Why is our national government broke? It’s all pretty simple, and explained in less than three minutes.A public choice perspective on government spending. First published by the Detroit News: http://apps.detnews.com/apps/blogs/watercooler/index.php?blogid=2127
Michigan View
Anti-collectivism is great; Ayn Rand, not so much
While “Atlas Shrugged” is supposedly the most influential novel in America, its author indulged in one error that characterized the mis-rulers of the Soviet Union. A totalitarian government (including the Soviet Union during some of its existence) does not recognize a distinction between the civil society and the political one. That’s why a totalitarian society has thought police, churches that are forced to go underground, […]
The Daily Grope: The TSA has killed American exceptionalism
If Gene Healy is right, perhaps the terrorists have already won. Writing on two issues I mentioned the other day, he says, “I’ve always thought that what makes Americans exceptional is our ornery resistance to being bossed around.“
Governments driving us to bankruptcy through maxing out credit cards on frivolities
To put the size of the U.S. debt in perspective: It’s $14.3 trillion, as Dan Calabrese mentions. The entire U.S. economy, as measured in the last three months of last year, was $14.8 trillion. In other words, for every dollar in the economy, the U.S. government owes someone another dollar. Add in $2.4 trillion (or more) debt owed by state and local governments, and you’ve got bankruptcy […]
The Daily Grope: If you complain, you’re a terrorist
CNN reports on something that is a bit chilling: “complaining about airport security is one indicator Transportation Security Administration officers consider when looking for possible criminals and terrorists.” Supposedly the complaining has to be “arrogant” to trigger the extra surveillance, so be sure to smile if you object to your 6-year old being subjected to a grope. Published in the Detroit News: http://apps.detnews.com/apps/blogs/watercooler/index.php?blogid=2083
Pay for the teaching, leave the esoteric research behind
Who said the following? “The greater part of the public professors have, for these many years, given up altogether even the pretence of teaching.” Adam Smith. Yes, that Adam Smith. It’s in his most famous book, The Wealth of Nations But now, says Jerry Boywer, you can learn from the greats without subsidizing the Department of Official Victims, the Fluff Studies Program, or any of the […]
Do children in America’s capitol have better options than those in Detroit?
Thanks to View colleague Henry Payne for pointing out a good feature of the recent budget agreement in Washington, DC: It breathes new life into the DC school voucher plan, giving it a five-year extension. That’s good news all around. The program is popular with district residents, and garners near-universal support from parents who have taken advantage of the program. Debates over school reform often break down into […]
Time for Michigan to embrace educational options and end religious bigotry
Arizona, like several other states, lets people get tax credits if they give money to organizations that in turn give scholarships for children who wish to attend a private school. In fact, Arizona kids can get financial help this way, even if they want to attend a religious school. The ACLU and the public school establishment didn’t like this, so a legal challenge ensued, with […]
Palin, film welfare queen
Sarah Palin and Jennifer Granholm have more in common than you might think. the former Michigan governor once joked that they represented “the cause of hot governors.” And they both signed into law big state tax breaks for Big Hollywood. Sarah Palin? Film welfare queen? Actually the ex-Alaska guv goes Granholm one better: She has personally benefited from the break in her new career as […]
As Detroit residents flee, CNBC touts city
While doing my morning web browsing I came across an undated slidehow from CNBC, which puts Detroit at the top of a list:20 cities you don’t want to live in … yet. They’ve got the “don’t want to live in” part right, judging by the latest census. How far away is the “yet”? By the way, Flint is #2 http://apps.detnews.com/apps/blogs/watercooler/index.php?blogid=1932