Counter Markets

Financial Newsletter for Free Marketeers and Libertarian Entrepreneurs

Government

A Rural, Waldorf Microschool Gets Shut Down By State Regulators

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By Kerry McDonald Ariel Maguire gathered together with other moms in her rural area of the Big Island of Hawaii to create a child-centered educational solution for local families. It was late 2021 and the parents realized that nearly two years of pandemic policies had left their kids behind both academically and socially. There weren’t a lot of child care or … [Read more...] about A Rural, Waldorf Microschool Gets Shut Down By State Regulators

9 Crazy Examples of Government Waste in 2022

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By Patrick Carroll With 2022 mostly behind us, many are undoubtedly grateful that this year is ending. From lingering COVID restrictions to the war in Ukraine to economic decline, it’s been a rough go. Amidst all this, the steady slew of spending coming out of Washington certainly hasn’t helped. While people were struggling to put food on the table and pay for much-needed … [Read more...] about 9 Crazy Examples of Government Waste in 2022

Fifteen Signs You’re in an Abusive Relationship with the Government

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By Lucio Saverio Eastman and Micha Gartz Fully 80% of New Year’s resolutions fail by February, with only 8% of resolutions kept year-long. After the holidays, many people endeavor to eat healthier or exercise more. It’s as simple as committing to floss or exercise daily. That is until you run out of floss and forget to buy more… or are too sore for exercise the next day. … [Read more...] about Fifteen Signs You’re in an Abusive Relationship with the Government

Seattle Just Passed a New Tax on Jobs in the Middle of an Economic Crisis—But Exempted Government Workers

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By Brad Polumbo The city of Seattle is already struggling. With a new tax on jobs, its city council seems determined to make things even worse. The COVID-19 pandemic and local government lockdowns economically decimated Washington state in March, with Seattle hit especially hard in the early days of the virus’s spread. In the immediate aftermath of the COVID-19 outbreak, … [Read more...] about Seattle Just Passed a New Tax on Jobs in the Middle of an Economic Crisis—But Exempted Government Workers

Surrounded by Government Failure, Why Do People Still Believe?

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By Veronique de Rugy I am always amazed by the faith that people have in government. Scour the newspaper any day of the week and you will read stories detailing the many failures of the federal, state, and local governments or agencies, and of their stupendous ability to commit the same mistakes over and over again. Yet these agencies are the one that people turn to in times … [Read more...] about Surrounded by Government Failure, Why Do People Still Believe?

Is Congress Going to Bankrupt the Mom and Pop Landlord with This New Bill?

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By Diane Kennedy Mom and pop landlords, defined as real estate investors who own 10 or fewer properties, own about half of all rental units nationwide. And, according to CoreLogic, a real estate data company, the number of small investors is growing. In 2018, they were responsible for 60% of all purchases, as compared to 48% in 2013. Let’s get clear on who the target of … [Read more...] about Is Congress Going to Bankrupt the Mom and Pop Landlord with This New Bill?

Police Are Complicit in Politicians’ Disregard for the Rule of Law

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By Ryan McMaken People of a certain age might remember the old John Birch Society slogan "Support your local police!" The idea here is that your local policeman is a liberty-loving buddy of yours who would only ever support just laws and constitutional mandates. Only those bad guys in the FBI or BATF would ever consider violating your rights. Now, obviously that … [Read more...] about Police Are Complicit in Politicians’ Disregard for the Rule of Law

Government Should Not Be Spared from the Austerity It Is Inflicting on Society

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By J. Kyle deVries The coronavirus is negatively impacting the economy and will leave lots of damage in its wake. Most of us in the private sector are feeling pain that will only be exacerbated in the future. The recession-to-come will cause a major restructuring of our economy with many businesses going bankrupt and workers left unemployed. Our government should feel the … [Read more...] about Government Should Not Be Spared from the Austerity It Is Inflicting on Society

Controls Breeding More Controls

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By Raymond C. Niles We are experiencing an extraordinary example of the political-economic principle that “controls breed controls.” For example, whenever a government imposes large-scale price controls that results in widespread shortages across an economy, it faces an inevitable subsequent choice: repeal the controls, or impose comprehensive rationing across the economy. … [Read more...] about Controls Breeding More Controls

This Is Not a Recession — This Is a Government-Imposed Shutdown of the Private Sector

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By Hunter Hastings Economists and Wall Street analysts are using the word recession to describe the looming plunge in output in the US economy. We’ll just make the point early that economists, exhibiting the typical emptiness of their failed science, can’t even agree on the definition of recession. Undeterred by lacking a definition, the geniuses at Goldman Sachs and … [Read more...] about This Is Not a Recession — This Is a Government-Imposed Shutdown of the Private Sector

Panic Has Led to Government “Cures” That Are Worse than the Disease, History Shows

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By Jon Miltimore Anyone who’s seen the John Hughes movie Ferris Bueller’s Day Off probably remembers the scene where Ferris’s economics teacher (Ben Stein) explains the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act to a roomful of bored, sleeping students. The scene is brilliant for many reasons, perhaps most so because it perfectly demonstrated how some of the most boring things in history are … [Read more...] about Panic Has Led to Government “Cures” That Are Worse than the Disease, History Shows