Today’s a day of catching up on new developments about earlier posts. Longtime readers may recall a post from November 2010, entitled, Raw Foods Raids: The Fight for the Right to Eat the Food that You Want, about an armed raid on the Rawesome Foods co-op in California. They’ve been raided yet again. Here’s a…
Free Markets
Free Markets
Why is it cheaper to buy a high-calorie fast-food-chain burger meal than one that is more nutritious and with less fat, salt and calories?
by JOHN ADAMS •
The hidden secret: government meddling in the free market… Although the author of the story clearly dislikes the free market, it’s not a free market when government meddles — it’s a manipulated or regulated market. Politicians simply favor some businesses over others, subsidizing those concerns, thereby giving them an unfair advantage in the marketplace. An…
Economy, Free Markets
AP: “In free market, seeds of Africa’s food solution”
by JOHN ADAMS •
There’s an encouraging story about Africa today, from the Associated Press, about the power of free market to overcome chronic famine. Peter Waziweyi is bouncing around the lush countryside of Mozambique in his 30-year-old truck, visiting his customers’ maize fields and relishing the sight of their rich, ripening crops. In an East African country that…
Books, Free Markets
Wall Street Journal Book Review: Your Teacher Said What?!
by JOHN ADAMS •
When asked if it wasn’t hypocritical for a multimillionaire director of Hollywood films to denounce capitalism as “evil,” Michael Moore averred that the free-market economy “did nothing for me.” It was, presumably, a devotion to Sandinista economics that enabled his purchase of an expensive Upper West Side apartment and covered his daughter’s private-school tuition. While…
Free Markets, Laws/Regulations, Liberty
Scenes from the War on Consumer Choice (Raw Milk Front)
by JOHN ADAMS •
City, Free Markets
The Foolish War on Walmart
by JOHN ADAMS •
Here in small-town Whitewater, we’re getting an expanded Walmart. It’s Walmart, not Tiffany & Co. It is, however, popular with millions, for low prices on a wide selection of goods. We’ve also a selection of local merchants, some of whom are positioned to thrive regardless of Walmart’s plans. I’ve objected to an exclusionary ‘buy local’…
Free Markets, Laws/Regulations, Liberty
A Victory in the Food Truck Wars
by JOHN ADAMS •
I’ve written before about the anti-consumer battle against food trucks, and efforts to deny consumers convenient access to the popular, varied, and inexpensive fare that food trucks offer. See, Institute for Justice Defends the Rights of Street Vendors. In El Paso, where that city had tried to zone food trucks away from potential patrons, there’s…
Development, Economy, Free Markets, Government Spending, Innovation Center/Tech Park, Planning, Taxes/Taxation
Stossel: End Corporate Welfare
by JOHN ADAMS •
Over at Reason, John Stossel writes about the problem – a big, expensive one – of corporate welfare. Particular businesses shouldn’t receive preferential treatment, including taxpayer handouts, from government. Taxes and fees should be lower across the board, and without preference for one corporation over another. Corporate handouts only reduce competitiveness and increase dependency, and…
Education, Free Markets, Laws/Regulations, Planning
Bloomberg Television: Veronique de Rugy Explains Fannie and Freddie’s Role in the Housing Crisis
by JOHN ADAMS •
Free Markets, Libertarians, Liberty
Lessons from Atlas Shrugged
by JOHN ADAMS •
Here’s a fine video about what the videographer learned from Atlas Shrugged. I’m a libertarian, rather than an Objectivist (as I’d guess the videographer is), but the video offers an appeal to both groups. (Libertarianism is a political view, of individual rights and limited government, and has no inherent suspicion of religion, as Objectivism does.…
Free Markets, Liberty
Long live the American dream
by JOHN ADAMS •
Beautiful Whitewater, Free Markets
Wisconsin State Journal: Whitewater custom bike builder will debut new line at national bike show
by JOHN ADAMS •
The Wisconsin State Journal has a fine story today, about the success of a local venture, exhibiting admirable creativity, industry, and individuality: John Sotherland [of Bicyclewise] has been building his own custom, light-weight steel bicycles since 2006 with little marketing push. That will change next week when the Whitewater bike shop owner officially launches his Sotherland Custom Bicycles line at the National Handbuilt…
City, Free Markets, Libertarians, Liberty
Sundry Libertarian Themes
by JOHN ADAMS •
I’ve had an eclectic set of posts lately, perhaps more even than usual. Someone asked me if there’s a theme to them, and there is. These recent posts reflect a libertarian view (although not exclusively a libertarian one.) I’ll list some posts, with a few remarks on each. First, what do we believe? Libertarians support…
Free Markets, Liberty
Executive Q&A: ‘I believe in the American dream’
by JOHN ADAMS •
Yes — no better opportunities in all the world: “I believe in the American dream,” said [accountant Julia] Arata-Fratta. “This is a country of opportunity. If you work hard, you are rewarded.”That meant learning the language and renewing her tax accounting skills to re-enter the work force. Now, she’s dedicated to making it easier for…