Commentary
Commentary
Get Real With $6-a-Gallon ‘Raw Water’
Many Americans, in search of authenticity, seek out “locally sourced,” “artisanal” and “natural” foods. Recently I saw a milk delivery truck emblazoned with the words “naturally sourced.” Was the point to assure buyers that the milk came from cows, rather than a chemical factory in Shanghai? “Authentic” connotes different things ...
Commentary
Medicaid expansion is a recipe for disaster
This November, voters in Utah, Idaho, Nebraska, and Montana will decide whether to expand Medicaid. Expansion would place huge burdens on taxpayers while offering minimal benefits to new Medicaid enrollees. Last year, voters in Maine became the first to put Medicaid expansion on the ballot after Republican Gov. Paul LePage refused to expand the ...
Commentary
Science Shows the Way as Hurricane Approaches
Many people remember “science” as something that only the nerdy kids with thick glasses (like me) liked in high school. But it has everyday importance; for example, if you’re deciding whether to evacuate as Hurricane Florence bears down on the Carolinas. Here’s why: The destructive force of a storm increases ...
California
Your tax dollars used to oppose repeal of fuel tax
Most of us have driven past a road crew and from our vantage point it appeared little was being accomplished. We think of the old jokes asking “how many men does it take” to complete a variety of tasks, because at that moment we see one man working while our ...
California
Reforming California’s auto emission standards will bring relief to working poor
California, where there’s been some talk of secession, has long had the privilege of regulating emissions as if it were a nation rather than one of 50 states. A challenge has emerged, though. The Trump administration wants to revoke the federal waiver that allows the state to act autonomously. But ...
Commentary
No reason to be Jealous of nominee’s plan for health care
Democratic gubernatorial nominee Ben Jealous currently trails Gov. Larry Hogan, the Republican incumbent, in the polls. But the challenger has a plan to turn the tide. Jealous has released a detailed proposal to enroll most state residents in MD-Care, a government-run health insurance plan that would “eliminate co-pays, high-deductibles, and ...
Commentary
Where’s the Outrage?
How can you tell if competition is working in a given market? Generally speaking, prices go down while quality goes up. Productivity increases as more efficient methods are discovered. Shortages are rare to nonexistent. And, most important, consumers win. Government intervention, monopolies, and other market distortions can disrupt the normal ...
Commentary
To Save Medicaid, Put People to Work
President Trump has a message for millions of able-bodied Medicaid recipients: Get a job. Since January, the administration has allowed states to require Medicaid beneficiaries who are not disabled to engage in 80 hours per month of work, volunteering, job training, or school in return for taxpayer-funded health coverage. The ...
Commentary
Democratic Party’s New Star Makes A Poor Case For Medicare For All
She only won about 16,000 votes in a primary election this summer in which 13% of eligible voters participated. Yet Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has emerged as the Democratic Party’s biggest star and a media darling. The 28-year-old defeated 10-term Rep. Joe Crowley in the Democratic primary for New York’s 14th congressional ...
California
San Diego Stands Alone as Cities Shake Down e-Scooter Startups
When Ronald Reagan told us that if something moves, politicians want to tax it, and if it keeps moving, they want to regulate it, he was issuing a warning, not providing a how-to manual for government. Yet lawmakers and bureaucrats behave as if that’s what it was. No current event ...
Get Real With $6-a-Gallon ‘Raw Water’
Many Americans, in search of authenticity, seek out “locally sourced,” “artisanal” and “natural” foods. Recently I saw a milk delivery truck emblazoned with the words “naturally sourced.” Was the point to assure buyers that the milk came from cows, rather than a chemical factory in Shanghai? “Authentic” connotes different things ...
Medicaid expansion is a recipe for disaster
This November, voters in Utah, Idaho, Nebraska, and Montana will decide whether to expand Medicaid. Expansion would place huge burdens on taxpayers while offering minimal benefits to new Medicaid enrollees. Last year, voters in Maine became the first to put Medicaid expansion on the ballot after Republican Gov. Paul LePage refused to expand the ...
Science Shows the Way as Hurricane Approaches
Many people remember “science” as something that only the nerdy kids with thick glasses (like me) liked in high school. But it has everyday importance; for example, if you’re deciding whether to evacuate as Hurricane Florence bears down on the Carolinas. Here’s why: The destructive force of a storm increases ...
Your tax dollars used to oppose repeal of fuel tax
Most of us have driven past a road crew and from our vantage point it appeared little was being accomplished. We think of the old jokes asking “how many men does it take” to complete a variety of tasks, because at that moment we see one man working while our ...
Reforming California’s auto emission standards will bring relief to working poor
California, where there’s been some talk of secession, has long had the privilege of regulating emissions as if it were a nation rather than one of 50 states. A challenge has emerged, though. The Trump administration wants to revoke the federal waiver that allows the state to act autonomously. But ...
No reason to be Jealous of nominee’s plan for health care
Democratic gubernatorial nominee Ben Jealous currently trails Gov. Larry Hogan, the Republican incumbent, in the polls. But the challenger has a plan to turn the tide. Jealous has released a detailed proposal to enroll most state residents in MD-Care, a government-run health insurance plan that would “eliminate co-pays, high-deductibles, and ...
Where’s the Outrage?
How can you tell if competition is working in a given market? Generally speaking, prices go down while quality goes up. Productivity increases as more efficient methods are discovered. Shortages are rare to nonexistent. And, most important, consumers win. Government intervention, monopolies, and other market distortions can disrupt the normal ...
To Save Medicaid, Put People to Work
President Trump has a message for millions of able-bodied Medicaid recipients: Get a job. Since January, the administration has allowed states to require Medicaid beneficiaries who are not disabled to engage in 80 hours per month of work, volunteering, job training, or school in return for taxpayer-funded health coverage. The ...
Democratic Party’s New Star Makes A Poor Case For Medicare For All
She only won about 16,000 votes in a primary election this summer in which 13% of eligible voters participated. Yet Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has emerged as the Democratic Party’s biggest star and a media darling. The 28-year-old defeated 10-term Rep. Joe Crowley in the Democratic primary for New York’s 14th congressional ...
San Diego Stands Alone as Cities Shake Down e-Scooter Startups
When Ronald Reagan told us that if something moves, politicians want to tax it, and if it keeps moving, they want to regulate it, he was issuing a warning, not providing a how-to manual for government. Yet lawmakers and bureaucrats behave as if that’s what it was. No current event ...
