InsideSources, Washington D.C., DC (2025)

12/13/2025

It’s Time to Restore Sanity to Pesticide Labeling by Gerard Scimeca.

"In any functioning market, consumers deserve information they can trust — and businesses need clear rules they can follow. Accurate, science-based product labels are essential to that balance. But when states start imposing their own special-interest-driven labeling mandates, science is thrown out the window and consumers are left to fend for themselves.

"Just look at Proposition 65, California’s infamous chemical warning law. To comply, nearly every product — from potato chips and furniture to coffee cups and parking garages — now bears a 'may cause cancer' label. There are even Prop 65 warnings on trees (yes, that’s real).

"Many of these warnings have little grounding in real-world risk and defy common sense. They serve to bewilder, rather than inform consumers. The ubiquitous hazard warnings have ironically created their own hazard, a populace surrendering to indifference. With everything labeled 'dangerous,' danger becomes the new normal, leaving consumers unable to discern 'boy who cried wolf' hysteria from real and known health hazards.

"This issue has emerged as a key problem in the regulation of crop protection tools today, as state legislatures in California and elsewhere have pursued labeling mandates that conflict with federal law and well-established scientific consensus.

"If this patchwork approach continues unchecked, it will create an unworkable system that threatens consumers’ access to essential products.

"What’s needed is straightforward: legislation to protect labeling uniformity. When the Environmental Protection Agency approves a pesticide label after years of scientific testing and review, that label should be the law of the land. And there are three good reasons to reaffirm this policy. ..."

In any functioning market, consumers deserve information they can trust — and businesses need clear rules they can follow. Accurate, science-based product

12/13/2025

HOLY COW! HISTORY: How A Jewish Man Created A Christmas Classic by J. Mark Powell.

"You know Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen. And yes, you still recall the most famous reindeer of all.

"But how did that red-nosed misfit become a star of Yuletide celebrations? He wasn’t one of the original eight tiny reindeer, after all. Who gave him to us?

"Would you believe it was a Jewish man with a dying wife who had a little daughter and worked for a big company?

"Robert May (Bob to his family and friends) grew up in New York in the early 20th century. When the Great Depression hit, his wealthy Jewish family was ruined.

"Bob and his wife, Evelyn, moved to Chicago, where he found work as a copywriter for Montgomery Ward’s famous catalogs. The pay was low, but in those days, just having a job was a blessing. Daughter Barbara was soon born.

"But the Mays’ happiness didn’t last long.

"Evelyn developed cancer in 1937. That diagnosis was a death sentence then. Like any loving spouse, Bob spent every penny he had (and then some) on the best medical treatment as he watched his wife waste away.

"Bob’s boss gave him a special assignment in January 1939. Montgomery Ward gave kids a free holiday book every Christmas. Though it was popular, the promotion was costly. The boss wanted to save money by producing its own book for the next Christmas shopping season. He told Bob to write it.

"Oh, and make it an animal story, he added.

"Bob wondered as he returned to his desk how an animal related to Christmas. Piece by piece, answers came to him. ..."

You know Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen. And yes, you still recall the most famous reindeer of all. But how did that red-nosed misfit become a

12/13/2025

A Holiday-Season Dose of Toxicology by Richard Williams.

"For nutrition-conscious Americans, the holidays are a challenge. The war between the low-fat and the high-fat diets is reaching a fever pitch, and the coming announcement in the new Dietary Guidelines recommending more butter and lard will only confuse the issue.

"Rather than pick a side in the war between 'experts,' a better strategy may be found in the science of poisons: toxicology.

"The founding principle of toxicology can be summarized this way: 'Dose makes the poison.' In other words, almost anything is a poison if we’re exposed to too much, too fast. Water is toxic. If you consume a gallon in an hour or two, it can lead to coma or death. On the other hand, it takes a microscopic amount of botulinum toxin to kill you.

"We can apply a similar idea not just to chemicals and radiation, but to eating. While what we usually do between Thanksgiving and Christmas — overcooking, gobbling everything in sight and stuffing ourselves until we are nearly sick — is tradition, most of the time we should go back to these words from the Agriculture Department’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans in 1980: To improve eating habits, 'Eat slowly,' 'prepare small portions' and 'avoid ‘seconds.''

"All but forgotten, we are bombarded with a war of government agencies and everyone else pushing their preferred diets, claiming they are right for everyone. There are two problems here. First, there’s a staggering amount of bad data and weak nutrition science out there. Second, because we are all different, we may need different diets.

"Most of the nutrition research data comes from asking people to write down or recall what they have eaten. As scientist Edward Archer has shown, this data is often 'incompatible with life' — meaning people don’t report eating enough to stay alive. Also, nutrition science can only show associations. It’s extremely difficult to show that any specific diet will actually help us avoid chronic diseases caused by poor nutrition.

"The original recommendation to eat less fat, later narrowed down to saturated and trans fats, was promoted in the 1950s by physiologist Ancel Keys. Currently, two-thirds of Americans exceed the 10 percent saturated fat per day, although holiday foods cause most of us to exceed the daily recommendations — sweet potato casserole (83 percent) and mashed potatoes and gravy (36 percent). ..."

For nutrition-conscious Americans, the holidays are a challenge. The war between the low-fat and the high-fat diets is reaching a fever pitch, and the

12/13/2025

There Is Still One Big Risk to the GLP-1 Boom by David Clement.

"As Americans prepare for Christmas, it’s safe to say there were plenty of jokes at family tables this year about the explosion of popularity of GLP-1 weight loss drugs. As of August, 12 percent of Americans reported using these drugs, and at least 35 percent are considering the treatment originally intended for type 2 diabetes, but which has gone mainstream as a tool to slim down.

"Active users of the treatment are not a niche group — we’re talking about almost 41 million Americans, or about the combined population of Florida and New York.

"Someone who was at your table is either using GLP-1s or knows someone who does, so if you want to have an answer come Christmas for some of the knee-jerk skepticism of the cultural effect these drugs will have, here are two misperceptions and a truth about the weight-loss boom.

"GLP-1s have shown incredibly promising weight loss results and are already upending the American diet, consumer purchases and holiday planning. According to a Cornell University study, households with at least one person using a GLP-1 cut their grocery spending by more than 5 percent in the first six months of use. This means that with the rise of GLP-1s, the holiday season may look a little less indulgent, with a little less turkey and trimmed down sides.

"This is counterintuitive, as many skeptics thought GLP-1s would aid more indulgent eating and consumption. Turns out to be the opposite, as appetites are being brought to heel.

"The effect isn’t limited to food; there’s increasing evidence that it may also affect the amount of alcohol we consume. Even shopping behavior is affected. As Americans lose weight, their clothing purchases change, driven by a surge in purchases of activewear and a dampened demand for plus-size clothing. That’s big going into Christmas. ..."

As Americans prepare for Christmas, it’s safe to say there were plenty of jokes at family tables this year about the explosion of popularity of GLP-1

12/12/2025

How West Virginia Found a Better Path for Broadband Buildout by Johnny Kampis.

"The West Virginia Public Service Commission just did something more states should have done years ago. It told utility pole owners they can’t stick broadband providers with the entire bill for pole replacements.

"In a world where electric utilities routinely use their market power to shift 100 percent of these costs onto attachers, West Virginia finally drew a line, and in doing so delivered a rare dose of fairness to the broadband marketplace.

"For too long, disputes over pole attachments nationwide have tied regulators in knots, with pole owners insisting on full reimbursement while providers simply ask to pay their fair share. West Virginia’s order doesn’t just break that stalemate; it sets a model for how states can stop utilities from gaming the system and start clearing the way for real broadband expansion.

"The PSC said in its order that pole owners have a duty to provide non-discriminatory access and that all who use the poles should bear part of the cost of replacement.

"'Simply put, the commission concludes that utility actions related to pole replacements must be just, reasonable and not unduly discriminatory,' the order states. 'Considering the arguments we have heard, it appears that utilities are not considering the justness and reasonableness of their failure to allocate costs for pole replacements among all beneficiaries of the replacements.'

"This philosophy of the PSC aligns with guidance from the Federal Communications Commission. In 2023, the FCC established a team to speed dispute resolution, expand access to pole inspection reports, and update policies to provide clarity on when an attacher shouldn’t pay the full cost of pole replacement. ..."

The West Virginia Public Service Commission just did something more states should have done years ago. It told utility pole owners they can’t stick

12/12/2025

Will Congress Limit Holiday Credit Purchases? by Nathanael Peach.

"Christmas is almost here, and that means it’s time to shop for presents. What could be better than showering your loved ones with gifts? However, for millions of Americans, it also means something else: credit card debt.

"The typical American household has $11,000 in credit card debt. The holidays are by far the time when Americans take out the most debt, with one study from last December finding that nearly half of respondents will not pay the credit card debt incurred from Christmas shopping by the due date.

"So, it is no surprise that a bill sponsored by senators Bernie Sanders and Josh Hawley is getting some attention. Sanders and Hawley’s legislation would cap credit card interest rates at 10 percent.

"The problem is that this solution is no solution at all. ..."

Christmas is almost here, and that means it’s time to shop for presents. What could be better than showering your loved ones with gifts? However, for

12/12/2025

Energy Council Pushes ‘Blueprint to Build’ as Infrastructure Gap Widens

"'For years, our industry has been sounding the alarm that natural gas demand is rising faster than the infrastructure designed to move it. The cracks in the foundation of this affordable, reliable, secure energy system are showing — and they’re getting wider.'

"That was the warning from Toby Rice, CEO of EQT Corporation, at the December meeting of the National Petroleum Council (NPC), where the advisory committee released two reports addressing those cracks in America’s energy grid.

"One report proposes permitting reforms for a system increasingly incapable of keeping up with the need for new pipelines, expanded battery storage, and LNG export capacity.

"The companion NPC study, focused on gas-electric coordination, warns that the U.S. power system is becoming more dependent on natural gas without the infrastructure to supply it reliably during peak demand.

"The NPC is a federally chartered but privately funded committee established at the request of President Harry Truman and tasked with advising the White House on domestic energy policy. Its message: Grow America’s energy infrastructure today, or pay for it in lost jobs and productivity.

"The infrastructure gap is hard to deny.

"Between 2010 and 2022, U.S. natural gas demand grew 49 percent, but pipeline capacity increased just 26 percent, and storage capacity grew by an abysmal 2 percent. The council argues that this imbalance threatens grid reliability, raises prices for consumers, and risks undermining U.S. competitiveness.

"'It’s reached the point where the money that gets wasted in the permitting process would disgust every American,' said council Chair Alan Armstrong of Williams Companies.

"U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright, who commissioned the reports as part of a broader review of future U.S. energy systems, said the current, cumbersome system that slows new production is hitting Americans in the wallet. ..."

“For years, our industry has been sounding the alarm that natural gas demand is rising faster than the infrastructure designed to move it. The cracks in

12/12/2025

Pass a Farm Bill, Equip Farmers for the Future by Megan Tanel.

"America’s farmers are innovators by necessity. They grow more with less, manage risk from weather to markets, and keep food affordable for families here and abroad. What they cannot control is Washington’s calendar.

"Congress recently passed a one-year extension to the 2018 Farm Bill. However, we need a policy for 2026, not 2018. Farmers need access to conservation tools and the next generation of equipment that makes farms more productive and more sustainable. Congress must pass a new, modernized Farm Bill that provides critical funding to the men and women who feed the world.

"Recent trends in agricultural economics indicate that farmers are investing in tools to remain competitive, even as costs and leverage rise.

"The Agriculture Department’s Economic Research Service projects farm assets at $4.42 trillion this year, with debt rising to $592 billion, including growth in borrowing that covers machinery and equipment. Those numbers reflect an industry leaning into capital, even as it navigates tight margins and higher costs.

"The tools on a farm, including auto guidance, section control, variable-rate technology, telematics, sensor-driven irrigation, and targeted spray systems, are how farmers turn conservation into practice and efficiency into profit. The Association of Equipment Manufacturers, the American Farm Bureau Federation, the American Soybean Association, Crop Life America and the National Corn Growers Association recently updated their Benefits of Precision Agriculture study. The findings are clear: precision technologies are already delivering a 5 percent boost in annual production, with an additional 6 percent within reach as adoption broadens. This means more food is produced with less.

"Those savings are not theoretical. The study supports the claim that precision tools reduce fuel and water use and optimize fertilizer and herbicide use. When adoption scales further, the gains grow. This is the difference between surviving and thriving when markets tighten. ..."

America’s farmers are innovators by necessity. They grow more with less, manage risk from weather to markets, and keep food affordable for families here

12/12/2025

Hanukkah 2025 —What Makes This Year’s Holiday Different by Jill Ebstein.

"Hanukkah is arriving on our doorstep, and this year feels different. Before explaining why, a recap of the holiday’s basic elements might be helpful. Often, when Hanukkah is mentioned, people gravitate toward the idea of presents. You might hear a common refrain of: 'Wow! You get presents for eight days!'

"In our family, this is not the case, and presents are a minor part of the holiday. We keep presents very small, except for the grandchildren, and even they don’t receive eight days’ worth. It is the history and traditions surrounding the holiday that bring the most meaning. Experiencing the rituals is what makes Hanukkah memorable.

"Starting with the history, in 190 B.C., the Greeks occupied Israel and required that Jews help finance their military through taxes and house their soldiers in their homes. They placed a Zeus statue in the Temple courtyard and banished Jewish observances.

"When the Greeks demanded that Jews sacrifice a pig to Greek idols, a group of Hasmoneans led by Mattathias said, 'Enough,' and a war ensued. Mattathias led the Maccabees in guerrilla warfare against a much better-equipped Greek army. He was killed, but his son, Judah, took over and led the troops. Against all odds, but through guile and hit-and-run tactics, the Maccabees and their 12,000 men defeated the larger 50,000-man Greek army. It took five years.

"According to the Talmud, the Jews then entered the Temple and found a small flask of oil to light a flame. The miracle was that the flame lasted eight days, which explains the holiday’s eight-day observance and why we light eight candles. We use a ninth candle, called the 'shamash,' to light the other candles. ..."

Hanukkah is arriving on our doorstep, and this year feels different. Before explaining why, a recap of the holiday’s basic elements might be

12/12/2025

Point: Standardized Tests Were Built for a Predictable World. That World Is Gone. by Olli-Pekka Heinonen.

"For more than a century, American education has been driven by the same invisible engine: standardization. Rows of desks. National tests. Rankings.

"From No Child Left Behind to statewide report cards, we have long measured success by what can be quantified, compared and controlled.

"This model, born in the industrial age, is buckling under the weight of a new world. The challenges facing today’s students cannot be solved by scoring higher on a math exam. Climate disruption, mental health crises, the rise of AI and the strains on democracy require a different kind of learning, one that nurtures agency, resilience, ethics and interdependence.

"In short, we must challenge past assumptions to imagine an education fit for the future.

"Today’s students are entering a world where few will spend their careers in a single profession. Lifelong adaptability, learning new skills, navigating change and applying knowledge in new contexts have become essential. In such a world, assessments that capture what students know at a fixed moment in time say little about their potential to keep growing.

"Many education systems are trapped in illusions of modernity: beliefs in simplicity, permanence, competition and control, among others. These illusions made sense in a previous era. However, they are now misaligned with the complexity and fragility of our interconnected world, as I argue in my book, 'Learning As If Life Depended on It.'

"One of the most damaging illusions is that success can be universally defined and measured. In reality, young people are asking questions: How can I make a meaningful life? How can I make life better for others and the planet? The answers to such questions are not found in class rankings or rigid curricula.

"In the United States, the pressures of high-stakes testing and narrow success metrics have contributed to teacher burnout and student disengagement. We also see growing movements calling for change: project-based learning, competency-based assessment and new models of student voice. These are not fringe ideas. They signal that the old model is approaching its limits.

"Instead of asking how to improve the current system incrementally, we should be asking a deeper question: What is the purpose of education today? If it is merely to sort individuals into roles within an economy, then we will continue to underprepare them for the moral and planetary challenges ahead. ..."

For an alternate viewpoint, see Counterpoint: Standardized Tests Help Students by Creating a Framework for Accountability. For more than a century,

12/12/2025

Counterpoint: Standardized Tests Help Students by Creating a Framework for Accountability by Andrew Cline.

"When the College Board cancelled SAT testing in 2020, hundreds of colleges adopted test-optional admissions policies for that fall. The Urban Institute reported that the number of four-year colleges and universities going test-optional nearly doubled in one year, from 713 to 1,350.

"Test-optional admissions had been spreading before the COVID pandemic, on the theory that standardized tests were inherently biased and discriminatory. The pandemic gave progressive college admissions offices an excuse to jettison an old tradition many blamed for campus and societal disparities.

"By the fall of 2023, more than 80 percent of American bachelor-granting institutions had eliminated admission test requirements, according to FairTest, which advocates for such policies.

"Eliminating the exams was intended to help disadvantaged students by replacing a vestige of systemic inequality with more accurate — more subjective — measures of students’ academic preparedness. The results were predictable.

"A 2023 study by Harvard University economist Raj Chetty and his team demonstrated that the use of subjective criteria for assessing student applications benefits students from higher-income families and disadvantages academically promising students from lower-income families.

"'Critics correctly note that standardized tests are not an unbiased measure of students’ qualifications, as students from higher-income families often have greater access to test prep and other resources,' Chetty told The Harvard Gazette. 'But the data reveal that other measures — recommendation letters, extracurriculars, essays — are even more prone to such biases. Considering standardized test scores is likely to make the admissions process at Harvard more meritocratic while increasing socioeconomic diversity.'

"Citing Chetty’s research, Harvard reinstated standardized testing for admissions in 2024. ..."

For an alternate viewpoint, see “Point: Standardized Tests Were Built for a Predictable World; That World Is Gone.” When the College Board cancelled SAT

12/11/2025

From Store Shelves to Human Smuggling, USA-IT Summit Confronts New Face of Organized Crime

"National law enforcement and local retail groups want Americans to understand that the problem of illicit trade — counterfeiting, organized retail crime, and human trafficking — is bigger and more dangerous than most people realize.

"How big? Illegal trade is a $2.2 trillion criminal enterprise that crosses every national boundary and reaches every shopper’s laptop.

"How bad? In Florida, crooks have been stealing entire gas stations.

"'In Hillsborough County, vans were coming into gas stations at night and parking over the top of the fill tanks,' said Ned Bowman with the Florida Petroleum Marketers Association. 'They were dropping a pump down into the tanks, pulling up the diesel fuel and gasoline.

"'They had set up a temporary filling station with tanks and gas pumps in the middle of a field, where all the dump trucks and people were coming and filling their tanks,' Bowman said.

"'The point is that, in this era of organized retail theft, they’ll steal anything that’s not tied down.'

"That could have been the theme at this year’s United to Safeguard America from Illegal Trade (USA-IT) 2025 National Summit in Washington, D.C., earlier this month.

"And whether it’s trafficked kids trapped in forced work or counterfeit kids’ toys stuffed in a Christmas stocking, most of this illicit trade is handled largely by the same criminal groups, said USA-IT spokesperson Alysa Erichs.

"'Criminal networks are quick to exploit weaknesses in our trade and financial systems for profit, with zero concern for public safety. No single agency can address this challenge alone.'

"Erichs, the former acting executive associate director for Homeland Security Investigations, said what makes the modern illegal-trade economy so powerful — and dangerous — is convergence.

"Cybercriminals move profits through the same channels as weapons traffickers, or use counterfeit-goods sales to launder money through retail theft. Revenues from stolen retail goods can be used for fentanyl, co***ne, and other narcotics, which come to the U.S. via the same drug cartels that also run human smuggling. ..."

National law enforcement and local retail groups want Americans to understand that the problem of illicit trade — counterfeiting, organized retail crime,

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