expat_panama
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- Apr 12, 2011
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from: Stephen Moore: Government Makes The Poor Poorer
STEPHEN MOORE 4/07/2017
STEPHEN MOORE 4/07/2017
For all the obsession in Washington and in college faculty lounges over income inequality, why isn't there more outrage over government policies that exacerbate the problem? There are hundreds of programs that make the poor, poorer and increase poverty in America. Many of them were exposed last week by my colleagues at the Heritage Foundation forum on this very topic.
Economist Don Boudreaux of George Mason University unmasked two such policies. One is trade protectionism. Trade barriers raise prices and "act as a regressive tax" on Americans, Boudreaux explains. They also stunt the very innovation process that makes goods and services widely available to people at affordable prices to begin with. Think about who the consumers are that shop for those everyday low prices at Walmart. It's not Hillary Clinton.
Minimum wage clearly fits into this category as well. In every other industry, Boudreaux notes, when something is more expensive we buy less of it. Why do some economists think that isn't so when it comes to buying labor...
...the fuel economy standards ...
...the anti-fracking crusade...
Social Security is the greatest swindle of the poor ever...
Occupational licensing laws — in trades like moving companies, realtors, hair dressers, limousine services, beauticians, physical therapy...
...the government school system in inner cities. Every study finds abysmal educational outcomes and even unsafe environments for school children despite cities spending upward of $20,000 per child...
...These examples merely scratch the surface...
...Where are Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren and Nancy Pelosi and the class warfare warriors on reversing government policies that are stealing money and opportunities for low income and minority families? Do they care more about protecting the poor or big government? It's time to really find out.
Economist Don Boudreaux of George Mason University unmasked two such policies. One is trade protectionism. Trade barriers raise prices and "act as a regressive tax" on Americans, Boudreaux explains. They also stunt the very innovation process that makes goods and services widely available to people at affordable prices to begin with. Think about who the consumers are that shop for those everyday low prices at Walmart. It's not Hillary Clinton.
Minimum wage clearly fits into this category as well. In every other industry, Boudreaux notes, when something is more expensive we buy less of it. Why do some economists think that isn't so when it comes to buying labor...
...the fuel economy standards ...
...the anti-fracking crusade...
Social Security is the greatest swindle of the poor ever...
Occupational licensing laws — in trades like moving companies, realtors, hair dressers, limousine services, beauticians, physical therapy...
...the government school system in inner cities. Every study finds abysmal educational outcomes and even unsafe environments for school children despite cities spending upward of $20,000 per child...
...These examples merely scratch the surface...
...Where are Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren and Nancy Pelosi and the class warfare warriors on reversing government policies that are stealing money and opportunities for low income and minority families? Do they care more about protecting the poor or big government? It's time to really find out.
