The following is reprinted from today's Wall Street Journals' Notable & Quotable. From blogger and law professor Glenn Reynolds writing in the Washington Examiner, Dec.3:
The reason why a bachelor's degree on its own no longer conveys intelligence and capability it that the government decided that as many people as possible should have bachelor's degrees.
There's something of a pattern here. The government decides to try to increase the middle class by subsidizing things that the middle class people have. If middle class people go to college and own homes, then surely if more people go to college and own homes, we'll have more middle class people.
But homeownership and college aren't causes of middle-class status, they're markers for possessing the kinds of traits -- self-discipline, the ability to deter gratification, etc. - that let you enter, and stay in, the middle class.
Subsidizing the markers doesn't produce the traits; if anything, it undermines them. One might as well try to promote basketball skills by distributing expensive sneakers.
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Obama's Other Revenue Problem
Barack Obama and the Democrats insist we have a revenue problem. They're confident that too few people pay too little in taxes, otherwise there'd be no reason to ever cut spending of any kind. Anyway, that's what they say. I agree that we have a revenue problem, it's just not that one. In 2008, before Barack Obama became President, our nation raised $9.5 billion in offshore oil leases. This year we sold only $36 million. That's a revenue problem. So, not only does President Obama spend massive amounts of our tax dollars chasing his green energy dreams, he does so at the expense of very real income from the sale of oil and gas leases. This isn't just an ideological shift folks, this is malfeasance on a grand scale. This is brain-dead, job-killing economics we just can't afford. When people ask me if I think Obama will win reelection I tell them in no uncertain terms, "No, absolutely not." I tell them that I do not fear another Obama term. What I do fear however is that we may all lose everything we have before he's done.
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
No Thanks for Giving
In Governor Mitch Daniel's new book, Keeping the Republic, he talks about how government expansion "shrinks" the citizenry by crowding them out of the production of goods and services that were once the purview and responsibility of the private sector. Job training, charity, automobile manufacturing, and college loans for example. Repeated often enough, the citizen learns to cower under threats of new pressures, and more often then not gives up without a fight. In the opinion section of today's Wall Street Journal, William McGurn sites a perfect example in Morristown, New Jersey.
For 26 years, the Morristown Community Soup Kitchen and Outreach Center has supplied a free Thanksgiving meal to anyone who needs it. Churches, community groups, restaurants, corporate sponsors, and scores of volunteers have all pitched in to make this a special day of giving. Until now. Recently, the Morristown Division of Health ruled that the Soup Kitchen and Outreach Center will be officially designated a "retail" food establishment and thereby fall under the auspices and rules of the State of New Jersey. What does this mean? It means that homemade pies, breads, meals, anything that isn't prepared according to state code will be prohibited from being served. Furthermore, the sterility of latex gloves will replace the warm comfort of Mom's apron, food service volunteers will be kept out of the kitchen, and anything that isn't sanitarily wrapped in corporate plastic will be verboten. Mind you, this offering has never had a history of food poisoning or any instance of uncleanliness. And the real kicker - estimates for compliance will cost an additional $150,000! Happy Holidays from your friendly bureaucrats down at city hall.
Getting back to Governor Daniel's message. Many in Morristown will just ask the volunteers to comply and pony up, but each dollar that goes to cover these new costs will be taken away from some other worthy area of need. For those whose only way to participate may have been to donate a home-cooked meal, well they'll just have to find another way to support their fellow human beings. And the government, they'll eventually take over responsibility for this endeavor because they really don't want us mortals doing the work for ourselves anyway. Or, the Morristown Soup Kitchen and Outreach Center and the scads of volunteers who help put on this annual event can just say no. No to overreaching government meddlers and do-gooders. No to compromising their own standards of humanity and compassion. No to bureaucratic edicts meted without reason or facts. No, no, no. No more.
For 26 years, the Morristown Community Soup Kitchen and Outreach Center has supplied a free Thanksgiving meal to anyone who needs it. Churches, community groups, restaurants, corporate sponsors, and scores of volunteers have all pitched in to make this a special day of giving. Until now. Recently, the Morristown Division of Health ruled that the Soup Kitchen and Outreach Center will be officially designated a "retail" food establishment and thereby fall under the auspices and rules of the State of New Jersey. What does this mean? It means that homemade pies, breads, meals, anything that isn't prepared according to state code will be prohibited from being served. Furthermore, the sterility of latex gloves will replace the warm comfort of Mom's apron, food service volunteers will be kept out of the kitchen, and anything that isn't sanitarily wrapped in corporate plastic will be verboten. Mind you, this offering has never had a history of food poisoning or any instance of uncleanliness. And the real kicker - estimates for compliance will cost an additional $150,000! Happy Holidays from your friendly bureaucrats down at city hall.
Getting back to Governor Daniel's message. Many in Morristown will just ask the volunteers to comply and pony up, but each dollar that goes to cover these new costs will be taken away from some other worthy area of need. For those whose only way to participate may have been to donate a home-cooked meal, well they'll just have to find another way to support their fellow human beings. And the government, they'll eventually take over responsibility for this endeavor because they really don't want us mortals doing the work for ourselves anyway. Or, the Morristown Soup Kitchen and Outreach Center and the scads of volunteers who help put on this annual event can just say no. No to overreaching government meddlers and do-gooders. No to compromising their own standards of humanity and compassion. No to bureaucratic edicts meted without reason or facts. No, no, no. No more.
Monday, November 14, 2011
People, Pride, Prosperity
I delivered these remarks last Monday night to kick-off my campaign for MI's 94th State House seat.
"Six years ago I ran for state representative on the platform of Jobs!, Jobs!, Jobs! Unfortunately, six years later, those three words are still our state’s number one priority. Although a Republican Governor and solid Republican majorities in both the House and the Senate will continue to reinvent Michigan, we cannot rest here in Saginaw County. We have been blessed with leaders like Roger Kahn, Ken Horn and Jim Stamas, able legislators who continue to ensure that our common values are defended and who support our shared belief in a limited but effective government. But this fight has not yet been won. Efforts to cut spending, eliminate waste, or to reign in government bureaucracy are fought daily in Saginaw, Lansing, and beyond. For the Saginaw Valley and Michigan to flourish, that fight must continue, unabated, without compromise, equivocation, or indecisiveness. We cannot fall back when bold action and strong leadership are still necessary and required. I have been a consistent voice against government expansion, higher taxes, and business as usual on the Board of Commissioners, but I also believe that those views may carry more weight in our state’s capitol. Therefore, I am announcing my campaign to serve you, the people of the 94th District, as your next state representative.
While too many of us remain unemployed, underemployed, or just plain unhappy with the status quo, we can all agree that we live in a special place. What makes Michigan and Saginaw County so special? People. Our people make our state and our community a place worth fighting for. Look about you. While our natural resources, abundant water, hearty forests, and fertile soil, led early explorers and immigrants to this peninsula, and still today drives agriculture, commerce and tourism, it’s our collection of hard working individuals, families, and institutions that make Michigan and Saginaw County a desirable place in which to work and raise a family. In pursuit of our own bit of liberty and happiness, we look for leaders who will work toward the preservation of personal freedom, responsibility and respect. We are troubled by the selfish efforts of politicians that pander to special interests, pit one side against another, or repeat worn-out habits that always, always, end in negative results.
Whether you are a farmer, physician, salesman, a teacher, administrator, carpenter or electrician. A storeowner, grocer, plumber, lawyer or laborer, a soccer mom, a devoted dad, an accountant or professor, you take pride in your work and feel better when others do to. You play by the rules and expect the same from those around you. You don’t ask for special favors, you don’t expect them, yet quietly, sometimes demonstrably, feel taken advantage when others do. You seek equal treatment for equal results. Year after year, precious resources for education, infrastructure, the things that will help to ensure our growth and long-term prosperity, are squeezed by increased federal mandates, or the maintenance and expansion of poorly performing programs pushed by politicians who succumb to fear and threats of reprisal.
Everyone talks about saving the middle-class but they often don’t see that every expansion of government, every dollar that goes into additional services, in reality, squeezes the middle by draining precious personal resources that otherwise would have been better directed at enriching their own lives and those around them. The people are better stewards of their own money, not government. In any case, government assistance too often results in the persistence of a problem, not its elimination.
I wish to represent you in Lansing, not to increase my own fortunes but to help increase yours - to ensure that your businesses, your livelihoods are kept free from government interference, free from burdensome job killing regulations, and free from the consequences of governments’ good intentions. I want to ensure that your support for government, both locally and in Lansing, is more wisely and judiciously spent - ensuring the very best, most efficient government possible, without waste, without excuses, and without continued assistance for those who no longer need or deserve it. In other words lets start making sense with our taxes, not friends, dependents, or allies.
Six years ago I touted myself as “Uniquely Prepared and Lansing Ready”. Let me tell you that hasn’t changed! I still am, only more so. I’m fired up, and I’m more than ready to go to work for you - as your next state representative!"
"Six years ago I ran for state representative on the platform of Jobs!, Jobs!, Jobs! Unfortunately, six years later, those three words are still our state’s number one priority. Although a Republican Governor and solid Republican majorities in both the House and the Senate will continue to reinvent Michigan, we cannot rest here in Saginaw County. We have been blessed with leaders like Roger Kahn, Ken Horn and Jim Stamas, able legislators who continue to ensure that our common values are defended and who support our shared belief in a limited but effective government. But this fight has not yet been won. Efforts to cut spending, eliminate waste, or to reign in government bureaucracy are fought daily in Saginaw, Lansing, and beyond. For the Saginaw Valley and Michigan to flourish, that fight must continue, unabated, without compromise, equivocation, or indecisiveness. We cannot fall back when bold action and strong leadership are still necessary and required. I have been a consistent voice against government expansion, higher taxes, and business as usual on the Board of Commissioners, but I also believe that those views may carry more weight in our state’s capitol. Therefore, I am announcing my campaign to serve you, the people of the 94th District, as your next state representative.
While too many of us remain unemployed, underemployed, or just plain unhappy with the status quo, we can all agree that we live in a special place. What makes Michigan and Saginaw County so special? People. Our people make our state and our community a place worth fighting for. Look about you. While our natural resources, abundant water, hearty forests, and fertile soil, led early explorers and immigrants to this peninsula, and still today drives agriculture, commerce and tourism, it’s our collection of hard working individuals, families, and institutions that make Michigan and Saginaw County a desirable place in which to work and raise a family. In pursuit of our own bit of liberty and happiness, we look for leaders who will work toward the preservation of personal freedom, responsibility and respect. We are troubled by the selfish efforts of politicians that pander to special interests, pit one side against another, or repeat worn-out habits that always, always, end in negative results.
Whether you are a farmer, physician, salesman, a teacher, administrator, carpenter or electrician. A storeowner, grocer, plumber, lawyer or laborer, a soccer mom, a devoted dad, an accountant or professor, you take pride in your work and feel better when others do to. You play by the rules and expect the same from those around you. You don’t ask for special favors, you don’t expect them, yet quietly, sometimes demonstrably, feel taken advantage when others do. You seek equal treatment for equal results. Year after year, precious resources for education, infrastructure, the things that will help to ensure our growth and long-term prosperity, are squeezed by increased federal mandates, or the maintenance and expansion of poorly performing programs pushed by politicians who succumb to fear and threats of reprisal.
Everyone talks about saving the middle-class but they often don’t see that every expansion of government, every dollar that goes into additional services, in reality, squeezes the middle by draining precious personal resources that otherwise would have been better directed at enriching their own lives and those around them. The people are better stewards of their own money, not government. In any case, government assistance too often results in the persistence of a problem, not its elimination.
I wish to represent you in Lansing, not to increase my own fortunes but to help increase yours - to ensure that your businesses, your livelihoods are kept free from government interference, free from burdensome job killing regulations, and free from the consequences of governments’ good intentions. I want to ensure that your support for government, both locally and in Lansing, is more wisely and judiciously spent - ensuring the very best, most efficient government possible, without waste, without excuses, and without continued assistance for those who no longer need or deserve it. In other words lets start making sense with our taxes, not friends, dependents, or allies.
Six years ago I touted myself as “Uniquely Prepared and Lansing Ready”. Let me tell you that hasn’t changed! I still am, only more so. I’m fired up, and I’m more than ready to go to work for you - as your next state representative!"
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Moe
Apparently our government runs a lottery every year that normally attempts to issue 50,000 green-cards to people seeking residency here. I say "normally" because this year the computer program that randomly selects the winners messed up. To make matters worse the U. S. State Department's Bureau of Consular Affairs, which runs the program through something called the Diversity Visa Program, didn't properly test the program before 22,000 would be citizens had already been notified. So 22,000 people who thought they were getting a chance to come to our shores may not have a chance after all. Additionally, the computer mistakenly picked the first list of winners from applications taken in just the first week of the program rather than over the course of the entire 30-day period. So to fix things, government officials have decided to rerun the computer lottery from a record 15 million applications.
Thus far the Obama Administration doesn't have a very good record in picking winners and losers. Witness Solyndra, the "shovel ready" stimulus, Cash for Clunkers, Recovery Summer, the Ground Zero mosque, and its close cousin, the attempt to try Khalid Sheikh Mohammed in Manhattan. The Diversity Visa Program might just be another plan gone horribly awry. In any case, why question a computer program that randomly selected its first 22,000 winners from early applications. Does it really matter? It's still random, right? Good grief!
Thus far the Obama Administration doesn't have a very good record in picking winners and losers. Witness Solyndra, the "shovel ready" stimulus, Cash for Clunkers, Recovery Summer, the Ground Zero mosque, and its close cousin, the attempt to try Khalid Sheikh Mohammed in Manhattan. The Diversity Visa Program might just be another plan gone horribly awry. In any case, why question a computer program that randomly selected its first 22,000 winners from early applications. Does it really matter? It's still random, right? Good grief!
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Biased Numbers
During last night's Republican presidential debate on Bloomberg Television, a screen shot, right before a commercial, informed us that the national debt has increased $4 trillion under President Obama, but that it had gone up $5 trillion under President George W. Bush. I'm not about to defend W for starting what would become a decade of out-of-control spending, but a little math does shed some light on this factoid. It has taken Obama only a third of the time (34 months) to effectively achieve what Bush did in 96 months.
How Green Was His Valley
Right before our eyes, Obama's green jobs initiative has all but withered away, dried up in the harsh light of reality. Candidate Barack Hussein Obama promised he would invest $150 billion in solar, wind, geothermal, and other green technologies, that would create 5 million new jobs by the end of the decade. To date, about $90 billion has been frittered away to the likes of Solyndra, Evergreen Solar, and SpectraWatt, with little but red faces to show for it. Why? Economics.
According to a story in the Wall Street Journal, the Energy Information Administration estimates that the cost of electricity generated by natural gas is $63.10 per megawatt hour. Conversely, electricity generated by wind costs $243.20 per megawatt hour. A whopping $311.80 for solar generated power. Get the picture? But Obama and his bureaucrats know better. They just dumped another $1.1 billion in new loan guarantees to green firms in Nevada and Arizona two weeks ago. What's more unbelievable is that between them, Tonopah Solar and Sempra Energy, the two companies that will share those loan guarantees, promise only 45 permanent jobs! Meanwhile, the Obama administration and leftist environmentalists continue to fight the Keystone XL oil pipeline from Canada to the Gulf Coast. This project promises 13,000 union jobs and 118,000 "spin-off" jobs at no cost to taxpayers.
Speaking of misguided policies and priorities, the U. S. Attorney for North Dakota has charged seven oil and gas companies in federal court for killing a combined 28 birds. 28 birds. According to the American Bird Conservancy, from data derived from the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 440,00 birds are killed annually by wind turbine operations.
According to a story in the Wall Street Journal, the Energy Information Administration estimates that the cost of electricity generated by natural gas is $63.10 per megawatt hour. Conversely, electricity generated by wind costs $243.20 per megawatt hour. A whopping $311.80 for solar generated power. Get the picture? But Obama and his bureaucrats know better. They just dumped another $1.1 billion in new loan guarantees to green firms in Nevada and Arizona two weeks ago. What's more unbelievable is that between them, Tonopah Solar and Sempra Energy, the two companies that will share those loan guarantees, promise only 45 permanent jobs! Meanwhile, the Obama administration and leftist environmentalists continue to fight the Keystone XL oil pipeline from Canada to the Gulf Coast. This project promises 13,000 union jobs and 118,000 "spin-off" jobs at no cost to taxpayers.
Speaking of misguided policies and priorities, the U. S. Attorney for North Dakota has charged seven oil and gas companies in federal court for killing a combined 28 birds. 28 birds. According to the American Bird Conservancy, from data derived from the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 440,00 birds are killed annually by wind turbine operations.
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