Category: national politics & policies

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free trade & free markets national politics & policies porkbarrel politics too much government

Nifty Doesn’t Cut It

Just because something can be done doesn’t make it economical to do. There is a big difference between physics and economics.

Take ethanol. It might seem nifty to grow the fuel for our cars and trucks like we do our food, in fields. But niftiness alone is not enough. Nifty notions, like un-nifty ones, must prove out in terms of all the costs involved.

A growing amount of research shows that ethanol doesn’t cut costs at all.

The most recent ethanol debunker I’ve come across is Robert Bryce, author of a forthcoming book with a provocative title, Gusher of Lies: The Dangerous Delusions of “Energy Independence.” Interviewed on ReasonOnline by Brian Doherty, Bryce offers some fascinating perspectives on energy economics and policies.

  • Did you know that for every gallon of ethanol, there’s at least 51 cents of subsidy?
  • Had you heard that corn-based ethanol produces more greenhouse gases than does our use of fossil fuels?
  • Have you stopped to think about all the water that raising more corn would require, and the increasing expense of getting gargantuan more amounts to farms in the midwest?

These and other considerations lead Robert Bryce to call current ethanol policy a “scam”and “the longest running robbery of taxpayers in American history.”

Some forms of bio-product may be more economically feasible than ethanol, like the biodiesel made from the unused parts of slaughtered animals. But we should wait to see how they cost out, too, without subsidy.

This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.

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free trade & free markets national politics & policies too much government

Powell Power

Should we be getting ulcers over the “digital divide” — the tragedy that not every single American already has a computer and Internet access?

Michael Powell, son of Colin Powell and the new chairman of the FCC, doesn’t think so. Shortly after he started his new job, the press asked him what he thought of the so-called digital divide. Powell said, “I think there’s a Mercedes divide. I’d like one, but I can’t afford it.”

Powell also said that he thought the very concept of a digital divide is a bit misleading. That’s because it “suggests that the minute a new and innovative technology is introduced in the market, there is a divide unless it is equitably distributed among every part of the society, and that is just an unreal understanding of the American capitalist system.” Powell noted that the end-of-the-line of that way of thinking is pure socialism.

Every time something new comes along you’d have to make sure everybody has it or nobody has it, which would kill innovation and economic improvement. Just so the politicians can have something to do. After all, every big new thing on the market is expensive at first and only the few can afford it. Then it gets cheaper and cheaper and more and more widely available.

That’s been the pattern with cars, plane travel and TV sets, and certainly with desktop computers and the Internet. It’s not a terrible thing; it’s a great thing. More power to Powell. Instead of pandering, he made it clear that in America you aren’t supposed to get everything you want, just what you earn.

This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.

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national politics & policies too much government

More Politicians?

Even in good economic times, Americans are unhappy with our government. So when someone suggests that what we really need in Washington are five times as many politicians as we have today, well, my first thought is, “Are you crazy?”

But that’s exactly what Bob Novak advocates in his new book. Novak says let’s increase the U.S. House from 435 members to 2,000. But cut the salary of each representative to one fifth what we now pay. It would mean that instead of representing 500,000 people, a congressman would represent about 100,000 people. More personal campaigning and fewer TV ads.

A candidate without much money would have a better chance to speak directly to voters. Instead of spending over a million dollars on their office and paying congressmen more than $140,000 a year, they’d get only $200,000 on their office and $28,000 for salary. Are career congressmen likely to chop their own personal power to do what’s best for the country and the institution of Congress? Nope. But they do talk a lot about taking the big money out of politics.

Well, if they’re serious, this is one way to do it without destroying the First Amendment and handing incumbents the power to regulate their opponents. Increasing the number of congressmen would strengthen the connection between the representative and the individual citizen. I never thought I’d say it, but we could use more congressmen. They would represent us better.

This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.

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Accountability judiciary national politics & policies

Broken Contract

Politicians say Social Security is a solemn contract between government and the people. Well, a contract is enforceable in court. And in our litigious society it’s not surprising that someone did take the government to court to get what he said he was owed from Social Security.

The case, Flemming v. Nestor, went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. After paying in year after year, care to guess what the High Court says you are entitled to from Social Security? Is it (a) a set monthly payment, (b) at least 10 percent of what you’ve paid in, (c) whatever is behind door #3, or (d) whatever Congress says you get? The court’s answer was (d) whatever Congress says you get. Some contract.

The politicians are charging us over 15 percent of our income, but not guaranteeing us any specific benefit. You could die without ever getting back a dime, and your family wouldn’t get a dime either. Politicians have broken the contract on Social Security. They admit we must fix the System, but do nothing. They’ll simply wait until the money runs dry, blame others and then raise your taxes, slash benefits, or both.

Term-limited Representative Mark Sanford has a different plan. He says take Social Security out of the hands of politicians and let Americans control their own financial futures. Sometimes tough problems have pretty easy solutions.

This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.

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incumbents national politics & policies

Without a Vision

Close your eyes for three seconds — not if you’re on the road right now though — and imagine what you would do if you were in the Congress. Fight for new legislation? Repeal misguided old statutes? Block pork-barrel spending? Combat corruption?

Our dreams shape our horizons; they’re an inspiration and a challenge to do our best. That “vision-thing” is important. If we don’t envision it, we don’t attempt it. Now, I don’t want to start preaching, but the Bible itself says, “Without a vision, my people perish.”

Take Senator Trent Lott from Mississippi. He leads the Republican majority in the U.S. Senate. Asked by reporters what he hoped to accomplish this year, Lott replied: “We don’t have to score a touchdown, we just have to control the clock.” Huh? Republicans have the ball, and they ain’t exactly winning out there on the field, and all they want to do is run out the clock?

Lott and those like him would rather stay in Washington twiddling their thumbs than take a political risk to advance the issues they claim to care about. Commentator Robert Novak says, “They lack courage because they are professional politicians. They are much more worried about the next election, about keeping their majority, about keeping their seats, than they are about having the courage do the right thing.”

Good point. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to win elections. But to junk your agenda simply to hold on to power?

Power to do what?

This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.

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Accountability national politics & policies

Character

George W. Bush seems a likeable guy. Some politicians aren’t exactly the kind of people you’d want to spend time with casually. But I’d have no fear stuck next to Mr. Bush on a long flight. He’d be fun.

I like that, but it isn’t enough by itself to qualify him to be president. In a president, and in any elected official, the most important quality is character. Not “a character” we get our share of those. As Will Rogers said, “The trouble with practical jokes is that very often they get elected.”

No, I mean real character. With character comes the courage to fight for one’s beliefs. The courage to have beliefs in the first place. With character comes integrity. Bush has talked about character and restoring dignity to the office of president.

But his actions in campaigning for two Republicans Tillie Fowler of Florida and George Nethercutt of Washington State fall short. At issue are their term limits vows to step down from Congress after this term. Bush not only campaigned for them, he encouraged them to break their word to the voters.

Mr. Bush, don’t look the other way at dishonesty; don’t promote your party and its politicians “right or wrong.” Be for what’s right, for keeping promises. Tell Fowler and Nethercutt that you stand for character and integrity and that they should too.

If it’s okay with you for Republicans in Congress to break their pledges to voters, how can we trust your word? Character counts. Especially in a president.

This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.