This text is expected in the State of the Union address: To make our economy stronger and more competitive, America must reward, not punish, the efforts and dreams of entrepreneurs. Small business is the path of advancement, especially for women and minorities, so we must free small businesses from needless regulation and protect honest job-creators from junk lawsuits.

The FDA has announced that it will increase the amount of radiation that can be used to zap food products before they reach the table. Here's some insight from Public Citizen: A recent U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) decision to increase by 50 percent the maximum radiation dose that can be used to irradiate food raises questions about the health effects of consuming such food and should be reconsidered, Public Citizen told the agency today in a letter. Public Citizen believes the rule should be revoked and is requesting a public hearing.

It's now official: Factory farms that generate huge amounts of harmful pollution are being let off the hook from enforcement of clean air laws provided they simply let EPA monitor them and collect data. EPA basically let industry write its own rules in a back-room deal... no surprise that the rules would be toothless. The official story goes like this (per the AP): Seeking data for future regulation, the government on Friday told factory-style farms that generate huge amounts of animal waste they can escape potentially large fines if their air pollution is monitored.

Consumers Union has an excellent companion website, Hear Us Now, with a wealth of information about, among other things, cable and satellite TV service. If you were concerned by the news that the FCC rigged a cost-benefit analysis in order to benefit the cable and media giants and deny consumers meaningful choice in their cable subscriptions, check out the Hear Us Now action alert, through which you can send comments to the FCC urging them to do the right thing.