I don’t know if this is a real letter-to-the-editor or if Major Caudill really exists, but this is a very strong statement in favor of the civilizing impact of firearms. And since I like to share good things that arrive in my inbox, it’s now yours to share. I recall…
Daily Analysis
I Loathe Sleazy, Corrupt, Disgusting Republicans Who Get Rich by Selling Out
A former Cato colleague, Will Wilkinson, made one of the most astute and powerful observations I have ever read when he wrote that, “…the more power the government has to pick winners and losers, the more power rich people will have relative to poor people.”I thought…
The IRS Run Amok
I’m not a big fan of the Internal Revenue Service, but I try not to demonize the bureaucrats because politicians actually deserve most of the blame for America’s complex, unfair, and corrupt tax system. The IRS generally is in the unenviable position of simply trying…
Canada’s Immigration Crisis: Too Many American Leftists?
This arrived in my inbox today. A quick search on the Internet reveals it is not a real article from a Canadian paper. But it is somewhat amusing, so enjoy. “Build a Damn Fence!” From The Manitoba Herald , Canada ; by Clive Runnels, December 1st 2010 The flood of…
Article on Bail Bondsmen Suggests New Nickname for the Private Sector: “Is There Anything It Can’t Do”?
Alex Tabarrok has a fascinating article in the Wilson Quarterly about the history of bail bondsmen and their role in this privatized segment of the criminal justice system. Let’s start by excerpting some history of the system. Bail began in medieval England as a…
The Public Overwhelmingly Wants Spending Cuts, but Will the GOP Deliver?
We have some very encouraging polling data from CBS News. The American people prefer spending cuts over tax increases by a margin of more than 8-1. Americans strongly prefer cutting spending to raising taxes to reduce the federal deficit. While 77 percent prefer to…
You Be the Judge: Which Example of Tax Collectors Running Amok Is Worse?
You readers have been presented with a series of challenging quizzes on topics such as Sharia law, healthcare, incest, and vigilante justice. Let’s now shift to the world of taxation. We all know governments routinely make life hard for taxpayers. The IRS, for…
Gun Control and the Tuscon Shootings
While some on the left were utterly contemptible in their efforts to blame the Tuscon shootings on anything or anyone other than the nut who pulled the trigger, it is perfectly legitimate for them to claim that the tragedy is a reason to impose gun control are erode…
Emperor Rompuy Complains that “Bond Vigilantes” Don’t Appreciate Euro Clothes
I’ve already poked fun at Herman Van Rompuy, the nondescript über-bureaucrat who has risen to the non-elected post of European Council President. I’ve mocked Rompuy’s attempts to compete with other European politicians, and I encourage everyone to have a good laugh at…
Texas, California, and the Tale of the Coyote
I’ve already had a couple of blog posts commenting on how Texas is kicking California’s you-know-what. Being a fiscal policy person, I always point to California’s punitive state income tax as an example of bad policy and highlight the absence of any income tax in…