Liberal Logic 101:
You Can’t Subsidize Freedom
A Cato Institute study finds that New York is the least free of the 50 states because of its high tax burden, huge debt and regulatory stranglehold. Another factor is business subsidies, which are almost four times the national average.
At first blush, that one might sound like a good thing. Don’t we want businesses to create jobs, and shouldn’t the state help by subsidizing employers?
Yes, and no. A current housing example proves the point.
A program called 421-a provided a property-tax break to developers in exchange for lower rents on some apartments. It lapsed last January, and a bid to revive it has the state adding another layer of incentives.
The measure reportedly proposes that laborers get at least $50 an hour in wages and benefits, with the state paying 30 percent of it in less ritzy parts of the city.
Here’s the catch: Where does the state subsidy money come from? Other taxpayers — that’s where.
With the state already projecting a budget deficit, other tax hikes might follow, which would make living here even less affordable.
In essence, then, the state and city already have such high taxes that, to get affordable housing, they must take money from other people to subsidize both developers and workers.
What does any of this have to do with free markets and capitalism? Nothing. Which is why Cato is exactly right that New York has a freedom deficit.
http://nypost.com/2016/08/21/american-journalism-is-collapsing-before-our-eyes/
"You can't fix stupid" - Dave
You Can’t Subsidize Freedom
A Cato Institute study finds that New York is the least free of the 50 states because of its high tax burden, huge debt and regulatory stranglehold. Another factor is business subsidies, which are almost four times the national average.
At first blush, that one might sound like a good thing. Don’t we want businesses to create jobs, and shouldn’t the state help by subsidizing employers?
Yes, and no. A current housing example proves the point.
A program called 421-a provided a property-tax break to developers in exchange for lower rents on some apartments. It lapsed last January, and a bid to revive it has the state adding another layer of incentives.
The measure reportedly proposes that laborers get at least $50 an hour in wages and benefits, with the state paying 30 percent of it in less ritzy parts of the city.
Here’s the catch: Where does the state subsidy money come from? Other taxpayers — that’s where.
With the state already projecting a budget deficit, other tax hikes might follow, which would make living here even less affordable.
In essence, then, the state and city already have such high taxes that, to get affordable housing, they must take money from other people to subsidize both developers and workers.
What does any of this have to do with free markets and capitalism? Nothing. Which is why Cato is exactly right that New York has a freedom deficit.
http://nypost.com/2016/08/21/american-journalism-is-collapsing-before-our-eyes/
"You can't fix stupid" - Dave
President Barack Obama dismissed criticism that he spent too much time golfing on his Martha’s Vineyard vacation instead of visiting Louisiana after devastating historic flooding in the state.
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump traveled to the site of the damage and met with some of the victims last week before the White House announced plans for the president to make his own visit.
When Obama was asked by reporters if he was concerned about candidates politicizing disasters, he replied, “No I don’t.
“First of all, one of the benefits of being five months short of leaving here is I don’t worry too much about politics,” Obama added.
Hell yes, after 7 years why start now?
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump traveled to the site of the damage and met with some of the victims last week before the White House announced plans for the president to make his own visit.
When Obama was asked by reporters if he was concerned about candidates politicizing disasters, he replied, “No I don’t.
“First of all, one of the benefits of being five months short of leaving here is I don’t worry too much about politics,” Obama added.
Hell yes, after 7 years why start now?
Monmouth University released a poll today that had Donald Trump defeating Hillary Clinton.
Trump was up 41-39 so they weighted the poll with more Democrats to give Hillary the lead.
Monmouth Refigures Poll After Trump Comes Out With Lead Over Hillary Clinton
The original unweighted poll had 33 Republicans to 35 Democrats – with Trump leading.
The revised poll had 29 Republicans to 37 Democrats… And, Wallah! Hillary has the lead.
“If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it.
The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of the State.”
Joseph Goebbels
Ass hat of the day and former NFL QB.
SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick has willingly immersed himself into controversy by refusing to stand for the playing of the national anthem in protest of what he deems are wrongdoings against African Americans and minorities in the United States.
His latest refusal to stand for the anthem -- he has done this in at least one other preseason game -- came before the 49ers' preseason loss to Green Bay at Levi's Stadium on Friday night.
"I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color," Kaepernick told NFL Media in an exclusive interview after the game. "To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder."
Bye bye career.
SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick has willingly immersed himself into controversy by refusing to stand for the playing of the national anthem in protest of what he deems are wrongdoings against African Americans and minorities in the United States.
His latest refusal to stand for the anthem -- he has done this in at least one other preseason game -- came before the 49ers' preseason loss to Green Bay at Levi's Stadium on Friday night.
"I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color," Kaepernick told NFL Media in an exclusive interview after the game. "To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder."
Bye bye career.
Class act of the day.
Travis Rudolph sitting with Bo Paske, a middle schooler with autism who the player noticed was
eating lunch alone as the team visited Montford Middle School. The act of kindness, which brought
Bo’s mom Leah to tears, just seemed like the thing to do to Rudolph.
Travis Rudolph sitting with Bo Paske, a middle schooler with autism who the player noticed was
eating lunch alone as the team visited Montford Middle School. The act of kindness, which brought
Bo’s mom Leah to tears, just seemed like the thing to do to Rudolph.
[h=2]President Obama nominates a Muslim to be a federal judge for the first time in U.S. history[/h]
Obama put forward attorney Abid Riaz Qureshi of Maryland, who specializes in fraud and securities violation cases for the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
+2
President Barack Obama has nominated Abid Qureshi to serve as a federal judge. It is the first time a Muslim has been nominated in U.S. history
- 100 comments
- 244 shares
- SHARE PICTURE
+2
President Barack Obama has nominated Abid Qureshi to serve as a federal judge. It is the first time a Muslim has been nominated in U.S. history
[h=2]Parents' fury after school gives them just THREE DAYS' notice that it will be shut so Muslim staff can celebrate Eid [/h][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]
[/FONT]Chobham Academy (pictured) in Newham, east London, is closed today due to a 'high number of staff requesting leave for religious observance' for the Muslim festival Eid-al-Adha. But families were given just three days to find alternative childcare arrangements - with one saying working parents were being 'penalised'. Primary principal at the school Mark Elms (pictured), a former 'super head' at his old school with a £276,000 salary, offered parents his 'sincere apologies'.
