There’s a very provocative article on the New York Times website that criticizes Steve Jobs for his supposed lack of charitable giving. Surprisingly, there is one thing that Mr. Jobs is not, at least not yet: a prominent philanthropist. Despite accumulating an…
Daily Analysis
Good News: Americans Are Increasingly Hostile to the Federal Government
I wrote last year that, “I don’t think public policy should be based on polling data, but I always am happy when the American people are on the right side of an issue since it increases the possibility of good outcomes in Washington.” One other thing to consider is…
One Man Can Make a Difference: Jay Beeber’s Successful Battle Against Revenue Cameras in Los Angeles
In a decision that is overwhelmingly the result of the hard work and dedication of one person, Los Angeles is ending its revenue-generating red-light camera scheme. Here’s Jay Beeber’s interview with Reason TV. If you’re interested, this post has more information…
Obama Supports VAT Sympathizer for Top Job at Council of Economic Advisers
The White House has announced that it is nominating Alan Krueger, a professor at Princeton, to be the new Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers. In a Freudian copy-editing slip, the Fox News story (at least as of 8:44 a.m.) says “Krueger’s job will be to…
Another Fed-Bashing Video
I generally try to avoid commenting on monetary policy. Not because I don’t have opinions, but for the simple reason that I don’t follow the issue closely enough to feel fully confident about what I say. This doesn’t mean I’m happy with Fed Chairman Bernanke. But I’m…
Is It Wrong to Warn other Motorists about Speed Traps?
Whenever I find a story that involves a thorny issue of right vs wrong, I like to see what readers think. Indeed, this has become a semi-regular feature of this blog. I’ve cited some tough cases in previous posts, dealing with difficult topics such as vigilante…
An Amazing Indictment of Obamanomics – Banks that Don’t Want Deposits
I’ve commented on the failure of Obamanomics, with special focus on how both banks and corporations are sitting on money because the investment climate is so grim. Not exactly flattering to the White House. Using Minneapolis Federal Reserve data, I’ve compared the…
Is the USA or UK Home to the World’s Most Disgusting Welfare Bum?
Last week, I wrote about an utterly reprehensible welfare mom in the United Kingdom who had the gall to blame the government when one of her 11 kids was arrested for rioting. Surely, I thought, she was the perfect symbol of the moral depravity caused by welfare state…
Which Group Is More Despicable, French Politicians or French Rich People?
I enjoy mocking the French every so often, including posts about the nation’s absurd fiscal policy, its protesting government workers, its oddball laws against meanness, its penchant for high taxes, and its shallow attempts to redefine success. Sometimes, I even…
New CBO Numbers Confirm – Once Again – that Modest Spending Restraint Can Balance the Budget
The Congressional Budget Office has just released the update to its Economic and Budget Outlook. There are several things from this new report that probably deserve commentary, including a new estimate that unemployment will “remain above 8 percent until 2014.” This…