Monthly Archives: June 2008

232 Years Ago Today

Founding Fathers, History

It was 232 years ago today, June 7, 1776, that the Second Continental Congress began debating a resolution submitted by Virginia’s own Richard Henry Lee:

Resolved, That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States, that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved.

That it is expedient forthwith to take the most effectual measures for forming foreign Alliances.

That a plan of confederation be prepared and transmitted to the respective Colonies for their consideration and approbation.

Debate began that day and the rest, as they say is history. On July 2nd, 1776, the resolution was approved by the twelve of the thirteen colonies, and, two days later, the Congress approved the text of the Declaration of Independence.

H/T: Jason Pye

Doug Mataconis
http://www.belowthebeltway.com

Bob Barr On The Colbert Report

Election '08, Libertarians, Media, Politics, The War on Drugs

Overall, a good interview. I think he adequately explained his change of heart on the Patriot Act. However, one bit on the war on drugs got me. He seemed to say that the “current” war on drugs wasn’t working, rather than expressing that the war on drugs was illiberal and wrong. It appeared to be a disagreement with ineffective tactics rather than improper goals. I’m not sure why the rhetoric is being played so softly– whether it be due to his beliefs or trying to craft a message that most Americans will agree with– but it raises some concern for this libertarian.

Brad Warbiany
https://thelibertypapers.org/

Massachusetts Health Care Woes – Someone Tell Obama!

Economics, Government Regulation, Healthcare, Socialism, The Nanny State

As anyone with a shred of economic sense would predict, Massachusetts is not experiencing quite what they promised. From Cato:

* Slightly less than half of Massachusetts’ uninsured population actually complied with the mandate. True, the number of people without health insurance was reduced from 13% of the state’s population to 7%, but when the bill was passed, advocates promised that “all Massachusetts citizens will have health insurance.” Perhaps it depends on your definition of “all.”
* Most of those who are signing up are low-income individuals, whose coverage is fully or partially subsidized, proving once again that if you give something away for free people will take it. It certainly appears that it is the expensive and generous Massachusetts subsidies (up to 300% of the poverty level), not the unprecedented individual mandate that is responsible for much of the increased coverage.
* Adverse selection remains a big problem, with the young and healthy failing to comply with the mandate. The state refused to change its community rating laws which drive up the cost of insurance for young, healthy individuals. Not surprisingly, they don’t find this a good deal.
* The program is far exceeding its projected costs, with at least a 33% budget overrun in its first year.
* The program has increased demand for health care services without increasing the supply of providers. As a result, patients are having trouble finding providers and waiting lists (Canada here we come) are beginning to develop.

Sadly, this is unlikely to stop other states or the fed from following their path.

Hat Tip: Coyote Blog

Brad Warbiany
https://thelibertypapers.org/

You can’t own property in California

Property Rights

Property rights took a hit in California yesterday:

Voters in California yesterday overwhelmingly supported Proposition 99, a ballot measure that will significantly empower state and local officials to seize private property via eminent domain, and rejected Proposition 98, which would have protected property rights and ended rent control. As legal scholar Ilya Somin noted in the Los Angeles Times, Proposition 99, though masquerading as a defense of private property, was actually sponsored by groups representing counties, cities, and other redevelopment interests who drafted it specifically to counter Proposition 98. Among other crimes, Proposition 99 will protect only owner-occupied residences from condemnation, leaving apartment buildings and other rental properties wide open for abuse. This can lead to problems, such as high vacancy rates, for the owners of these rental properties. With no one booking into their properties, the owner will be losing money. Perhaps they could consider getting a property management company to help them out. That could get them some more bookings. Using the best curated software from websites such as https://www.american-apartment-owners-association.org/solutions/property-management-software/ will help provide a more solid background for companies that provide the necessary help.

[…]
Proposition 98, on the other hand, would have placed significant limits on such abuse. But while that might have gone over with the voters, ending rent control was far less popular, even though the law would only affect rent controlled apartments once they became vacant, thus leaving current tenants unaffected. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger came out against Prop. 98, however, claiming it “would undermine California’s ability to improve our infrastructure.”

For someone who claims to have been influenced by Milton Friedman and witnessed the evils of socialism in Europe, he certainly has take a sharp turn to the left since becoming Governor of California.

Jason Pye
http://jasonpye.com/

Quote Of The Day: Those Were The Days Edition

Individual Rights, Libertarians, Politics, Quote of the Day, Republicans

Ronald Reagan, circa 1975:

If you analyze it I believe the very heart and soul of conservatism is libertarianism. I think conservatism is really a misnomer just as liberalism is a misnomer for the liberals-if we were back in the days of the Revolution, so-called conservatives today would be the Liberals and the liberals would be the Tories. The basis of conservatism is a desire for less government interference or less centralized authority or more individual freedom and this is a pretty general description also of what libertarianism is.

Mike Huckabee, circa 2008:

The greatest threat to classic Republicanism is not liberalism; it’s this new brand of libertarianism, which is social liberalism and economic conservatism, but it’s a heartless, callous, soulless type of economic conservatism because it says “look, we want to cut taxes and eliminate government. If it means that elderly people don’t get their Medicare drugs, so be it. If it means little kids go without education and healthcare, so be it.” Well, that might be a quote pure economic conservative message, but it’s not an American message. It doesn’t fly.

My how times have changed.

Doug Mataconis
http://www.belowthebeltway.com
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