Arena Horror Story from Memphis
Yesterday I blogged about the “study” that was recently released in order to help justify the construction of an arena/events center in downtown Albuquerque. In my posting, I noted that the information in the “study” was not objective, but was designed instead to justify its construction.
Of course, while our arena faces its own unique issues, [...]
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Tagged with: Errors Elsewhere
Blame Government for Current Financial Problems
These are dark days for those who believe in free markets and limited government. Each day brings a new story of a new, major financial company in trouble and now Congress is dickering over a $700 billion taxpayer-financed bailout package. Many on the left like EJ Dionne and even the supposedly conservative presidential candidate [...]
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Tagged with: Errors Elsewhere
Stopping Pork: The Final Frontier
Whether you like John McCain or not, he has undoubtedly been one of Congress’s undisputed leaders in fighting Congressional pork-barrel spending. Recently, Jonah Goldberg who will be coming to Albuquerque for a breakfast and book signing hosted by the Rio Grande Foundation, wrote about how Sen. McCain could capitalize on his leadership against pork-barrel spending [...]
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France Abandons 35-Hour Work Week
In case you missed it, France recently decided to abandon its absurd experiment with a mandatory 35-hour work week. The 35-hour week was introduced by the then Socialist government in France 10 years ago as a way to combat unemployment.
According to a story from CBS News, despite being widespread popularity:
The original 35-hour workweek — introduced [...]
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Tagged with: Errors Elsewhere
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac: This bailout has been years in the making
As most readers of this blog are probably aware, I used to work in Washington with the National Taxpayers Union, which is dedicated to lower taxes, less government spending, and tax reform. For years, my colleagues at NTU and I were voices in the wilderness telling Congress that government-sponsored housing giants Fannie Mae and Freddie [...]
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Faulty Disaster Relief Shows Need for Private Help
Whether or not the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) should even exist is, in my opinion, an open question. After all, the Constitution makes no provision for a federal role in addressing emergencies. If any government was to respond, it is state and local governments that are in the best position and are the most [...]
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The Problems of NM’s Gross Receipts Tax Come to Maryland
The Rio Grande Foundation has long decried New Mexico’s economically-destructive Gross Receipts Tax and urged other states to avoid our mistakes.
Unfortunately, at least in Maryland, that message seems to be falling on deaf ears. That state recently decided to levy a 6 percent tax on companies that provide computer support services, computer programming, consulting services [...]
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Colorado Residents Missing Rebates
In 2005, a narrow majority of Colorado residents voted to allow their state government to keep all tax revenues it took in for the next 5 years. In most states, politicians are always allowed to spend whatever they can convince taxpayers to give them, but something called the Taxpayers’ Bill of Rights made Colorado different [...]
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Travesty of Justice Oklahoma-style
Unfortunately, New Mexico doesn’t have the initiative process which would allow voters to place laws and constitutional amendments on the ballot. In Oklahoma, however, they do have this process in place, but the political establishment jealously guards its power from the people. After all, there is no bigger threat to those who control the process [...]
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Labor unions are digging their own graves
News today is that the United Auto Workers have struck General Motors. While this may not be immediately relevant to New Mexico, the reasons for the strike should be relevant to any non-government union worker. The union says the strike is not about wages or benefits, but “job security” and I believe them.
The problem is [...]
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Tagged with: Errors Elsewhere
