Institutionalizing Economic Failure

December 12, 2016

British Prime Minister Edward Heath called protectionism “the institutionalization of economic failure.” Thriving businesses, he reasoned, do not need subsidies, tariffs, or any other protection against competition. That theory has underlain economic policy debates from the beginning of our republic. Even in this year’s campaign, foreign trade agreements became central issues – protectionism v. free […]

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A Time for Gratitude

December 2, 2016

The day of Thanksgiving most Americans celebrated yesterday is a tradition as old as our country. Americans have always had much for which to be thankful. The first official Thanksgiving proclamation, written by George Washington in 1789, expressed the American people’s gratitude for “an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety […]

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How Long is Forever?

November 26, 2016

A growing national debate about the difference between “perpetual” easements and “term” easements should pique the interest of Colorado leaders, again. Years ago when I was at Club 20 during the 1990s, Western Slope leaders became part of a new national movement in support of the idea of conservation easements to preserve agricultural land and […]

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Draining the Swamp

November 18, 2016

Donald Trump’s stunning victory in the presidential election has already created the usual swarm of “experts” who know exactly what the new President must do. The chattering class, editorialists, columnists, and bloggers everywhere are rushing to get their ideas heard. From appointment suggestions to major policy initiatives, all seem to know exactly what Mr. Trump […]

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Good Samaritan, Bad Samaritan

November 12, 2016

America’s most influential liberal think tank just published a report advocating reversal of decades-old environmental mitigation policy. It calls for mitigation not by those responsible, but simply by those with deep enough pockets. The plan suggests that organizations proposing new projects must first pay for cleaning up messes left by others. More euphemistically, the report […]

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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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