We the People

USAToday wrote recently about the escalating cost of food, and how food is the third largest expense, after housing and medical care. Does anyone notice an important component left out here? Taxes. I checked the last three years of my accounts, and taxes are far and away the…

I know I complain about it a lot, and I understand that there are certain instances where the government is perhaps trying to do the right thing. What I don't understand is why we're not allowed to do our own thing if we recognize the potential consequences and…

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, three Texas counties opted out of the federal Social Security program. After twenty-something years, they've had pretty decent results, with workers earning two and three times what they would have with Social Security. What I don't get is that no one…

Recently, the U.S. government introduced a new $20 bill to thwart counterfeiting. That's cool. With improvements in scanning and printing, it is apparently much easier for people to make the bogus bills nowadays. The paper seems tough, as the real paper is more material-like than it is paper-like,…

Not so long ago, the European Union (EU) decided to flex their muscle. You see, President Bush had decided it was a good idea to increase steel tariffs on imported steel in order to give our steel manufacturers more of a fighting chance. Keep the prices artificially high…

The president of the United States of America makes $400,000 per year. According to the National Taxpayers Union, the presidential pension is worth $2.62 to $7.29 million. The massive amount of travel undertaken by a serving president is surely worth thousands, if not millions. The free room and…

In this latest example of waste, we see the government spending $7-9 million to replace sand on a beach. Why? Among other reasons, so people like B.J. Fersner can continue to own their beachfront property. Where is the logic in that? Listen, I don't fault people like Ms….

For more than two years, I've felt that any small coalition of people, be it two or twenty, can wreak havoc if they are willing to die for their cause. It used to be that hijacking meant robbery. The culprits wanted something in return for setting the plane…

The Way means inducing the people to have the same aim as leadership, so that they will share death and share life, without fear of danger. Last night on NPR, I heard an editorial piece about the use of designer steroids. Specifically, how the Olympics have spent $25…

I heard an interesting tidbit on the radio this morning. I wish I had heard the whole piece, but I think I got the gist of it. I have to say that I was impressed – I hadn't actually thought of things in these terms. First, an illustration:…