The rising price of gas and the Montanans in combat with our armed forces remind us daily of the dangers we face from our Islamic enemies. If the situation worsens, the economic effects could hit real estate prices and hurt the local construction boom. So what is this “war” we are in? It is a […]
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It’s not news that Gallatin County, like much of the West, is growing rapidly. Planners, politicians, and preservationists worry about the shape of our future. Restricting growth to preserve agriculture and open space increases housing costs (think Boulder, CO). Unchecked growth keeps home prices down but consumes land and other qualities that make this place […]
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Who but misanthropes and exploiters of cheap labor would oppose the goal of increasing Montana’s minimum wage by one dollar to $6.15 per hour? Only a committed ascetic who inherited a home can enjoy a wholesome, healthy, independent life here on $12,000 per year. Clearly, the proposed increase falls far below a “living wage.” Fifteen […]
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This is not a review of P. J. O’Rourke’s delightful 1987 book. Instead, I’ll explain some Bush administration pathologies. Here’s the sorry context of these failures. In 1964, folks of classical liberal (libertarian) and politically conservative persuasions were attracted to the Republican presidential campaign of Arizona senator Barry Goldwater. While he received only 42 electoral […]
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On September 26, the Bozeman City Commission gave us a powerful civics lesson, providing an excellent case study of how the political world works. They showed how difficult it is to convert good intentions into concrete expression when operating in the political arena. By voting to keep the $4 million granted for the parking garage […]
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Americans are incredibly generous. We contribute around $250 billion annually to a wide array of charitable causes. Our culture of philanthropy is an expression of the highest of American ideals; it shows our commitment to the well-being of our neighbors — and of strangers in need. Philanthropy is critically important in Montana, a small state […]
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The Washington Post reports that a group of wealthy Democrats will fund a network of left-wing think tanks. They know they’ve lost the war of ideas. They hope to turn this tide by competing with conservative and libertarian outfits such as the Heritage Foundation, American Enterprise Institute, the Cato Institute, and twenty others within the […]
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By studying how Congress funds roads, we can learn a lot about America. We’ll see how our politicians transfer wealth to protect their job security. Last Friday’s passage of the highway bill demonstrated how politicians have perfected plundering without violence. In contrast to Zimbabwe where Mugabe’s thugs use machetes and bulldozers to transfer wealth, our […]
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America’s founders understood this law of politics: The governing class advances policies that benefit the wealthy and well connected. As George Will notes, “The world is divided between those who do and do not understand that activist, interventionist, regulating, subsidizing government is generally a servant of the strong and entrenched against the weak and aspiring.” […]
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Each spring, the mainstream media — fueled by a single advocacy group — accuse FREE of promoting corporate interests, pursuing anti-environmental policies, and conducting boondoggle seminars for federal judges and law professors. Solid evidence refutes these claims. It would be less disturbing if these printed accounts appeared on opinion pages, but these biases underlie Associated […]
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