I like pigs.
Dogs look up to us.
Cats look down on us.
Pigs treat us as equals.
Winston Churchill
Pro-Liberty Thought of the Day
I noted in overnight posts at Cafe Hayek, Russ Roberts, whose dissertation chair was Becker, and Don Boudreaux both noted the passing of the Nobel laureate economist. Becker was especially known for his studies in family economics and crime and punishment. He was one of the partners (with the brilliant judge Richard Posner) of one of my favorite blogs.
Rant of the Day: David Stockman on China
While Krugman seemed to have an on-air orgasm in discussing the latest income disparity volume from French socialist economist Thomas Piketty, David Stockman does a brilliant job describing Communist China's bastardized version of "capitalism":
China is a case of bastardized socialism on credit steroids. At the turn of century it had $1 trillion of credit market debt outstanding—-a figure which has now soared to $25 trillion. The plain fact is that no economic system can remain stable and sustainable after undergoing a 25X debt expansion in a mere 14 years. But that axiom is true in spades for a jerry-built command and control system where there is no free market discipline, meaningful contract law, honest economic information or even primitive understanding that asset values do not grow to the sky. The borrowing, building and speculating mania in China has obviously gotten so extreme that even the new regime in Beijing has been desperately trying to cool it down. But this will end up as a catastrophic failure.. the phony “red capitalism” that has been confected by the party-controlled apparatus of the massive, intrusive, bureaucratic and hierarchically-driven Chinese State.On Politically Correct Biology
Facebook Corner
(Cato Institute). "There is a trade off between the number of lower skilled guest worker visas and the number of unauthorized immigrants. More lower skilled guest workers means fewer unauthorized immigrants. Fewer guest workers mean more unauthorized immigrants. We just have to look back to the Bracero program to see this relationship."
At numerous times during American history, this nation of immigrants has shown disgraceful intolerance to others, whether it was the anti-Catholic Know Nothings and KKK, the Chinese Exclusion Act, the Quota Act of 1921, and Immigration Act of 1924--not to mention FDR's failure to accommodate Jewish immigration during the extraordinary circumstances of the Holocaust (granted, protectionist labor resistance during the Depression had a lot to do with it). The unholy alliance of labor protectionists, anti-Semites, racists, xenophobes and bigots have stained our national reputation and undermined our ideals and persist to this very day. The union bosses forced JFK/LBJ to shutter the Bracero program and have fought reforming unconscionable quotas and temporary worker programs every step of the way. We need to restore American honor by recognizing the win-win economics of comprehensive liberalized immigration reform (including, but not restricted to, consideration of Latino aliens and flexible temporary work programs).
Ok , but they must apply for it and receive it in their home country because issuing them here is amnesty they are not entitled to
What about the millions of out of work Americans that are currently inconvenienced. OH, and when did a nations sovereignty become a matter of convenience?
Who are YOU to make the rules for anyone on how to run his or her business or to get in the middle of voluntary contracts? Mind your own business! Corrupt, arrogant busybodies!
the guest worker visa increases, illegal immigration, but who cares, it is socialist.
No, it's win-win free markets, where, say, an employer is able to hire the better applicant, whether he or she lives in Maine or halfway around the world. "Illegal" refers to a corrupt, legal-immigration-in-name-only regime that is a de facto prohibition on legal temporary/permanent immigration. We know that attempts to ban or ration anything in demand--alcohol, drugs, labor--inevitably lead to black markets. Stop blaming transactors of voluntary contracts; reform anti-competitive policy!
Truman didn't shut [the Bracero program] down and send them home at the end of WWII? Wow
How uninformed are you? There were two bracero programs, the railroad program which ended after WWII, and the agricultural program which continued until 1964, being constantly renewed every 2 years or so. In fact, Truman signed a 1951 law providing certain worker guarantees negotiated between farmers and the Mexican government
(IPI). Policy affects lives and bad policy costs jobs.
It's obvious why pedicabs don't belong on heavily travelled downtown streets. It's dangerous. They may fit in the bike lanes, but all streets don't have lanes
Corrupt crony interests always rationalize using the State to deprive others the right to make a living...
(IPI). Despite launching a Spanish language website, a bilingual call center and spending millions on outreach and marketing efforts targeting Latinos, the state of Illinois was unsuccessful in persuading the majority of these consumers to sign up for health insurance coverage.
I'm disappointed to read a lot of anti-immigrant rubbish in this thread; the basic point is about Dems not being able to sell ObamaCare even to one of their strongest constituencies in the 2012 election. What this proves is that if you put lipstick on a pig, it's still a pig, i.e., ObamaCare is crap, and it's not sexier just because you translate it into Spanish.
For once, I got a comment response worth noting;
Think of how much more support we could get for reasonable, effective conservative policies if we drop this racist deport 'em all crap. I know many Latinos that want to be conservative but for this anti immigrant nonsense.
(Reason). Sen. Rand Paul has warned Senator Harry Reid that he will put a hold on one of President Barack Obama's appellate court nominees over his role in crafting justification of the assassination of Anwar al-Awlaki, an American Islamic militant, who was killed by a drone strike in Yemen in September 2011.
Most of the Rand Paul doubters in this thread have no concept of political strategy. His signature filibuster over drone use, the fact that the neo-cons go apeshit over him and the fact The One cracked dismissive jokes at Rand Paul's expense (e.g., NSA) tell you all you need to know that Rand Paul is not your typical Republican. He may be less strident than his Dad but I think he has the ability to build on his dad's coalition.
You're My Soul and Inspiration...
Political Cartoon
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| Courtesy of Henry Payne via Townhall |
Diana Ross, "Ain't No Mountain High Enough". What I remember most about Diana Ross is that one of the first albums I ever purchased was a Ross hit compilation and my Mom's reaction to seeing it. She commented on how good a singer Diana is, and I remember being surprised and impressed how cool it was that Mom was aware of Diana Ross. The oldest of my sisters, however, thought Streisand's music was more my style; oh, PLEASE! I appreciate Barbra Streisand and Mariah Carey's outstanding vocal talents, but except for a select few singles, their material has been forgettable and unworthy...... Ross' style, pitch and tone are superb, and she has selected brilliant material and arrangements. I still think she was robbed of the Best Oscar for "Theme From Mahogany", which I'll feature in an upcoming selection.
Hall of Shame: Milwaukee County Deputy Runs Stop Sign, Collides With Woman's Car, Impact Breaks Her Neck in 4 Places, SHE Gets Charged With DUI
HT Reason
