Posted by Paul Gessing - June 29, 2006 - Uncategorized

The Rio Grande Foundation doesn’t take a position on smoking, but we do have a few things to say about government officials twisting the truth. I just knew this was the case when the U.S. Surgeon General came out and stated “The debate is over! Secondhand Smoke Kills!”
Of course, no new evidence was given to buttress the argument and the lapdogs in the media didn’t bother to ask, so it was all dutifully taken as truth with few questions asked. That’s why we have people like Michael Fumento to take a look behind the smokescreen.

As usual, the best solution to smoking is to let the free market decide. Let entreprenuers decide whether to allow smoking or not and let individuals decide whether to patronize them.

Economic Freedom

Law of Demand “Ideologues?”

Posted by hmessenheimer - June 29, 2006 - Uncategorized

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I notice that the law of demand reflects reality. When the price of something goes up people buy less of it; and when the price goes down people buy more of it. Why do “progressives” want to suspend this reality in the case of wages? Read Don Boudreaux’s excellent description of reality, including why he is not an “ideologue” when it comes to minimum wage laws.

"Living" Wage

Lifting New Mexico up by the bootstraps

Posted by gnell - June 26, 2006 - Uncategorized

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New Mexico gets $2 back for every $1 in federal taxes paid, according to the Tax Foundation. It’s not because the state demands more from the federal government that other states like New Jersey which receives about 55 cents back for every $1, it is because of the progressive income tax. New Mexicans are poor and the federal tax structure provides the Earned Income Tax Credit and other negative income taxes to help the poor.
New Mexico, as of 2002-2004, had a rate of poverty as defined by the US Census of about 17%, among the highest in the country.
But is the progressive income tax the best way to help out poor New Mexicans? According to a new study reported by the Heritage Foundation the cost to the private sector of providing the government an additional $1 in tax revenue is about $2.50 not $1 as many people assume. So, the redistribution of tax money from the rich – who may live outside New Mexico or within – to the poor, costs jobs, growth, wages, opportunity and innovation of 2.5x the amount actually taxed and redistributed.
Although the progressive tax structure is supposed to help the poor, a low flat tax and smaller government would mean much greater economic growth, the only proven way to lift the poor out of poverty. Aid to developing countries has done little to nothing to alleviate poverty, while policies of growth have lifted millions each year out of poverty – why not help the remaining impoverished within the US in the same way?

Classical Liberalism

Democrat “Leadership”

Posted by hmessenheimer - June 26, 2006 - Uncategorized

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If you are in need a thin smear of rhetorical mush today, then look here.

Errors Elsewhere

More Erosion of Free Speech?

Posted by hmessenheimer - June 25, 2006 - Uncategorized

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There is a debate going on within the Republican Party that makes me want to hold my nose. Unfortunately, I may soon have to hold my tongue.
Kudos to George Allen for standing up for free speech.

General Info

RGF in the news

Posted by Paul Gessing - June 24, 2006 - Uncategorized

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In case you missed it, the Rio Grande Foundation got some nice ink in the Albuquerque Journal relating to our rally marking the one-year anniversary of the Kelo decision.
Whether Governor Richardson’s commission succeeds in finding a solution that secures our individual property rights or whether John Dendahl pulls an upset and pushes legislation through the legislature next year, we hope that this will be the last time New Mexicans are forced to mark this dreadful Supreme Court decision.

Constitutionalism

Adding Insult to Injury

Posted by jsmith - June 24, 2006 - Uncategorized

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President Bush celebrated the first anniversary of the Supreme Court’s Kelo decision with an Executive Order, basically restating the Fifth Amendment to the US Constitution. By the President’s order, private property is now protected by:

limiting the taking of private property by the Federal Government to situations in which the taking is for public use, with just compensation, and for the purpose of benefiting the general public and not merely for the purpose of advancing the economic interest of private parties to be given ownership or use of the property taken.

It’s absurd that the Fifth Amendment needs repeating, especially to certain Justices whose reading comprehension is diminished in the presence of our founding documents.
We’re still at the mercy of state and local government land grabs, but I guess we’re not supposed to worry about the Federal government, at least until January, 2009, when our next chief executive may have other orders in mind.
Our government was founded on the principle that individual rights are not subject to the whim of any one man or government body. They are not granted to us by government, but inherent in our very existence as sentient beings. We should demand a government that holds our Constitutional rights as inviolable, not feel grateful for whatever meager scraps of rights a government official is willing to indulge.
The President’s Order is an insult. His oath of office would be better served by leading a movement to impeach those Justices who rule in clear violation the US Constitution.

Constitutionalism

Property Rights in 21st-Century America

Posted by hmessenheimer - June 24, 2006 - Uncategorized

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Speaking of the failure of New Mexico to protect the cornerstone of liberty, there is a new book out. In Cornerstone of Liberty: Property Rights in 21st-Century America, a new book published today by the Cato Institute, Timothy Sandefur, a staff attorney at the Pacific Legal Foundation, examines the state of property rights after Kelo.

Constitutionalism

Su Casa Es Mi Casa

Posted by hmessenheimer - June 23, 2006 - Uncategorized

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Today marks the 1st anniversary of the Supreme Court’s Kelo decision. It was such a bad interpretation of the constitution that it makes you wonder what they were smoking.

Property rights are the cornerstone of the liberty that has made us so prosperous. Paul is leading an event today that calls attention to New Mexico’s subsequent failure to protect those property rights.
Thanks to Robin for the graphic.

Constitutionalism

A Tax That Makes Sense?

Posted by gnell - June 20, 2006 - Uncategorized

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Should New Mexico replace the state income tax with an immigrant tax?
No country can let in an infinite number of immigrants. And, if we allow immigrants to take advantage of public schools, welfare, social security and Medicaid, it will cost us a lot. Tech Central Station has come up with a strategy: tax the immigrants. According to the plan, each immigrant must put the dollar amount necessary to pay for his own deportation into an account; if he is ever unable to support himself, the money will be used to pay for his removal; in addition other taxes are levied on his wages that don’t apply to citizens. This way we could be sure that there is no drain on the economy of taxpayer funded programs and instead immigrants create more revenue.
Why not replace some current taxes with a tax on immigrants? Nobody can argue against a tax refund for all citizens. In any case, it is an interesting and innovative idea for an old and sometimes divisive problem.

Economics in Focus