Think Tankers Take the “Bubble Quiz”
America's ongoing turmoil is partly fueled by the growing distrust between the cloistered elites and the rest of the nation.
America's ongoing turmoil is partly fueled by the growing distrust between the cloistered elites and the rest of the nation.
Texas was tied for 13th place with Alaska, with 64 percent of Texans trusting in their state government.
Hiking the minimum wage in the center of the high-tech universe will inevitably accelerate the drive to convert low-skill service jobs to robots. After all, machines don't call in sick, get stuck in California's notorious traffic, get injured and go on workers' comp, sue their employers or strike.
But, as with most government actions, there will be unintended consequences — the government drive for 'balance' will, as Friedrich Hayek warned, lead to more imbalance, which will invariably lead to cries for greater government intervention.
Since new teachers’ pay is tied to double the minimum wage, a 50 percent increase in the minimum wage will trigger demands for proportional wage increases on up the pay scale. California teachers earn an average of $71,396, not including generous retirement benefits.
Increased costs for electricity will have a ripple effect on manufacturing jobs as well as the standard of living of working Americans who will pay more for their electricity.
Many Americans will pay 30 percent or more for their electricity and barely notice the difference, but for millions more, such as the members of the Navajo Nation, the Clean Power Plan will have farther-reaching effects, destroying jobs and harming families.
The EPA’s Clean Power Plan has been delayed by the U.S. Supreme Court. But, if the courts allow it to proceed, it will result in higher electricity costs, lost jobs, and a lower standard of living.
The industry is responsible for more than 2,500 of the highest-paying jobs in the Navajo Nation. These revenues represent the Navajo Nation’s ability to act as a sovereign nation.
Texas requires licensing for 33 percent of these occupations, but charges slightly more in average fees, $304, and quite a bit less in mandatory training, 326 days.
Short of ending federal funding for hundreds of programs, Congress needs to resist the urge to micromanage distant states, counties and cities and shift to block grants with few strings attached.
Using utility bill surcharges to fund government programs is a surreptitious way to tax, especially when elected representatives set up an autopilot system so they can avoid accountability at the ballot box.