Dec 09
It is unfortunate that today’s Muslim societies are authoritarian strongholds where there is little due process of law (in the Anglo-American sense). It is even more unfortunate that France–one of the great fountains of liberty over the past 1000 years–appears to be embracing an almost-Islamic level of authoritarianism, ironically aimed at suppressing the French Muslim …
Dec 04
In 1844, Lysander Spooner launched a mail company called the American Letter Mail Company. Spooner’s company competed directly with the U.S. Postal Service, delivering letters and parcels between major cities in the eastern United States at a lower price than the government’s rates. Spooner’s company had offices in Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York, and delivered …
Dec 03
Socialism is a curse that should only be wished on a hated enemy. Any society that embraces it will eventually become sick and weak. The Miami Herald reports that the impoverished people of Venezuela–suffering from decades of socialist ‘rulership’–have developed a primitive bartering system to obtain basic goods.
Dec 03
Are mass confiscation raids about to be unleashed in Greece? The Greek newspaper Enikonomia reported days ago that Greek taxpayers will be forced to declare all private cash held outside the banks, and all jewelry boxes containing more than 15,000 euros or gold or other metals worth over 30,000 euros. See here. The Greek government …
Nov 22
Every government program that subsidizes heath care makes health care more expensive. Government supports subsidize demand without increasing supply, causing prices to rise. New research by the Mercatus Center (see here) shows that Obamacare’s enrollment figures fell far short of projections. By MILLIONS. Also, enrollment of “all but the near-poor is far below projections.” The …
Nov 18
Frightening statistic in a new book: “HOW THE OTHER HALF BANKS,” by Mehrsa Baradaran. Government studies show that more than half of U.S. households cannot come up with $400 to cover a medical emergency without borrowing. Almost TWO-THIRDS OF AMERICAN HOUSEHOLDS lack enough savings to get by for three months. The book details the plight …
Nov 18
Two years ago, Burger King merged with Canada’s Tim Hortons chain and declared its merged corporation a Canadian company. The move saved Burger King and its long-suffering shareholders many millions annually in corporate taxes. The U.S.–once the flagship of world commerce and capitalism–now has the highest corporate tax rate on the surface of the earth. …
Nov 12
Just as in other heavily-regulated industries (think meatpacking), the new regulations in healthcare are causing consolidation, fewer but larger insurance companies, and much higher premium costs. Here is a summary of the situation. Dr. Mandy Cohen of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services recently testified that almost 700,000 Americans have lost their health coverage …
Nov 06
A 2011 University of Virginia study found that surgical Medicaid patients are 13 percent more likely to die than those without insurance. Of the 893,658 surgical operations reviewed between 2003-2007: Patients on Medicare were 45% more likely to die than those with private insurance; the uninsured were 74% more likely; and Medicaid patients 93% more …
Oct 27
Socialists and trusters of central planning are notorious hypocrites. But here is a story about the AFL-CIO that “takes the cake.” The AFL-CIO loudly promotes raising minimum wages around the country. (Some 100 peer-reviewed economic studies have established that raising (or imposing) a minimum wage is linked with higher unemployment rates–especially for those at the …
