Op-Ed by Lee Friday Rape, violence, and drugs are ubiquitous in prisons, so it is not surprising that recidivists commit a hugely disproportionate share of crime. Government prisons and so-called private prisons have no incentive to rehabilitate prisoners or improve prison conditions because taxes are their source of revenue, which is guaranteed regardless of … [Read more...] about A More Sane Alternative to Government Prisons
Government
The High Price of a “Free Lunch”
By Frank Hollenbeck One of the Ten Commandments is “thou shalt not steal,” and theft is generally condemned in most religions, yet our religious leaders and followers have essentially turned a blind eye to government theft. Based on a policy of envy, Bernie Sanders, for example, has bluntly stated he intends to tax the rich to fund his programs, as though the word rich … [Read more...] about The High Price of a “Free Lunch”
What We can Learn from Liechtenstein
Op-Ed by Titus Gebel If one mentions in a discussion that Liechtenstein's political system could possibly serve as a model for Germany, one usually reaps scorn and ridicule. If you dig a little deeper to find out what they know about Liechtenstein, the result is usually: little to none. The Principality of Liechtenstein has no common border with Germany, it is trapped … [Read more...] about What We can Learn from Liechtenstein
The US Is Burying Young People and the Unborn Under a Mountain of Government Debt
By Jason O'Day In 2018, the federal government paid $357.3 billion in interest on the nation’s fiscal operating debt—$61 billion more than the previous year. That is more than seven times what it spent on education and enough to build 27 aircraft carriers. The combined interest payments of the four years from 2015 through 2018 total $1.2 trillion. That figure exceeds each of … [Read more...] about The US Is Burying Young People and the Unborn Under a Mountain of Government Debt
Negative Interest Rate Policies are Backfiring — New Research
Negative interest rate policies - where nominal rates are set below zero percent - have been introduced in Europe and Japan to stimulate flagging economies but research from the University of Bath shows the unconventional monetary strategy may be doing more harm than good. Recently, several major European banks announced plans to pass on negative interest rates to … [Read more...] about Negative Interest Rate Policies are Backfiring — New Research
I Was a Physician at a Federally Qualified Health Center. Here’s Why I No Longer Believe Government Health Care Can Work
By Rebekah Bernard M.D. In my medical training, a fellow physician tried to convince me that my liberal leanings on health care were misguided. While I firmly believed that the government had an important role in providing access to medical care—particularly to the underserved—my colleague argued that the government’s role in, well, anything, should be practically … [Read more...] about I Was a Physician at a Federally Qualified Health Center. Here’s Why I No Longer Believe Government Health Care Can Work
The Hidden Costs Behind Every Government Program
By Gor Mkrtchian When the State constructs a new bike lane, school, or begins a new space mission, the natural inclination of the majority is to cheer this new endeavor as progressive. We possess one new structure or have accomplished one new task than before; society has moved forward, the thinking goes. The State is responsible for truly technically impressive or … [Read more...] about The Hidden Costs Behind Every Government Program
Solar Roads: Another Government-Funded Energy Failure
By Ross Marchand Surprise—solar panels don’t make great roads. The French government recently learned this the hard way after debuting a $6 million solar road in Normandy in 2016. The road generated about half as much power as expected, and costs exceeded any reasonable expectation for a road…or even a solar panel. An American experiment in solar roads fared similarly. In … [Read more...] about Solar Roads: Another Government-Funded Energy Failure
IRS Revoking Passports Shows How Government Erodes Everything We Hold Dear
By Graham Smith If you have outstanding tax debt, the IRS may now want to take your passport. For U.S. crypto holders still waiting on promised IRS guidelines for filing — especially those overseas who may have missed these warning memos — the over 400,000 agency notifications issued since February last year are troubling. This kind of behavior from government is nothing … [Read more...] about IRS Revoking Passports Shows How Government Erodes Everything We Hold Dear
The Difference Between Public Libraries and Public Schools
By Kerry McDonald Plans for the Boston Public Library, the nation’s second-oldest public library, were approved in 1852, the same year Massachusetts passed the country’s first compulsory schooling law. Both public libraries and public schools are funded through taxation and both are “free” to access, but the similarities end there. The main difference between public … [Read more...] about The Difference Between Public Libraries and Public Schools
There Is No Government Shortcut for Entrepreneurial Success
By Brooke Medina and Doug McCullough Senator Elizabeth Warren is right that the path to wealth is through entrepreneurship. The senator recently released her “Leveling the Playing Field for Entrepreneurs” plan, a proposal that claims to help minorities who are starting businesses. This plan comes on the tails of her indignation toward wealthy Americans, referring to them … [Read more...] about There Is No Government Shortcut for Entrepreneurial Success
From Booze to Bitcoin Mining – Why Violent Prohibition Is Always Harmful
Op-Ed by Graham Smith Stories continue to emerge about newly discovered illegal mining operations being busted by state and corporate authorities. Just last week Iranian media reported the seizure of 177 Bitcoin mining units worth over $270,000 being smuggled via truck in the Arak region. On July 31, Russia’s Kraskom power company reported illegal siphoning of power from … [Read more...] about From Booze to Bitcoin Mining – Why Violent Prohibition Is Always Harmful