A broken clock is correct twice a day, so the adage goes. I think I’m correct at least as often, possibly, hopefully, more. The other day I had an epiphany, of sorts, and shared it on Facebook. It went as follows: A person is mostly ignorant. People are ignorance compounded. Government is evidence of people’s hubris.
Tag: government
Funding Higher Education Debate: My Opening Statement
Why should higher education receive government support? There are two main arguments. The first is the economic argument. Government support is allegedly economically beneficial not merely for individual students, but for society as a whole. The second is the humanistic argument. Economic effects aside, government support is vital for the promotion of intrinsically valuable ideas, culture, and values.
Note to Seattle: If You Want Less of Something, Tax it
According to the Associated Press coverage of the tax, it would “raise roughly $48 million a year to build new affordable housing units and provide emergency homeless services.” That figure is likely based on on an untenable assumption: That Seattle will continue to have as many or more full-time employees working within the city limits after the tax is implemented than it had before the tax was passed.
Rationed Rights
I know someone who, against my advice, recently got a concealed carry permit. His experience drives home why I believe it’s a mistake to beg bullies for permission to exercise your natural human rights. The process is insulting and degrading. It is designed to treat you like a common criminal.
Because They are Criminals
The majority of government “services” don’t need to exist at all. Those for which organic demand exists would be fulfilled by the market in the absence of the state. Nothing good would go away because government did, but many horrible things would come to an end.
“War is Peace”, “Net Neutrality”, and Other Lies
The “net neutrality” scam means large data users, such as streaming video services, will be subsidized by little old ladies who only check their email once a week. Instead of having the big users of data pay their way, the costs will be split up among all users, no matter how much, or how little, someone actually uses.
Laws Always Mean Guns to the Face
The budding voluntaryist recognizes that the claims of territorial jurisdiction made by people who call themselves “government” are without factual merit. They are nothing more than, “Pay us and obey our rules, or else!” The commands wouldn’t be so bad if not for the “or else!” What is the “or else!”? It’s a gun to the face. Always.
The Iran Nuclear Deal Isn’t Just a Good Idea — It’s the Law
On May 8, President Donald Trump announced US withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, colloquially known as “the Iran nuclear deal.” While that decision has come under criticism for being both a really bad idea and a severe betrayal of trust, both of which are true, it’s worth noting that the US withdrawal is also a breach of treaty obligations, and that such obligations are, per the US Constitution and co-equal with it, “the Supreme Law of the Land.”
Hypocritical Posturing Gets Old
The “progressive” Trump haters want you to believe they are the sensible ones, while in their minds, the “yokels” who voted for Trump, many of whom still support him, are “ignorant rubes.” This is their mantra, to be chanted until they get what they want.
All Bad Guys are Politicians, and Vice Versa
There are only two ways of interacting with others: the economic means, where both of you come out ahead, and the political means, where one “wins” at the expense of the other. The political means is acting through archation rather than respecting the rights of those with whom you are interacting. Politics is cheating.