Trusters of government rarely think beyond what Thomas Sowell calls “Stage One.” The District of Columbia–like many regions of the United States–has recently enacted an increased minimum wage for all D.C. workers. Employers must pay them $11.50 per hour. You know, . . . to help the poor. It seems the minimum wage increase has …
Category: Government’s War on the Poor
Aug 10
Starving Venezuelans Break into Zoo to Eat Rare Horse
Socialism is a curse that should be wished only on a hated enemy. Just 15 years ago, Venezuela was a rising, thriving, dynamic society. Today, after 15 years of government central planning, men die in the streets fighting over pennies. People drink dirty water. Hookers sell themselves for food scraps. Now there is news that …
Aug 07
Government pushed “Medicaid Expansion” on State Governments with False Price Claims
When Obamacare was pushed down American’s throats in 2009, the Act allowed states to opt out of “Medicaid Expansion.” Those state legislatures that did opt out were bullied and lied to about the costs. Within the states, loud movements of shrill government trusters arose who constantly accused any skeptical state legislator of being partisan or …
Aug 06
Increasingly, government “services” are security checkpoints for the police state
Interesting essay by L. Reichard White on Lewrockwell.com. It seems that police departments are increasingly using the admissions counters at clinics and hospitals as warrant/security/background check stations. When people enter government hospitals for “care,” they must first show ID, provide Social Security numbers and identify themselves. A front counter person punches the information into an …
Jul 29
Montana health insurers seek major rate increases for 2017
Obamacare and Medicare were pushed with claims they would bring health insurance prices down for poor people. Yet health care costs have increased faster than inflation every year for 30 years. Now, just a couple years after the implementation of Obamacare, Montana’s major health insurers (who, ironically, lobbied heavily for the passage of Obamacare and …
Jul 19
America facing two consecutive “lost decades” of economic slowness
America, like Japan, Denmark and other former capitalist flagships, took a serious turn toward overregulation, overtaxation and socialism since the 1990s. And American economic growth has stagnated. 8 years into a supposed “recovery,” U.S. GDP growth rates still hover around 2 percent annually or less. According to George Will, “If 2 percent growth is, as …
Jul 14
Venezuelan army now distributes all food
Mass starvation, famines and food shortages only happen in socialist, centrally-controlled societies. Today’s BBC online blared the headline “Venezuela army deployed to control food production and distribution.” See here. The story begins: In a decree, President Nicolas Maduro has ordered the army to monitor food processing plants, and co-ordinate the production and distribution of items. …
Jul 07
California is about to experience Socialism’s fruits
For the past century, California was the national (and world) leader in innovation and entertainment. But after a generation of socialist impositions, one in three American welfare recipients resides in California, and almost a quarter of the state population lives below or near the poverty line. Government trusters frequently claim that high taxes, socialism and …
Jul 04
Federal regulations are choking America: We are all 75 percent poorer because of them
According to a new time-series study by economists John Dawson of Appalachian State University and John Seater of North Carolina State, U.S. regulations have prevented the American economy from being productive and inventive. Because of this, U.S. GDP is just $16 trillion instead of $54 trillion. Ronald Bailey writes that “the growth of federal regulations …
Jun 23
American home ownership at lowest in nearly 50 years
Overregulation by government, near-zero interest rates, student loan debt, and near all-time-low savings rates have devastated home ownership rates. Home ownership is at its lowest in nearly 50 years, falling to 63.7 percent in 2015. It’s a “decade-long slide” that “is unprecedented in American history,” according to an annual report released Wednesday by Harvard University’s …
