It’s no secret that Republicans have a difficult time doing what they said, but that doesn’t stop them from pretending they’re trying. True conservatives have been trying to end crony subsidies for years and the Farm Bill, H.R. 2, was supposed to be their chance to end wasteful programs that have been draining the economy since the New Deal era.

It goes without saying that at FreedomWorks Foundation (FWF), we keep our eye on cronyism rearing its ugly head in the regulatory process. But another type of cronyism is bouncing around Washington these days, and it flies under cover of anti-trust protections against monopolies.

Government wraps its seemingly endless fingers around almost all facets of our lives. “Safety” and “public interest” are cited as unquestionable benefits of government expansion.

Last month, the United States International Trade Commission (ITC) voted unanimously against Boeing in a trade case it brought against its rival, Bombardier. Boeing had argued that Bombardier had illegally harmed their business by offering Delta Airlines a series of jets at a low rate. This claim was dubious, and was a clear attempt to try and eliminate their competition. The ITC’s decision is a victory for trade and anti-cronyism.

The bill would blatantly disregard the Budget Control Act (BCA) of 2011 that requires Congress to adhere to budget caps – This bill goes above and beyond, busting the caps by nearly $300 billion over two years, more than twice that of the past two, two-year deals combined

Competition is the hallmark of our economy. It promotes freedom of choice, innovation, and will lead to better products and prices for consumers. Not only that, but it is a key driver of job growth for Americans.

On behalf of our activist community, I urge you to contact your representative and urge him or her to cosponsor the Export-Import Bank Termination Act, H.R. 3114, sponsored by Rep. Justin Amash (R-Mich.). Several other House conservatives have cosponsored the bill, including Reps. Dave Brat (R-Va.), Michael Burgess (R-Texas), Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), and Tom McClintock (R-Calif.). The bill would abolish the Export-Import Bank, a relic of the New Deal and the face of cronyism.

The growth of America’s government may soon be outpaced by growth of the average waistline new indicators reveal. Rates of obesity have been increasing over the past several decades, but are now reaching some incredible levels. Currently it's estimated that well over one-third of adults are classified as obese and nearly two-thirds are classified as overweight. Perhaps more distressing is the recent discovery that one in six children are suffering from obesity.

The only thing growing faster than the government, it seems, is the waistline of the average American. Obesity rates have been on the rise over the past several decades, but are now reaching some incredible heights. Nearly two-thirds of the country are now considered overweight or obese and more than one in twenty are considered extremely obese.

On Thursday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky) unveiled the Better Care Reconciliation Act, the long awaited bill that was supposed to fulfill the Republicans’ promise to repeal ObamaCare.