Monthly Archives: June 2009

Menu Planning With CSPI

Freedom, The Nanny State

It must be getting close to lunchtime… I want to go eat ALL OF THIS!

South Beach Diet Friendly!

This is a Cheeseburger in Paradise!

Take Applebee’s Quesadilla Burger.

Heaven knows, it’s tough to put a new spin on burgers. And quesadillas—two largetortillas stuffed with cheese—have made it big on appetizer menus.

Mix them together and you’ve got the Quesadilla Burger—a beef patty plus cheddar cheese, pepper-Jack cheese, bacon, Mexi-ranch sauce, pico de gallo, and shredded lettuce tucked into two white-flour tortillas.

With fries (440 calories), your platter comes to 1,820 calories and 46 grams of saturated fat. (“Add chili & cheese to your fries for $1.49,” says the menu. Let’s not even go there.)

Now, as you might expect, I’ve got some ideological differences with the folks at CSPI. They’d probably prefer to outlaw food like this, while folks like me — genetically blessed with low cholesterol — understand that eating this type of meal once in a blue moon is not that bad. I certainly don’t blame them for highlighting just how unhealthy this meal truly is, disagreeing with them, though, on their proposed menu labeling laws. But when it goes to the inevitable next step (the “fat tax”), we’re going to have major issues.

But I have to give CSPI some credit. They sure know how to make a guy hungry!

Hat Tip: Ezra Klein

Brad Warbiany
https://thelibertypapers.org/

You Can Tax My Beer When You Pry It From My Cold Drunk Hands!

Healthcare, Socialism, Taxation, The Welfare State

Now it’s personal:

Consumers in the United States may have to hand over nearly $2 more for a case of beer to help provide health insurance for all.

Details of the proposed beer tax are described in a Senate Finance Committee document that will be used to brief lawmakers Wednesday at a closed-door meeting.

Taxes on wine and hard liquor would also go up. And there might be a new tax on soda and other sugary drinks blamed for contributing to obesity. No taxes on diet drinks, however.

Beer taxes would go up by 48 cents a six-pack, wine taxes would rise by 49 cents per bottle, and the tax on hard liquor would increase by 40 cents per fifth. Proceeds from the new taxes would help cover an estimated 50 million uninsured Americans.

I suppose, if this goes through, I’ll just have to homebrew more often. In addition to being cheaper in general, this tax won’t apply. Yeah, that missing tax revenue may mean that little Timmy never gets his operation… But that’s what the little bastard gets for basing his health care plan on my drinking habits.

Hat Tip: Reason

Brad Warbiany
https://thelibertypapers.org/

Agree Now, Or Your Regulator Will Make You Agree Later

Credit Crisis, Economics, Government Ethics, Government Incompetence, Government Regulation, Government Transparency

Interesting notes that Judicial Watch has gotten hold of from Paulson/Bernanke’s offer they can’t refuse back in October. It’s the talking points from the meeting… “Strongarm” would be an understatement:

We plan to announce the program tomorrow–and–that your nine firms will be the initial participants….

This is a combined program (bank liability guarantee and capital purchase). Your firms need to agree to both.

  • We don’t believe it is tenable to opt out because doing so would leave you vulnerable and exposed.
  • If a capital infusion is not appealing, you should be aware that your regulator will require it in any circumstance.

I’m left wondering how it could have possibly been worse, but then I came up with a scenario.

Bush could have given the banks to the UAW. At least he didn’t do that!

Hat Tip: Reason

Brad Warbiany
https://thelibertypapers.org/

Quote Of The Day

Credit Crisis, Economics, Fiscal Policy, Government Waste

When I posted the below open thread, one of the data points used to suggest things were actually recovering was a rise in income that was 0.6% higher than expect (and actually positive — expectation was negative). But it appears that this might be an anomaly brought on by our Congress. From The Big Picture:

April Personal Income rose .5%, much better than expectations of a drop of .2% while Spending fell .1%, .1% better than forecasts. The revisions to March were modest. The factor in the surprise gain in income was related to the Government’s stimulus plan where transfer payments rose smartly and there was also reduced personal current taxes. The Commerce Dept specifically said the income component “was boosted as a result of provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.”

So hey, the economy isn’t actually recovering, but boy we’re at least paying people to do government work with newly-printed money. Boy, how I love the New New Deal!

Brad Warbiany
https://thelibertypapers.org/

Monday Open Thread — DoubleDip?

Economics, Open Thread

All, if you’ve been reading me for any extended period of time, you know that I’m a bit of a Cassandra when it comes to the economy. I think the fundamentals are f***ed, and that this little lull of stock market strength is the calm before the storm. If you’re wanting to invest, look at Stash app reviews and find the right platform for you ASAP because I don’t think the market is going to stay this nice for long. I have a lot of reasons to continue my bearishness, such as the recent rapid rise in foreclosures, but economic news lately has been slowly improving, and I’m left wondering what to think. As Keynes said when accused of flip-flopping on monetary policy:

When the facts change, I change my mind. What do you do, sir?

I suppose that there’s at least some evidence that the facts have changed. Dale @ QandO points out data points released this morning here, here, and here that point to an improvement in economic conditions.

So I’m opening this up to everyone. Where are we headed, and why? Stabilization and a return to a growth trend, or is the light at the end of the tunnel an oncoming freight train?

Brad Warbiany
https://thelibertypapers.org/
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