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The Debasing of Moral Concepts
Gresham’s Law is an economic principle that states, “Bad money drives out good money.” Wikipedia explains the principle as it applies to money: For example, if there are two forms of commodity money in circulation, which are accepted by law as having similar face value, the more valuable commodity will gradually disappear from circulation As…
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DeSantis and Abbott are Hypocrites
While claiming to support freedom and property rights, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott have repeatedly failed to uphold these principles. Both DeSantis and Abbott are hypocrites. States that prohibit vaccine mandates have no problem issuing vaccine mandates for children who wish to enroll in a school. Florida prohibits any entity in…
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The Bully in Florida
Once again, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has demonstrated his willingness to use strong-arm tactics against those who make decisions that he doesn’t like. The latest example came in early June when Florida threatened to fine the Special Olympics $27.5 million for violating the state’s prohibition on vaccine mandates. The threat caused the Special Olympics to…
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Rent Control is Fascism
During the reign of Donald Trump, it was fashionable to compare him to Adolf Hitler. Trump certainly exhibited dictator-like characteristics, but that comparison was used to mask policies that are much more consistent with Hitler. For example, rent control is fascism. In recent years, rent control has become more popular as a means for keeping…
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The Cause of School Shootings, Part 2
In a three-part essay titled “Our Killing Schools,” The Redneck Intellectual, C. Bradley Thompson, provides a philosophical explanation that goes to the root cause of school shootings—Progressive education. In the final essay of the series, Thompson writes, The crisis of America’s teenage boys is a philosophic crisis. The cognitive consequence of Progressive education—if not the…
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The Cause of School Shootings, Part 1
In a three-part essay titled “Our Killing Schools,” The Redneck Intellectual, C. Bradley Thompson, addresses the school shootings that have stunned, angered, and confused Americans. Thompson goes beyond the typical explanations—video games, rap music, the absence of God in the classroom—for these senseless acts of violence. He provides a philosophical explanation that goes to the…
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Framing Public Policy Issues: Method
Effectively framing public policy issues begins by identifying the proper standard of value. However, selecting the proper goal is only the start. If we do not embrace the proper method for selecting and evaluating facts, then we will not make the best policy choices. There are two components to the proper method: context and alternatives….
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Blaming Putin and the Pandemic
From March 2021 to March 2022, prices for meat, poultry, fish, and eggs rose 13.7 percent. Energy prices were 32 percent higher. Overall, the annual inflation rate of 8.7 percent in March is the highest in forty years. Joe Biden has blamed surging inflation on Putin and the pandemic. Citing a .2 percent reduction in…
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Tides Don’t Change Property Rights
Declaring access to beaches a “fundamental human right,” two legislators in Massachusetts have filed a bill that would change the boundary of private property along the ocean. The bill would mandate public access to any beach in Massachusetts from the high tide line to the water. Current law recognizes private property to the low tide…
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Framing Public Policy Issues: Values
Far too often, those who support the free market adopt the wrong framework for their arguments. Indeed, in many instances advocates of the free market accept the framework of collectivists/statists. We won’t be successful in arguing for the free market is we embrace the framework of those who seek to destroy the free market. Winning…
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Anti-discrimination Laws are Anti-choice
Discrimination means recognizing the difference between to or more things. Every choice that we make is an act of discrimination. To oppose discrimination is to oppose freedom of choice. Anti-discrimination laws are anti-choice. As an example, consider laws that prohibit “source of income” discrimination in housing. Such laws force landlords to accept housing vouchers, regardless…
