oakland, California. Founded in 1986 byDavid J. Theroux , the Institute sponsors studies of major political, social, economic, legal, environmental and foreign policy issues. It has more than 140 research fellows. The Institute was...
- Istituto Bruno Leoni
- JunkScience.comSteven MilloySteven J. Milloy is a commentator for Fox News and runs the Web site junkscience.com, which is dedicated to "debunking" what Milloy labels "faulty scientific data and analysis." On Fox News Channel he is billed as a "Junk Science commentator." He describes himself as a libertarian.Among the topics...
- Lavoisier GroupLavoisier GroupThe Lavoisier Group is an organisation based in Australia that promotes scepticism of current scientific consensus on global warming. The organisation questions the fears of the effects of global warming, the idea that human activity causes it, and the wisdom of policies designed to curtail it...
- Liberty InstituteLiberty InstituteThe Liberty Institute is a conservative Christian advocacy and legal defense organization in Texas, USA founded in 1972 under the name Free Market Foundation. -Overview:It was founded in 1997 by a Texas coordinator from the Rutherford Institute...
- National Center for Policy AnalysisNational Center for Policy AnalysisThe National Center for Policy Analysis is a non-profit American conservative think tank whose goals are to develop and promote private alternatives to government regulation and control...
- National Center for Public Policy ResearchNational Center for Public Policy ResearchThe National Center for Public Policy Research, founded in 1982, is a self-described conservative think tank in the United States. Its president since its founding has been Amy Ridenour. David A. Ridenour, her husband, is vice president, and David W. Almasi is executive director...
Origins
Consumer Alert was founded in 1977. It described itself as "a national, non-profit organization for people concerned about excessive growth of government regulation at the national and state levels. We are dedicated to informing the public about the consumer benefits of competitive enterprise and promoting the utilization of sound economic, scientific, and risk data in public policy decisions."The National Consumer Coalition was formed by Consumer Alert on February 4, 1997; it conducted research and educational activities on a variety of issues, including housing, transportation, food, health and safety, the environment, utilities, tax policy, financial issues, and telecommunications. A major issue of the National Consumer Coalition in the late 1990s was opposition to a federal mandate that airbags be installed in automobiles sold in the United States. The NCC argued that manufacturers should be allowed to install switches in automobiles so consumers can turn the airbags off. After federal permission for such switches was given, the NCC sought to persuade automakers to install the switches.
The founding principles of the National Consumer Coalition were stated as follows:
"The members of the National Consumer Coalition (NCC) do hereby endorse the following principles for a society of free and responsible consumers:
- A market economy benefits consumers by expanding consumer choice and competition and fostering innovation, which lowers costs and improves consumer health and safety.
- Individual consumers have different values and varying needs in the marketplace and shop for goods and services based on those, such as quality level, price, service, and convenience.
- Informed consumers are better off making their own decisions in the marketplace and holding responsibility for those decisions.
- Consumers exert clout in the marketplace by their decisions to buy or not to buy and to choose where to spend their money.
- Government policies that restrict consumer choice and stifle competition harm consumers by substituting policymakers' values for individual values and raising the costs of goods and services to consumers."
In 2001, the National Consumer Coalition launched the website www.NCCprivacy.org, saying it would cover four issue areas: online privacy, medical privacy, financial privacy and government surveillance.
In 2004, the National Consumer Coalition joined with the Free Congress Foundation to ask Congress not to eliminate "sunset" provisions calling for the expiry of regulations in the Patriot Act that Consumer Alert's James Plummer called "violations of consumer privacy."
Consumer Alert and the National Consumer Coalition ceased operations in 2005.
Criticism
The Coalition has been criticized for ties to energy industries that would be affected if the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
enacted any legislation targeted at reducing CO2
Carbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide is a naturally occurring chemical compound composed of two oxygen atoms covalently bonded to a single carbon atom...
emissions. The Coalition has been accused by Mother Jones
Mother Jones (magazine)
Mother Jones is an American independent news organization, featuring investigative and breaking news reporting on politics, the environment, human rights, and culture. Mother Jones has been nominated for 23 National Magazine Awards and has won six times, including for General Excellence in 2001,...
of astroturfing
Astroturfing
Astroturfing is a form of advocacy in support of a political, organizational, or corporate agenda, designed to give the appearance of a "grassroots" movement. The goal of such campaigns is to disguise the efforts of a political and/or commercial entity as an independent public reaction to some...
. For example, writing in October 2004 for The American Prospect
The American Prospect
The American Prospect is a monthly American political magazine dedicated to American liberalism. Based in Washington, DC, The American Prospect is a journal "of liberal ideas, committed to a just society, an enriched democracy, and effective liberal politics" which focuses on United States politics...
, Nicholas Confessore
Nicholas Confessore
Nicholas Confessore is a reporter on the Metropolitan Desk of The New York Times covering Albany. He was previously an editor at The Washington Monthly and a staff writer for The American Prospect...
described the Coalition as "an Astroturf group funded by industries opposed to regulation of CO2 emissions.".
External links
- GlobalWarming.org
- Cooler Heads Coalition at SourceWatchSourceWatchSourceWatch is an internet wiki site that is a collaborative project of the liberal Center for Media and Democracy...