Posts
Monday, February 15, 2010
By the Way, Free Markets Are Free - George F. Smith - Mises Institute
By the Way, Free Markets Are Free - George F. Smith - Mises Institute: "A free economy is one that is — how to say this? — free. It is free of cronyism, favoritism, handout-ism, protectionism, or anything else that amounts to using the state as a means of living at the expense of others. If paupers or billionaires need help, they're required to get it without picking the pockets of others."
A Responsible Choice | Adam B. Schaeffer | Cato Institute: Commentary
A Responsible Choice | Adam B. Schaeffer | Cato Institute: Commentary: "In his State of the Union address, President Obama proposed spending another $4 billion annually on K–12 public education. He did not mention that state, local, and federal governments already spend well over twice what they did in 1980, or that there has been no discernible improvement in student achievement during that period."
"There is little evidence that increased spending, especially at the federal level, has any impact on long-term student outcomes. Indeed, a recent, rigorous, government-sponsored study of the federal Head Start program — the Holy Grail of public programs aimed at boosting long-term student achievement — discerned no positive effect on student outcomes past the first grade."
"There is little evidence that increased spending, especially at the federal level, has any impact on long-term student outcomes. Indeed, a recent, rigorous, government-sponsored study of the federal Head Start program — the Holy Grail of public programs aimed at boosting long-term student achievement — discerned no positive effect on student outcomes past the first grade."
Iran's Sacrificial Bomb | Stanley Kober | Cato Institute: Commentary
Iran's Sacrificial Bomb | Stanley Kober | Cato Institute: Commentary: "Could the nuclear program be a sacrificial pawn, designed to provoke an attack, which Tehran hopes would then set in motion a series of events that would lead to its triumph?"
Tuning out the State of the Union | Gene Healy | Cato Institute: Commentary
Tuning out the State of the Union | Gene Healy | Cato Institute: Commentary: "The Constitution requires that the president 'from time to time give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union.' But it doesn't mandate the modern pageant of pomp, circumstance, and phony promises we suffer through every year.
In fact, for most of the Republic's first century, the SOTU was a modest, informational affair. Presidents sent the written address to Congress, to be read aloud by a clerk. That was thanks to President Jefferson, who thought delivering the speech before Congress assembled smacked too much of a king's 'Speech from the Throne.'"
In fact, for most of the Republic's first century, the SOTU was a modest, informational affair. Presidents sent the written address to Congress, to be read aloud by a clerk. That was thanks to President Jefferson, who thought delivering the speech before Congress assembled smacked too much of a king's 'Speech from the Throne.'"
It Still Won't Work | Michael D. Tanner | Cato Institute: Commentary
It Still Won't Work | Michael D. Tanner | Cato Institute: Commentary: "Take one 'core element': prohibiting insurers from turning down customers with 'pre-existing conditions' or charging more to customers who become sick."
"The term 'pre-existing condition' simply means people who are already sick. But if you can wait to buy insurance after you get sick, who'd ever buy insurance while they're healthy?"
"New York provides an object lesson: It enacted precisely these 'reforms' in 1993. The next year, roughly 500,000 people canceled their insurance, according to a study by the actuarial firm of Milliman & Robertson."
"For example, if Democrats really wanted to deal with the problem of preexisting conditions, they'd support expanded state high-risk pools. Better yet, they'd offer the same tax break to people who buy their own insurance as we give to employer-provided insurance. Moving to personal, portable insurance means that people who lose their jobs would no longer automatically lose their insurance — so preexisting conditions would be far less of an issue.
And, if Democrats want to create an incentive for the young and healthy to buy insurance, they could eliminate costly mandated benefits that makes insurance a poor deal for the young."
"The term 'pre-existing condition' simply means people who are already sick. But if you can wait to buy insurance after you get sick, who'd ever buy insurance while they're healthy?"
"New York provides an object lesson: It enacted precisely these 'reforms' in 1993. The next year, roughly 500,000 people canceled their insurance, according to a study by the actuarial firm of Milliman & Robertson."
"For example, if Democrats really wanted to deal with the problem of preexisting conditions, they'd support expanded state high-risk pools. Better yet, they'd offer the same tax break to people who buy their own insurance as we give to employer-provided insurance. Moving to personal, portable insurance means that people who lose their jobs would no longer automatically lose their insurance — so preexisting conditions would be far less of an issue.
And, if Democrats want to create an incentive for the young and healthy to buy insurance, they could eliminate costly mandated benefits that makes insurance a poor deal for the young."
Letting Go | Doug Bandow | Cato Institute: Commentary
Letting Go | Doug Bandow | Cato Institute: Commentary: "outh Korean defense minister Kim Tae-young wants his nation to initiate a pre-emptive assault if it appears that the North is preparing a nuclear attack. The Republic of Korea 'should immediately launch a strike,' said Kim.
Such a policy makes obvious sense. However, it leads to the question: if the ROK is strong enough to initiate war, why does the U.S. continue to defend the South?"
Such a policy makes obvious sense. However, it leads to the question: if the ROK is strong enough to initiate war, why does the U.S. continue to defend the South?"
Entitled to a Five-bedroom House - John Stossel
Entitled to a Five-bedroom House - John Stossel: "An article in today's UK Daily Mail illustrates how over time, welfare states begin to offer monstrous entitlements:
A single mother-of-six is getting more than 80,000 pounds[$125,000] a year from the taxpayer to live in a 2 million pound mansion in an exclusive London suburb.
Essma Marjam, 34, is given almost 7,000 pounds a month in housing benefits to pay the rent on the five-bedroom villa just yards from Sir Paul McCartney's house and Lord's cricket ground.
She also receives an estimated 15,000 pounds a year in other payouts, such as child benefit, to help look after her children, aged from five months to 14.
The four-storey house in Maida Vale has five bedrooms, two bathrooms, a double living room... two large flat-screen televisions ...
Welfare fraud? No -- the government stands by the payments:
Miss Marjam said: 'I moved here at the beginning of the month as I'm entitled to a five-bedroom house.
'I was in a three-bedroom council house but I needed a bigger place once my new baby came along. So the council agreed to pay the 1,600 pounds a week to a private landlord as they didn't have any houses big enough..."
The best part is her claim that "I'm entitled to a five-bedroom house" and that the government agrees with that!
A single mother-of-six is getting more than 80,000 pounds[$125,000] a year from the taxpayer to live in a 2 million pound mansion in an exclusive London suburb.
Essma Marjam, 34, is given almost 7,000 pounds a month in housing benefits to pay the rent on the five-bedroom villa just yards from Sir Paul McCartney's house and Lord's cricket ground.
She also receives an estimated 15,000 pounds a year in other payouts, such as child benefit, to help look after her children, aged from five months to 14.
The four-storey house in Maida Vale has five bedrooms, two bathrooms, a double living room... two large flat-screen televisions ...
Welfare fraud? No -- the government stands by the payments:
Miss Marjam said: 'I moved here at the beginning of the month as I'm entitled to a five-bedroom house.
'I was in a three-bedroom council house but I needed a bigger place once my new baby came along. So the council agreed to pay the 1,600 pounds a week to a private landlord as they didn't have any houses big enough..."
The best part is her claim that "I'm entitled to a five-bedroom house" and that the government agrees with that!
Congressman Ron Kind : On the Road - Blog : A Good Steward of Taxpayer Dollars: January 25, 2010
Congressman Ron Kind : On the Road - Blog : A Good Steward of Taxpayer Dollars: January 25, 2010: "It is imperative that we practice fiscal responsibility in government decision making."
So why don't you vote for that instead of voting for trillians in bailouts?
"In fact, I recently called for a bipartisan fiscal responsibility commission to examine the national debt as well as entitlement spending, so that we reduce the deficit and improve our long-term fiscal health."
You've been in office 13 years -- what took you so long?
"I also oppose the automatic cost of living increase for Members of Congress and give back a portion of my Congressional budget each year to reduce the deficit. This year’s giveback totaled $118,278, for a sum of $1.15 million since I first took office."
That is good but almost insignificant compared to the huge spending that you support!
"In addition, I'm also leading the effort for earmark reform. I refused to make requests in 2008 and 2009, have introduced multiple forms of legislation to reform the process, and opposed $12.1 billion worth of earmarks in 2009."
If all earmarks were gone then government spending wouldn't decrease any and bureaucrat would make the spending decisions instead of elected officials. Once again, this doesn't seem significant compared to your other actions increasing spending.
So why don't you vote for that instead of voting for trillians in bailouts?
"In fact, I recently called for a bipartisan fiscal responsibility commission to examine the national debt as well as entitlement spending, so that we reduce the deficit and improve our long-term fiscal health."
You've been in office 13 years -- what took you so long?
"I also oppose the automatic cost of living increase for Members of Congress and give back a portion of my Congressional budget each year to reduce the deficit. This year’s giveback totaled $118,278, for a sum of $1.15 million since I first took office."
That is good but almost insignificant compared to the huge spending that you support!
"In addition, I'm also leading the effort for earmark reform. I refused to make requests in 2008 and 2009, have introduced multiple forms of legislation to reform the process, and opposed $12.1 billion worth of earmarks in 2009."
If all earmarks were gone then government spending wouldn't decrease any and bureaucrat would make the spending decisions instead of elected officials. Once again, this doesn't seem significant compared to your other actions increasing spending.
Beware Crusader Temptation | Doug Bandow | Cato Institute: Commentary
Beware Crusader Temptation | Doug Bandow | Cato Institute: Commentary: "However, what evidence is there that the U.S. and its allies can force peace and national development at the point of a gun?
The fact that the end is desirable — and, indeed, that many Afghans desire that end — does not mean that it can be achieved through outside intervention.
To the contrary, attempting to impose liberal social policies will make respect for women look like a Western import and Afghan officials look like Western puppets. Any gains won in this way would not likely be sustainable over the long-term."
The fact that the end is desirable — and, indeed, that many Afghans desire that end — does not mean that it can be achieved through outside intervention.
To the contrary, attempting to impose liberal social policies will make respect for women look like a Western import and Afghan officials look like Western puppets. Any gains won in this way would not likely be sustainable over the long-term."
Social Security Private Option | Michael D. Tanner | Cato Institute: Commentary
Social Security Private Option | Michael D. Tanner | Cato Institute: Commentary: "Critics undoubtedly will point to the collapse of the stock market in 2008 and suggest that private investing is just too risky. However, studies show that long-term investment remains remarkably safe. If workers retiring today had been allowed to start privately investing their taxes 40 years ago, they obviously would have less money than those who retired a couple of years ago, but they still would have more than Social Security promises. Remember, someone retiring today would have begun contributing to his or her retirement account 40 years ago, when the Dow was at less than 1000."
Ukraine's Counterrevolution | Doug Bandow | Cato Institute: Commentary
Ukraine's Counterrevolution | Doug Bandow | Cato Institute: Commentary: "Western governments and NGOs did their best to support the so-called Orange Revolution, which propelled Viktor Yushchenko into the Ukrainian presidency.
But Yushchenko's performance in office was widely viewed as a disaster; in Sunday's presidential election, Yushchenko finished in fifth place with a dismal 5.4 percent. One of his former supporters said simply: 'He did not live up to our expectations.'
Yushchenko's failure serves as a stark reminder of the risks when Washington intervenes in foreign politics."
But Yushchenko's performance in office was widely viewed as a disaster; in Sunday's presidential election, Yushchenko finished in fifth place with a dismal 5.4 percent. One of his former supporters said simply: 'He did not live up to our expectations.'
Yushchenko's failure serves as a stark reminder of the risks when Washington intervenes in foreign politics."
The Unforeseen Consequences of Credit Legislation - Jeremiah Dyke - Mises Institute
The Unforeseen Consequences of Credit Legislation - Jeremiah Dyke - Mises Institute: "A hallmark of state failure is its incapacity to predict the market's response to the policies it puts forth. Indeed, on many levels the state is powerless to change the market's ends, instead only serving to redirect its means."
Free Speech for All | John Samples and Ilya Shapiro | Cato Institute: Commentary
Free Speech for All | John Samples and Ilya Shapiro | Cato Institute: Commentary: "Equality of speech is inherently contrary to protecting speech from government restraint, which is ultimately the heart of American conceptions of free speech."
"Under the new ruling, will businesses (and labor unions) dominate talk about candidates and elections? Well, for two decades before McCain-Feingold, both could spend freely on advertising about candidates for federal office. Such spending made up a relatively small part of election-related speech and no one group dominated said the political arena.
Still, yesterday's ruling might lead to more election spending by both corporations and unions. It is important to remember, however, that none of this money will go directly to candidates for office. It will go instead to broadcasting or otherwise communicating speech about candidates and issues. Such increases in spending should be welcome because studies have shown that more spending—more political communication—leads to better-informed voters."
"Under the new ruling, will businesses (and labor unions) dominate talk about candidates and elections? Well, for two decades before McCain-Feingold, both could spend freely on advertising about candidates for federal office. Such spending made up a relatively small part of election-related speech and no one group dominated said the political arena.
Still, yesterday's ruling might lead to more election spending by both corporations and unions. It is important to remember, however, that none of this money will go directly to candidates for office. It will go instead to broadcasting or otherwise communicating speech about candidates and issues. Such increases in spending should be welcome because studies have shown that more spending—more political communication—leads to better-informed voters."
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