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Happy New Tax Freedom Day | Doug Bandow | Cato Institute: Commentary: "Taxes once reflected the cost of government. No longer. This year Uncle Sam is borrowing 40 percent of the money necessary to fund federal operations. Regulation imposes a separate quasi-tax on the American people.
As a result, Americans don't actually stop paying for government this year until today, August 12. That's 224 days representing more than 61 percent of national income."
"the average American will have to work an additional 41 days to pay off his or her share of the cost of government compared to ten years ago in 2001, when COGD was July 2."
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Wednesday, September 07, 2011
Washington Sacrifices Its Financial Rating to Feed the Sacred Cows | Doug Bandow | Cato Institute: Commentary
Washington Sacrifices Its Financial Rating to Feed the Sacred Cows | Doug Bandow | Cato Institute: Commentary: "The biggest recipients of welfare are the middle class. Social Security and Medicare only incidentally address poverty. The biggest share of benefits goes to people who could provide for their own retirement and purchase their own health insurance.
Of course, most recipients mistakenly believe that the two programs are social insurance, paid for by the recipients' contributions. In fact, the money collected is not invested; the systems' so-called trust funds and personal accounts are accounting fictions. The Supreme Court has ruled that the government has no legal obligation to pay anyone anything.
Indeed, if the programs really were genuine social insurance, they would not threaten taxpayers with more than $100 trillion in unfunded liabilities. In truth, the two are public Ponzi schemes. Unfortunately, with America's aging population the good times are long over.
America's military budget is largely foreign welfare — a form of foreign aid, if you like. The U.S. faces no significant security threats other than terrorism, which is best met through intelligence, Special Forces, diplomacy, and international cooperation. No other nation comes close to America in military might. America alone accounts for roughly half of the world's military spending."
Of course, most recipients mistakenly believe that the two programs are social insurance, paid for by the recipients' contributions. In fact, the money collected is not invested; the systems' so-called trust funds and personal accounts are accounting fictions. The Supreme Court has ruled that the government has no legal obligation to pay anyone anything.
Indeed, if the programs really were genuine social insurance, they would not threaten taxpayers with more than $100 trillion in unfunded liabilities. In truth, the two are public Ponzi schemes. Unfortunately, with America's aging population the good times are long over.
America's military budget is largely foreign welfare — a form of foreign aid, if you like. The U.S. faces no significant security threats other than terrorism, which is best met through intelligence, Special Forces, diplomacy, and international cooperation. No other nation comes close to America in military might. America alone accounts for roughly half of the world's military spending."
Thursday, September 01, 2011
FoxNewsChannel's Channel - YouTube
FoxNewsChannel's Channel - YouTube "On September 22, the Republican primary candidates will meet in Orlando, Florida for the Fox News/Google Debate - and they’ll be answering YOUR questions. Submit your question now for the chance to have it asked live during the debate!"
Greely Gazette: Obama nominee believes judiciary can re-write Constitution, pass laws - In the News - Newsroom - Ron Johnson, United States Senator for Wisconsin
Greely Gazette: Obama nominee believes judiciary can re-write Constitution, pass laws - In the News - Newsroom - Ron Johnson, United States Senator for Wisconsin: "The professor believes that judges have the ability to create laws and that the Constitution “governs no one.”"
Appeals Court: Arresting Guy For Filming Cops Was A Clear Violation Of Both 1st & 4th Amendments | Techdirt
Appeals Court: Arresting Guy For Filming Cops Was A Clear Violation Of Both 1st & 4th Amendments | Techdirt: "Gathering information about government officials in a form that can readily be disseminated to others serves a cardinal First Amendment interest in protecting and promoting "the free discussion of governmental affairs." Mills v. Alabama, 384 U.S. 214, 218 (1966). Moreover, as the Court has noted, "[f]reedom of expression has particular significance with respect to government because '[i]t is here that the state has a special incentive to repress opposition and often wields a more effective power of suppression.'" First Nat'l Bank, 435 U.S. at 777 n.11 (alteration in original) (quoting Thomas Emerson, Toward a General Theory of the First Amendment 9 (1966)). This is particularly true of law enforcement officials, who are granted substantial discretion that may be misused to deprive individuals of their liberties...."
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Why Capitalism Is Worth Defending - Anthony Gregory - Mises Daily
Why Capitalism Is Worth Defending - Anthony Gregory - Mises Daily: "It is simply a fact that capitalism, even hampered by the state, has dragged most of the world out of the pitiful poverty that characterized all of human existence for millennia. It was industrialization that saved the common worker from the constant tedium of primitive agriculture. It was the commodification of labor that doomed slavery, serfdom, and feudalism. Capitalism is the liberator of women and the benefactor of all children who enjoy time for study and play rather than endure uninterrupted toil on the farm. Capitalism is the great mediator between tribes and nations, which first put aside their weapons and hatreds in the prospect of benefiting from mutual exchange."
Monday, August 29, 2011
Quackery or Well-Documented Fact? – Blogs, Life Issues | CitizenLink
Quackery or Well-Documented Fact? – Blogs, Life Issues | CitizenLink: "What is closer to quackery in your mind? Selling patients a bill of goods when it comes to the promise and potential of embryonic stem cell research or doing what Perry has undertaken when he puts his beliefs into action, using an approach that has paid off for thousands of patients?
Don’t forget, embryonic stem cell research has yet to cure a single patient anywhere in the world, at any point in its ten-plus year history. Yet proponents of embryonic stem cell research continue to push for more federal and state funding – i.e., more of your tax dollars to fund research that not only has yet to prove decent chance at a cure, but that also has serious moral and ethical problems.
Contrast that with adult stem cells – the kind that Perry had injected to treat his back – they do not require the destruction of a young human life, can be supplied directly from the person who needs the treatment, and that can be taken from any number of spots in an adult (or non-embryonic waste) body. This decision lines up with the evidence from thousands of patients – suffering from dozens of different diseases and conditions – that have been successfully treated in recent years"
Don’t forget, embryonic stem cell research has yet to cure a single patient anywhere in the world, at any point in its ten-plus year history. Yet proponents of embryonic stem cell research continue to push for more federal and state funding – i.e., more of your tax dollars to fund research that not only has yet to prove decent chance at a cure, but that also has serious moral and ethical problems.
Contrast that with adult stem cells – the kind that Perry had injected to treat his back – they do not require the destruction of a young human life, can be supplied directly from the person who needs the treatment, and that can be taken from any number of spots in an adult (or non-embryonic waste) body. This decision lines up with the evidence from thousands of patients – suffering from dozens of different diseases and conditions – that have been successfully treated in recent years"
Friday, August 26, 2011
Steve Jobs: Beauty justifies wealth | The Economist
Steve Jobs: Beauty justifies wealth | The Economist: Rather than focus on which mosquitoes to kill in Africa (Bill Gates is already focusing on that), Jobs has put his energy into massively improving quality of life with all of his inventions.
I endorse Mr Altucher's point that charity very often does rather less to improve quality of life than selling people ever better products at ever lower prices.
I endorse Mr Altucher's point that charity very often does rather less to improve quality of life than selling people ever better products at ever lower prices.
Why the USPS Should Be Privatized | Tad DeHaven | Cato Institute: Commentary
Why the USPS Should Be Privatized | Tad DeHaven | Cato Institute: Commentary: "If the USPS were a private business, it might be able adapt to the rapidly changing economic landscape and evolve into a viable commercial entity. But it’s not a private business — it’s a branch of the federal government. As a result, the USPS has been hopelessly hamstrung by constant meddling from politicians, as exemplified by the difficulty the USPS faces when trying to close post offices."
"In 2009, for example, the USPS looked at closing 3,200 post offices. Following a congressional outcry, the number under consideration was reduced to a mere 140. Two years later, only 80 have actually been closed."
"The USPS cannot close a post office “solely for operating at a deficit.” That’s a problem because four out of five post offices are operating at a loss."
"While the USPS is structured like a business — revenues from the sale of postal products are supposed to cover costs and it receives virtually no federal appropriations — Congress prevents it from actually operating like a private business by inhibiting its ability to reduce costs, improve efficiency or innovate."
"In 2009, for example, the USPS looked at closing 3,200 post offices. Following a congressional outcry, the number under consideration was reduced to a mere 140. Two years later, only 80 have actually been closed."
"The USPS cannot close a post office “solely for operating at a deficit.” That’s a problem because four out of five post offices are operating at a loss."
"While the USPS is structured like a business — revenues from the sale of postal products are supposed to cover costs and it receives virtually no federal appropriations — Congress prevents it from actually operating like a private business by inhibiting its ability to reduce costs, improve efficiency or innovate."
Education in Seven Questions - Aaron Smith - Mises Daily
Education in Seven Questions - Aaron Smith - Mises Daily: "The natural tendency for politicians and technocrats in search of solutions is to devise grandiose plans that involve more testing, regulation, and spending. However, these schemes do nothing to alleviate the root cause of problems, and indeed only serve to perpetuate them."
"Below I've highlighted seven key questions that should be asked of our education system. Interestingly, all of the problems they touch on have one common culprit: mass standardization. While left-liberals love to espouse the virtues of diversity, their actions do not follow their words. Real diversity is achieved by respecting the liberties of individuals, not by forcing conformity on them. Real educational diversity requires the freedom to define and pursue education according to one's values, interests, and aptitude. Education will be revolutionized once these liberties are afforded."
"Below I've highlighted seven key questions that should be asked of our education system. Interestingly, all of the problems they touch on have one common culprit: mass standardization. While left-liberals love to espouse the virtues of diversity, their actions do not follow their words. Real diversity is achieved by respecting the liberties of individuals, not by forcing conformity on them. Real educational diversity requires the freedom to define and pursue education according to one's values, interests, and aptitude. Education will be revolutionized once these liberties are afforded."
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