Commentary
Business & Economics
Artificially low interest rates bad for economy
Ultra-low interest rates fueled the housing bubble, thanks to former Fed chairman Alan Greenspan’s direction. And Americans should brace for another crash because that practice has continued. The Federal Reserve’s Open Market Committee recently announced it would maintain a target of zero to 0.25 percent for the federal funds rate ...
Business & Economics
Bankers vs. Everyone
Libertarian Ron Paul’s “Audit the Fed” movement has gained the support of socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and conservative Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.). At the same time, anarchists in Greece riot against fiscal austerity measures, while organs of the strongest government on the planet—namely, the U.S. Justice Department and SEC—accuse ...
Business & Economics
Democrats dreamin’ — a public demanding tax hikes
California’s Assembly Democrats want you to be part of the state’s budget solution, which is how they are touting a series of live budget forums across the state. One took place Saturday in San Diego and the next one is scheduled May 13 in the Bay Area city of Albany. ...
Business & Economics
Spending will confine Americans to debtors’ prison
The Congressional Budget Office recently updated its estimates of the fiscal impact of the Obama administration’s proposals. The results are breathtaking, and show that the federal government is making a great leap forward into the red. While there is still time, taxpayers should be asking some tough questions. The CBO ...
Business & Economics
High taxes choke off jobs for Rhode Islanders
Rhode Island is still struggling with unemployment, a sluggish economic recovery, and increasing worker anxiety. It’s worthwhile to understand how tax policies generated on Smith Hill are hurting a state the recession has hit particularly hard. At 12.7 percent unemployment, Rhode Island has the country’s third-highest rate. Equally disturbing is ...
Business & Economics
Kansas needs better lobbying laws
Recent scandals, out-of-control spending and ongoing fiscal crises have all boosted interest in lobbying. Much of the new interest, understandably, is targeted on Washington, D.C. More scrutiny should trickle down to states that need it, such as Kansas. Overall, Kansas ranked a disappointing 42nd among states in lobbying transparency with ...
Business & Economics
Referendum on unions in OC
Voters in North Orange County on June 8 will fill the Fourth Supervisorial District seat vacated by Chris Norby when he was elected to the state Assembly to replace Mike Duvall, of sex-scandal fame. Most residents probably don’t think too much about the Board of Supervisors, but there is one ...
Commentary
Health reform’s war on the states
President Obama and Congress have succeeded in a massively disruptive reorganization of health insurance by the federal government. This mission, although most people don’t know it, is about to collide with state budgets, causing much collateral damage nationwide. Most people remain unaware that health insurance premiums contribute to states’ tax ...
California
Why Beverly Hills Gave Students the Boot
Students living outside the illustrious 90210 zip code have been allowed to attend Beverly Hills Unified schools through an “opportunity permits” program. That opportunity came to an abrupt end in January when the Beverly Hills school board voted to end the program—kicking out a full 10 percent of their students. ...
Business & Economics
Title IX Eyes the Science Guys
Feminist organizations have launched yet another gender-gap crusade, this time in the nation’s science, technology, engineering, and math departments, or STEM, for short. As we have noted, female college enrollment now approaches 60 percent in this country, and women earn the majority of degrees at every academic level. However, after ...
Artificially low interest rates bad for economy
Ultra-low interest rates fueled the housing bubble, thanks to former Fed chairman Alan Greenspan’s direction. And Americans should brace for another crash because that practice has continued. The Federal Reserve’s Open Market Committee recently announced it would maintain a target of zero to 0.25 percent for the federal funds rate ...
Bankers vs. Everyone
Libertarian Ron Paul’s “Audit the Fed” movement has gained the support of socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and conservative Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.). At the same time, anarchists in Greece riot against fiscal austerity measures, while organs of the strongest government on the planet—namely, the U.S. Justice Department and SEC—accuse ...
Democrats dreamin’ — a public demanding tax hikes
California’s Assembly Democrats want you to be part of the state’s budget solution, which is how they are touting a series of live budget forums across the state. One took place Saturday in San Diego and the next one is scheduled May 13 in the Bay Area city of Albany. ...
Spending will confine Americans to debtors’ prison
The Congressional Budget Office recently updated its estimates of the fiscal impact of the Obama administration’s proposals. The results are breathtaking, and show that the federal government is making a great leap forward into the red. While there is still time, taxpayers should be asking some tough questions. The CBO ...
High taxes choke off jobs for Rhode Islanders
Rhode Island is still struggling with unemployment, a sluggish economic recovery, and increasing worker anxiety. It’s worthwhile to understand how tax policies generated on Smith Hill are hurting a state the recession has hit particularly hard. At 12.7 percent unemployment, Rhode Island has the country’s third-highest rate. Equally disturbing is ...
Kansas needs better lobbying laws
Recent scandals, out-of-control spending and ongoing fiscal crises have all boosted interest in lobbying. Much of the new interest, understandably, is targeted on Washington, D.C. More scrutiny should trickle down to states that need it, such as Kansas. Overall, Kansas ranked a disappointing 42nd among states in lobbying transparency with ...
Referendum on unions in OC
Voters in North Orange County on June 8 will fill the Fourth Supervisorial District seat vacated by Chris Norby when he was elected to the state Assembly to replace Mike Duvall, of sex-scandal fame. Most residents probably don’t think too much about the Board of Supervisors, but there is one ...
Health reform’s war on the states
President Obama and Congress have succeeded in a massively disruptive reorganization of health insurance by the federal government. This mission, although most people don’t know it, is about to collide with state budgets, causing much collateral damage nationwide. Most people remain unaware that health insurance premiums contribute to states’ tax ...
Why Beverly Hills Gave Students the Boot
Students living outside the illustrious 90210 zip code have been allowed to attend Beverly Hills Unified schools through an “opportunity permits” program. That opportunity came to an abrupt end in January when the Beverly Hills school board voted to end the program—kicking out a full 10 percent of their students. ...
Title IX Eyes the Science Guys
Feminist organizations have launched yet another gender-gap crusade, this time in the nation’s science, technology, engineering, and math departments, or STEM, for short. As we have noted, female college enrollment now approaches 60 percent in this country, and women earn the majority of degrees at every academic level. However, after ...
