But We Have a Video!

November 7, 2016

The leadership of the House Ways and Means Committee just unveiled a new video touting what they call the “Tax Reform Blueprint,” a plan to simplify our taxes. The video is professionally produced, with nice music and a compelling message. It begins by stating the problem we all understand. “America’s tax code is broken. It’s […]

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How the Rest of the Country Can Share the West’s Good Fortune

October 29, 2016

President Obama is poised to use his power under the century-old Antiquities Act to designate a series of new national monuments just before leaving office. That is a proud tradition started by Jimmy Carter and perfected by Bill Clinton, but Obama’s designations will dwarf their controversial actions. Obama has already created or expanded 28 national […]

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Is it Public Law, or Public Suggestion?

October 22, 2016

A couple weeks ago I observed an odd committee hearing, in which U.S. senators questioned executive branch officials about the extent of their legal authority. Senators’ views ranged from “I think they have overstepped their bounds” to “I think they are well within their purview.” Most said, “This is not what Congress intended,” while one […]

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The Most Valuable Fish in the World

October 15, 2016

The beauty and bright colors of tropical fish grace many an aquarium, and some people are so into the hobby that they collect the rarest fish. That requires both a fascination with creatures of the deep, and a healthy bank account. Collectors can pay as much as $1,000 for an orange and purple striped fish […]

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Every Litter Bit Hurts

October 7, 2016

Keep America Beautiful was founded in 1953 and its early anti-litter campaigns introduced the word “litterbug.” The New York copywriter who coined the term also wrote the popular TV ad theme in 1963, “Every Litter Bit Hurts.” It was incredibly effective. Litter has always been a pet peeve of mine. So I was especially interested […]

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Laws Even the Government Can’t Change

September 30, 2016

When bad things happen, Americans often look to government for solutions. “There ought to be a law.” Conversely, we often bristle at overzealous laws and demand that government “stay out of our business.” We elect representatives who promise to pass laws, or repeal laws. But some laws are simply beyond their reach. We place too […]

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How Will the Other Half Live?

September 26, 2016

A solar energy salesman recently went to Washington with a couple professional environmental activists to advocate a new economic future for the North Fork Valley, a future based on replacing coal with solar energy. People lobbying for their own self-interest have every right to do so – absolutely nothing wrong with that. The specifics of […]

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Gathering Momentum, or Gathering Dust

September 17, 2016

Robert Burns famously wrote that “the best laid plans of mice and men, oft go awry.” Even well-crafted plans don’t always turn out as intended. But that isn’t the problem with most strategic plans in government these days. Rather, the problem is that so many “best laid plans” don’t go anywhere at all – awry […]

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History, Like Beauty, is in the Eye of the Beholder

September 9, 2016

No government agency can escape the clutches of political correctness these days, even the National Park Service (NPS), which celebrated its 100th birthday this month. The agency sent a blast email to thousands of friends of the national parks. The email mentioned the anniversary, and invited recipients to visit a special website highlighting some of […]

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All The Knowledge That Matters

September 8, 2016

A Nobel Prize-winning economist named Daniel Kahneman has spent years studying the psychology of decision-making. He published a summary of his research called “Thinking, Fast and Slow” about five years ago, in which he demonstrated that people simplify their thought process by applying various biases. In other words, our biases help us make judgments. My […]

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