Prof. Somin writes that It is indeed true that there are people who depend on government programs that should be abolished, and in some cases it would be unjust to simply cut them off immediately. But that doesn’t mean we should simply leave the programs in place forever. There is a wide range of options…
Government Spending
Government Spending
Reason.tv: Porkers of the Month for December 2010! – Reason Magazine
by JOHN ADAMS •
Big-government Republicans cling to earmarks — Reason.tv presents Citizen’s Against Government Waste’s Porkers of the Month for December 2010: Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and James Inhofe (R-Okla.)! After a lopsided election with a strong emphasis on fiscal responsibility, Senate Republicans agreed on a two year moratorium on earmarks. These two refused to go along with…
Government Spending
Jefferson County Board votes down immigration check requirement — Walworth County Today
by JOHN ADAMS •
There’s an objection to open immigration that holds that immigrants should be restricted from entry to prevent their over-reliance on government assistance. (I support open immigration, establishing restrictions only on those who represent a danger to others.) In fact, objections to immigrants’ use of government programs is really an objection to government spending, generally. That’s…
Government Spending, Politics
Wisconsin State Journal: Democrats are stunned as state Senate fails to pass union contracts
by JOHN ADAMS •
Chaos — MADISON — Stunned Democrats stripped Senate Majority Leader Russ Decker of his leadership position after he abruptly turned on them and voted against new contracts for state workers…. The deals looked all but dead after Decker’s about-face late Wednesday night. Senate Democrats planned to reconvene at 10 a.m. Thursday, but they can’t approve…
Government Spending, Libertarians, Politics
Libertarian Monday Message: Stop Republican Spending!
by JOHN ADAMS •
Here’s a part of yesterday’s Libertarian party message. Right on schedule, Republicans are back to defending policy and politics as usual – December 13, 2010 Dear Friend of Liberty, I’m sure you’ve seen the media reports of how President Obama and the Republicans are making deals for big increases in government spending (while keeping tax…
Government Spending, Libertarians
John Stossel on Biggest Libertarian Story of 2010
by JOHN ADAMS •
Government Spending, Politics
The Economic Incompetence of the Political Class — Forbes.com
by JOHN ADAMS •
Charles W. Kadlec, founder of the Community of Liberty: In the U.S. at least, the looming debt crisis among states and municipalities also reflects a lack of diligence on the part of the citizenry. This can be attributed in part to a naïve assumption by the electorate that those in government, freed from the profit…
Government Spending, Wisconsin
Wisconsin’s Projected Biennial Budget Deficit
by JOHN ADAMS •
There’s much debate — more than there should be — about the size of the projected Wisconsin state budget deficit. In late November, the Doyle Administration announced a projected deficit of only about 1.5 billion dollars. As the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel‘s PolitiFact Wisconsin observes, the projected deficit is closer to 3 billion dollars: An independent…
Government Spending
Fed aid in financial crisis went beyond U.S. banks to industry, foreign firms
by JOHN ADAMS •
Spending so profligate that even the United States Senate’s self-professed socialist from Vermont thinks it’s excessive: The financial crisis stretched even farther across the economy than many had realized, as new disclosures show the Federal Reserve rushed trillions of dollars in emergency aid not just to Wall Street but also to motorcycle makers, telecom firms…
Government Spending
Cato: Five Ways to Cut Military Spending Today
by JOHN ADAMS •
The foundation of Americans’ security is a free, prosperous nation. The U.S. military has an important purpose, protecting Americans, but that purpose has been distorted over the years. Here are five military spending cuts Congress and the President can make today while they undertake the harder task of rethinking the true purpose of the military…
City, Government Spending, Poverty, Taxes/Taxation
Whitewater, Wisconsin’s Next Municipal Budget
by JOHN ADAMS •
Whitewater voted on its 2011 budget this week, and there were no surprises. The city lacks a majority of incumbents willing to cut spending, on a budget of over nine million. (Quick note: a local paper has reported that Whitewater’s tax levy is nine million; that’s incorrect. The budget is nine million, a portion of…
Free Markets, Government Spending
For Bush, ‘Free-Market’ Conservatism Was Situational : It’s All Politics : NPR
by JOHN ADAMS •
This seems an apt assessment — Bush’s self-perception and political brand was that of a free-market conservative. But he had to ditch that when he concluded in the frightening days of 2008 that only the federal government was big enough to save the U.S. financial system. He doesn’t say this but he essentially was a…
Government Spending, Wisconsin
Wisconsin Dem lawmaker says Walker should sell or lease mansion – JSOnline
by JOHN ADAMS •
It’s a fine idea — our governor does not need a mansion. A Democratic Wisconsin state senator says Republican Gov.-elect Scott Walker should sell or lease the governor’s mansion to send a message to voters that he’s serious about cutting waste. Sen. Bob Wirch of Pleasant Prairie made the same request eight years ago after…
Government Spending, Politics, Taxes/Taxation
Rep. Paul Ryan on Tax Increases
by JOHN ADAMS •
Here’s Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin’s first congressional district, on federal taxation, as his remarks appeared on Monday, November 15th in USA Today. Ryan is set to become chairman of the House Budget Committee in the new Congress Stop the Tax Hikes By Paul Ryan Congress should act now to prevent across-the-board tax increases from…