Economy — Frontiers of Freedom

Americans Are Migrating to States with Lower Taxes and Less Regulation

March 29, 2013 By Frontiers of Freedom Leave a Comment

by John Merline

Americans are migrating from less-free liberal states to more-free conservative states, where they are doing better economically, according to a new study published Thursday by George Mason University’s Mercatus Center.

The “Freedom in the 50 States” study measured economic and personal freedom using a wide range of criteria, including tax rates, government spending and debt, regulatory burdens, and state laws covering land use, union organizing, gun control, education choice and more.

It found that the freest states tended to be conservative “red” states, while the least free were liberal “blue” states. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Economic Liberty and Property Rights Tagged With: Economic Freedom, Economics, Economy, Jobs, Less Regulation, Limited Government, Lower Taxes, Taxes, Unemployment

Carbon Taxes and Leprosy: The opportunity of a life time? Who are they kidding?

March 20, 2013 By George Landrith Leave a Comment

by George Landrith

It is not surprising that there are liberals in Washington proposing new stealth carbon taxes. What is surprising is that a few “conservatives” support the idea. Even more inexplicable is the fact that some have called the carbon tax a “once in a generation opportunity.”

Let me see if I’ve got this right. A huge, gargantuan tax increase — one that would make everything cost more — is a “once in a generation opportunity?”

Every single day for the last 30 years and every single day for the next 30 years, liberals will crawl over top of each other to be the first one to sign-on to a new energy tax. This is a deal that liberals will always be willing to give. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Economic Liberty and Property Rights Tagged With: Carbon Taxes, Economy, Energy, Government Spending, Growth, Jobs, Regulation, Taxes, Unemployment

The economy, jobs, and energy and carbon taxes

March 14, 2013 By George Landrith Leave a Comment

George Landrith, president of Frontiers of Freedom, issued the following statement:

The economy is not some theoretical concept or ivory tower idea. A strong economy means that Americans have jobs and growing incomes. It means that families can provide their children with the care and opportunities that will provide for a bright future. Conversely a weak economy means fewer jobs and less opportunity. It means lower incomes and it means that families have to do without.

Too often big government slows the economy by taxing and spending too much. Those who support more and more government taxes and spending always argue that government can do something good with the money. But the problem with that argument is that families and businesses also can do a lot of good with that money if government doesn’t take it away from them. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Economic Liberty and Property Rights Tagged With: Carbon Taxes, Debt, Economics, Economy, Energy, Energy Taxes, freedom, Government Spending, Growth, Jobs, Taxes

The truth about the minimum wage

March 9, 2013 By Frontiers of Freedom Leave a Comment

by Gordon Jones

In early 2011, the Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on the constitutionality of ObamaCare (né the Affordable Care Act of 2009). One would think that the time for such a hearing might be before passage of the act, but that is the way we do things around here, and besides, that is not the point of this column, which (as you can see from the title), is about the minimum wage.

The point derives from an exchange between Utah’s freshman (very fresh at the time, only a day or two old) Senator Mike Lee and Walter Dellinger, heavyweight lawyer, professor of constitutional law at Duke University, Assistant Solicitor General, presidential legal adviser, and then Acting Solicitor General in the Clinton Administration. In the course of the exchange, Lee wondered why, if the Interstate Commerce Clause would support a requirement for everyone to buy insurance, it wouldn’t support a requirement that every citizen buy (if not actually consume) three servings of leafy green vegetables every day. (That was in the heady days when supporters of ObamaCare still thought it was a regulation, before Chief Justice Roberts discovered that it was actually a tax.) [Read more...]

Filed Under: Economic Liberty and Property Rights Tagged With: Economics, Economy, Jobs, Minimum Wage, Racism, Unemployment

The buck still stops with the president

February 25, 2013 By Frontiers of Freedom Leave a Comment

by Nolan Finley

Playing the crisis card won’t work forever for President Barack Obama. At some point, the people will expect their leader to lead.

And the president hasn’t yet demonstrated the will to do so. Instead, he answers monumental moments such as the upcoming sequestration deadline with brinksmanship and blame-gaming.

For now, the approach is working. A Pew/USA Today poll last week found decisively more voters blame [Read more...]

Filed Under: Constitutional and Political Studies Tagged With: Debt, Deficit, Economics, Economy, fiscal cliff, Government Spending, Media Bias, Media Corruption, Obama, Obamanomics, Politics, Taxes, Waste

Ronald Reagan’s Second Inaugural Address: Human freedom is on the march, and nowhere more so than our own hemisphere

January 21, 2013 By Scott Vanatter Leave a Comment

“The American sound . . . is hopeful, big-hearted, idealistic, daring, decent, and fair.”

by Scott L. Vanatter

One-term presidents rarely are considered our most successful presidents. Getting re-elected is not in and of itself an indicator of a successful second term. Of course, the more successful the first term, the more likely the success of a second.

During his second term Reagan built on the real economic accomplishment of his first. This success enabled him to ensure our freedoms and secure our defense. This freedom, then, spread around the world. Indeed, America became again the last best hope of earth. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Constitutional and Political Studies, Economic Liberty and Property Rights, Reagan Legacy Tagged With: Constitution, Economy, Foreign Policy, George Washington, Limited Government, recovery, Ronald Reagan

Ronald Reagan’s First Inaugural Address: “We are a nation that has a government–not the other way around.”

January 19, 2013 By Scott Vanatter Leave a Comment

“We are a nation that has a government–not the other way around. And this makes us special among the nations of the Earth.”

by Scott L. Vanatter

The claim is made that the most important political event in history was neither the writing of the Declaration nor the crafting or ratification of the Constitution which secures our rights. It was neither of these two monumental accomplishments; it was the peaceful transition of the control of the executive office of the United States of America from George Washington to John Adams. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Constitutional and Political Studies, Economic Liberty and Property Rights, Reagan Legacy Tagged With: Constitution, Economics, Economy, Foreign Policy, Government Spending, National Defense, Ronald Reagan

When Big Deficits Became Good

January 12, 2013 By Frontiers of Freedom Leave a Comment

“The problem now is that there are not enough millionaires and billionaires to make up for the shortfall. And if interest rates rise just a bit, the debt will bury us all — fat cats and thin cats alike.”

Deficit by Victor Davis Hanson

As a senator and presidential candidate, Barack Obama said that he detested budget deficits. In 2006, when the aggregate national debt was almost $8 trillion less than it is today, he blasted George W. Bush’s chronic borrowing and refused to vote for upping the debt ceiling: “Increasing America’s debt weakens us domestically and internationally. Leadership means that ‘the buck stops here.’” [Read more...]

Filed Under: Economic Liberty and Property Rights Tagged With: Deficit, Economy, Government Spending, hansen, Obama

Ronald Reagan’s Farewell Address to the ’88 Republican National Convention

January 9, 2013 By Scott Vanatter Leave a Comment

“Our party speaks for human freedom, for the sweep of liberties that are at the core of our existence. . . . Together we’ve fought for causes we love. But we can never let the fire go out or quit the fight, because the battle is never over. Our freedom must be defended over and over again — and then again.”

by Scott L. Vanatter

At the end of a Super Bowl the winning head coach can rightly point to the day’s game plan, key plays, and stats. All these and more contributed to what was accomplished by the team – led by the coach.

At the end of his time in office, a successful two-term president can rightly point to the administration’s fundamental principles and key policies. All these and more produced the real-world accomplishments – led by the president. After eight years of concrete success and indisputable accomplishment President Reagan reported to the 1988 Republican National Convention. Prior to being elected Reagan had carefully and overtly taught — yes, taught — the country the key principles on which the Founders based the U.S. Constitution and preserved American culture. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Economic Liberty and Property Rights, Reagan Legacy Tagged With: Constitution, Debt, Economics, Economy, Energy, Foreign Policy, Government Spending, Jobs, Middle East, Ronald Reagan, Taxes, Terrorism, Unemployment

Ronald Reagan, “Our Noble Vision: An Opportunity For All”

January 1, 2013 By Scott Vanatter Leave a Comment

“You cannot create a desert, hand a person a cup of water, and call that compassion. . . . And you cannot build up years of dependence on government and dare call that hope.”

by Scott L. Vanatter

Before his first term was complete President Reagan restored the American economy and revived the American spirit. The power and focus of his words and his policies returned America to its true identity and destiny.

Soaring rhetoric must be supported by real accomplishment. Otherwise the words are empty, the sentiment is trite. Too often national leaders only give lip service to the lofty principles which Reagan carefully and continually taught. Worse, when some leaders overtly deprecate the Founding principles, America fails to preserve and advance our precious freedoms. Tyranny is never more than a generation away from falling on us. Americans need to continually self-inoculate against a creeping tyranny. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Economic Liberty and Property Rights, Reagan Legacy Tagged With: Debt, Economy, Foreign Policy, Government Spending, Growth, Jobs, Oil Exploration, Ronald Reagan, Taxes, Unemployment

Stossel: It’s the Spending, Stupid!

December 22, 2012 By Frontiers of Freedom Leave a Comment

“Given our growing debt, can’t they even slow the growth of government to the rate of inflation? Or inflation plus 1 percent? . . . That might balance the budget within a decade. But the spenders won’t even give me that. They want more. Always more.”

by John Stossel

Listening to progressive media pundits, I’d think the most evil man in the universe is Grover Norquist, head of Americans for Tax Reform. His crime? He heads a movement that asks political candidates to pledge not to raise taxes.I think Grover accomplished a lot. But I wish he’d convinced politicians to pledge not to increase spending.

President Obama says raising taxes to cut the deficit is a “balanced” approach.

Balanced …

But what’s “balanced” about raising taxes after vast increases in spending? Trillions for war, Medicare, “stimulus” and solar panels. Tax receipts rose — after tax-rate cuts — from $1.9 billion in 2003 to $2.3 billion in 2008, the year the recession started. That increase couldn’t keep up with the spending. The deficit doubled — actually, more than doubled — as politicians increased spending to nearly $4 trillion! Our debt, at more than $16 trillion, now exceeds our gross domestic product. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Constitutional and Political Studies, Economic Liberty and Property Rights Tagged With: Debt, Deficit, Economy, Government Spending, grover norquist

Federal Spending Up 78% After Inflation Since 1998

December 20, 2012 By Frontiers of Freedom Leave a Comment

“If we had kept government spending down to just increases for inflation and population growth, we wouldn’t be in the trouble we’re in now.”

by David Hogberg

Spending chart President Obama says he wants a “balanced” approach to the fiscal cliff. But critics argue the real problem is spending, which has far outstripped rising tax revenue as well as economic growth.

Federal government revenue rose from $1.7 trillion to $2.4 trillion from fiscal 1998 to 2012, slightly exceeding inflation. Revenue growth averaged 2.9% annually, despite two recessions, bear markets — and tax cuts.

But federal spending rose nearly twice as fast — 5.7% per year — surging from $1.6 trillion to $3.5 trillion over that same span.

The spending spike also exceeds growth in the population. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Economic Liberty and Property Rights Tagged With: Debt, Deficit, Economics, Economy, Government Spending

Federal Spending is the Problem: Defense is Not!

December 7, 2012 By George Landrith Leave a Comment

defense spending by George Landrith

With a long history of federal overspending and the recent explosion of more federal debt, it is obvious that the federal budget must be cut back to a reasonable size. We need an intervention. But the Budget Control Act — which would force an “automatic sequester” of $500 billion in across-the-board defense spending cuts over the next decade, in addition to the $487 billion in defense cuts already scheduled — is not a good solution to our spending crisis. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Constitutional and Political Studies, Economic Liberty and Property Rights Tagged With: Debt, Deficit, Economy, fiscal cliff, Government Spending, Jobs, Limited Government, Military, National Defense, Taxes

The Real Fiscal Cliff

December 6, 2012 By Frontiers of Freedom Leave a Comment

“After the phony cliff, we face the terrifying one.”

by Conrad Black

Last week, Fareed Zakaria and Charles Krauthammer appeared in Toronto (where I live much of the time), and while I did not go to their main debate, I went to a tasting of it at a luncheon. There was, I regret to write, as a longstanding friend of both of them, a surreal aspect to the exchange. After the usual compliments one exchanges (as I know from my time on that circuit), they embarked on a dialogue of the deaf, and a mutual flight, joined at the wingtip like Jurassic pterodactyls, soaring above the mighty chasm of American fiscal problems below. The otherworldly discussion of whether the Republican leaders in Congress will reach an agreement with the president about the automatic expiration of the Bush tax cuts of a decade ago vastly overshadowed the issue of reinserting spontaneous growth into the U.S. economy and grappling with the deficit at last. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Constitutional and Political Studies, Economic Liberty and Property Rights Tagged With: Debt, Deficit, Economy, fiscal cliff, Fiscal Crisis, Limited Government, Ronald Reagan, Taxes

Record 42 million Americans on food stamps this Thanksgiving

November 21, 2012 By Frontiers of Freedom Leave a Comment

by Todd Beamon

Food stamps will be the only way 42.2 million Americans will pay for their Thanksgiving Day dinner this year – more than ever.

This Thanksgiving, 42.2 million Americans will be on food stamps – the Economic Policy Institute reports – or about as many people living in California and Connecticut combined, according to U.S. News & World Report. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Economic Liberty and Property Rights Tagged With: Economy, Food Stamps

Ronald Reagan, “What Ever Happened to Free Enterprise”

November 19, 2012 By Scott Vanatter Leave a Comment

“Will we, before it is too late, use the vitality and the magic of the marketplace to save this way of life, or will we one day face our children, and our children’s children when they ask us where we were and what we were doing on the day that freedom was lost?”

by Scott L. Vanatter

Before he was elected president Ronald Reagan delivered a series of speeches on various aspects of the American experience. He focused on core principles: our founding, our freedoms, our economy, and especially and repeatedly on the great promise of our being the Shining City on the Hill.

Thirty-five years ago this month, on November 10, 1977 , the future president spoke at the Ludwig Von Mises Memorial Lecture at Hillsdale College, Michigan. His remarks were titled, “What Ever Happened to Free Enterprise.” [Read more...]

Filed Under: Constitutional and Political Studies, Economic Liberty and Property Rights, Reagan Legacy Tagged With: Economics, Economy, Energy, freedom, Government Spending, Stimulus

Mandates, Taxes, Spending Cuts and Crazy Talk

November 16, 2012 By George Landrith Leave a Comment

by George Landrith

After a long, tough campaign, Barack Obama won reelection by a slim 51% to 49%. Now Obama is claiming a broad mandate to increasing taxes and demands that Congress yield to his view that there must be a higher tax burden for the wealthiest Americans.

Obama is correct that he made tax increases an issue during his reelection campaign. But so did the Congressmen who comprise the majority in the U.S. House of Representatives. GOP Congressmen won reelection opposing tax rate increases on any Americans. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Constitutional and Political Studies, Economic Liberty and Property Rights Tagged With: Debt, Deficit, Economics, Economy, Elections, fiscal cliff, freedom, Government Spending, Growth, Taxes

Ronald Reagan on the Importance of Entrepreneurs

November 15, 2012 By Scott Vanatter 1 Comment

“New incentives to save, invest, and take risks, so more wealth will be created at every level of our society.”

by Scott L. Vanatter

President Ronald Reagan dedicated his May 14, 1983 radio address from Camp David “the importance of entrepreneurs and how we’re trying to help them.”

He began by citing George Gilder’s book, Wealth and Poverty, where he developed the important idea that “… most successful entrepreneurs contribute far more to society than they ever recover. And most of them win no riches at all. They are the heroes of economic life. And those who begrudge them their rewards demonstrate a failure to understand their role and their promise.” Reagan went further, “Too often, entrepreneurs are forgotten heroes. We rarely hear about them. But look into the heart of America, and you’ll see them. They’re the owners of that store down the street, the faithfuls who support our churches, schools, and communities, the brave people everywhere who produce our goods, feed a hungry world, and keep our homes and families warm while they invest in the future to build a better America.” [Read more...]

Filed Under: Constitutional and Political Studies, Economic Liberty and Property Rights, Reagan Legacy Tagged With: business, Economy, Entrepreneurs, invest, profit, Reagan, risk, small business

Ronald Reagan’s Economic Bill of Rights

November 14, 2012 By Scott Vanatter Leave a Comment

“Taxation is forced labor; and if it goes beyond reasonable bounds, it is a yoke of oppression.”

by Scott L. Vanatter

Nearing the end of his presidency, Ronald Reagan laid out a final challenge to the nation, its leaders and citizens. He sought to a.) summarize the principles which made possible his record economic growth, and b.) lay out a clear path to secure economic growth into the future.

The president spoke at an Independence Day celebration at the Jefferson Memorial at a U.S. Chamber of Commerce event on July 3, 1987. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Constitutional and Political Studies, Economic Liberty and Property Rights, Reagan Legacy Tagged With: balanced budget amendment, Budget, Debt, Economy, freedom, Reagan, Ronald Reagan

Frontiers of Freedom & Gas Can Man educating the public on energy policy leading up to the election

November 6, 2012 By George Landrith Leave a Comment

During the last week of October and the first week of November 2012, Frontiers of Freedom was in Ohio with Gas Can Man educating Americans on the need for responsible and sound energy policy. During most of the past two years Americans have been filling up their gas tanks at prices that are about double what they were four years ago. Energy policy makes a real difference to average every day Americans. When bad energy policy drives prices up, Americans effectively pay a huge energy tax imposed by politicians who have artificially made energy more scarce and more expensive.

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Categories

Join Our Mailing List

Tags

Archives

Recent Blog Entries