My thoughts on Jack Lew’s reveal over the weekend, over at PJMedia.
Category Archives: Business
Racial Discrimination In Medical Schools
This is a problem for at least two reasons (one of them is that it is illegal, yet they continue to do it). But as the commenters indicate, it’s also a result of a lack of competition in the medical profession in general, because the industry has captured the regulators.
[Update a while later]
Link was missing, fixed now. Sorry.
Corporate Cronyism
Obamacare, and the hundreds of waivers the administration continues to issue, represents a new form of corruption, as well as cronyism, that I believe was invented by the Obama administration. The idea is to pass a terrible piece of legislation, and then exempt your friends from it, so that only those without political influence have to suffer from the lousy statute you imposed on them.
So that is a very quick overview of the kinds of corporate cronyism that have emerged during the Obama administration. This private sector cronyism is, I think, much more damaging than the public sector cronyism of the 19th century. Why? Because it doesn’t just waste money, it distorts the entire private economy. It is notable that the era when traditional cronyism flourished was also the time when the United States experienced its most explosive economic growth.
This ought to be the theme of the campaign, but it probably won’t be, at least with any of the current candidates.
Rick Santorum
Is either a fool or a liar, when it comes to libertarians. But then, straw men are always the first refuge of the political hack, as the president demonstrates on a daily basis.
[Update a while later]
Jeez, Santorum is almost as clueless of economics as Romney is:
“I’m not against the minimum wage,” Santorum remarked. “When the minimum wage drops below a certain level, it’s usually a floor of about 7 percent of wages at minimum wage, I’ve supported increasing it back it up to make sure it stays above that level so there is in fact a minimum wage.”
He should talk to Tom Sowell, since he doesn’t seem to understand what a devastating policy this is for young people, and black youth in particular.
“Tax Cuts They Don’t Need”
That was a phrase that Jack Lew used this morning on This Week. Ignoring the ongoing lack of distinction between “tax cuts” and “tax-rate cuts,” any use of the word “need” in federal policy betrays an intrinsically Marxist mindset. It indicates that benefits of the collective should be distributed based on need, rather than merit, economics, or constitutionality. Tax rates should be chosen to maximize revenue, not redistribute wealth, or on the basis of some government official’s opinion of what someone else “needs.” This should be pointed out each and every time it occurs, but of course George Stephanopolous isn’t going to do it.
One Funeral At A Time
The intellectual arrogance of this post is breathtaking.
For the record, I’m not a “denier,” I’m a skeptic, as are all true scientists. And I think that long before we die, society will come to its senses. It’s already started happening, when you see how low this issue is on most peoples’ agenda in the polls (close to the bottom).
Global Trade
…seems to be collapsing. Goody.
Obama’s Amazing Energy Spin Machine
Thoughts on the administration policy mess. And the media will continue to help spin it, all the way to November.
The Latest Deadbeat Bailout
Thoughts on the latest insane interference in the housing market, from Charlie Gasparino and Kevin Williamson. Also this does is punish good behavior, and reward bad, with the inevitable consequences.
“A Trifecta Of Political Incompetence”
Like me, the editors at National Review are pretty unimpressed with Romney’s stand on the minimum wage.