Free Republic

So what's wrong with Democrats in this country? Why are they being so reactionary? Why do they insist on holding out on so many of their constituents? How long will it take them to achieve their stated goals with such a penny ante approach to redistribution of wealth? If heath insurance is, as they insist, a universal right, isn't food? Isn't shelter? Isn't clothing? Why are there no proposals being made to ensure all Americans can get free food, free housing and free clothing among other essentials? If you get a chance – at a town hall meeting or at...

I was watching MSNBC a few nights ago, or maybe it was CNN, and one of the program’s featured shots was a live picture from Bourbon Street in New Orleans. It was packed and the people were sassy and partying – normal, in other words. Indeed, the commentator used that, very word and stressed the importance of it. He said it again – New Orleans is returning to normal. How depressing it was to hear that because of all things we want for that city, we should not ever again want it to be its old normal self. Normal –...

There have been some unfortunate and dark days in American history, but what was the worst day? Some obvious choices include December 7, when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, and September 11, when the terrorists launched their despicable attack. Another option (somewhat tongue in cheek) might be January 20 since Republican partisans would say that’s the day that both Jimmy Carter and Barack Obama became President while Democratic partisans would say that’s the day Ronald Reagan became President. But allow me to suggest that Yesterday, October 3, should be a candidate for America’s worst day. Why? Because on this day...

In 1913, the United States passed the 16th Amendment and then enacted the income tax. Intended as a way of replacing revenues because of the perceived need to reduce the income from tariffs, it was only intended to apply to the wealthiest of the citizens. However Congress saw the potential advantages of the income tax to reward their friends and influence behavior. One of the reasons that Karl Marx’s Communist Manifesto insisted on a “a heavy progressive or graduated income tax” is that an income tax allows a government to directly control people much more than any other form of...

In 2012, voters in California approved a measure to raise taxes on millionaires, bringing their top state income tax rate to 13.3 percent, the highest in the nation. Conservative economists predicted calamity, or at least a big slowdown in growth. Also that year, the governor of Kansas signed a series of changes to the state's tax code, including reducing income and sales tax rates. Conservative economists predicted a boom. Neither of those predictions came true. Not right away -- California grew just fine in the year the tax hikes took effect -- and especially not in the medium term, as...

At the end of this past week, The Washington Post ran a long story on the Center for Freedom and Prosperity (CFP), an organization that I have long supported. It appeared that the original goal was to do a hit piece on CFP because it had been a leader in the fight for global tax competition and smaller government. The irony was that the authors of the story quoted a number of people from around the world... ...who support bigger government and higher taxes, to the effect that those at the CFP had been highly successful in blocking a number...

John Tamny, of Forbes and RealClearMarkets, has penned a highly original and stimulating look at the economics of money and banking: Who Needs the Fed? I sang the praises of his remarkable Popular Economics when that came out, and now this just-published book has me singing them again, in a new key. Let me note up front that there are substantial parts of this book with which I, so far at least, disagree. I have exchanged some emails with Mr. Tamny on these issues and nothing has been resolved. This is a not A Bad Thing: it can be actually...

When it comes to taxes, depending on whichever conservative you talk to they all have a different idea on what sort of tax plan would work best. Some want a national sales Tax, some want an income tax, and some even want a Tariff. So why not UNIFY under a plan that ALL of us can get behind? Here is an idea that I have been thinking about that i have never seen before. I call it the "10% Flex" Tax plan. Why is it flexible? It is flexible as it would allow congress to control what TYPE of taxes...

Two-thirds of Americans do not have any taxable income. The most recent IRS data shows that Americans earning over $100,000 per year pay roughly 80% of all taxes in America. This means that roughly seven percent of our nation pays the overwhelming majority of everyone else's government expenses. I'm a big fan of the idea of a nationwide flat tax. But here's the problem: We already have a flat tax and an income tax. Almost every item we buy has a federal tax somehow levied on it. When you pay your cell phone bill you pay a universal access fee...

The ROOT CAUSE of our economic woes including business leaving our shores is the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT unconstitutionally forcing minimum wage on business. Minimum wage, regulations, unions, and high taxes are THE CAUSE of businesses moving elsewhere. Federal government is the problem NOT the solution. Although I support Trump, his tariff proposals are MORE federal government and do NOTHING to attack the ROOT CAUSES of the loss of jobs in our country. Tariffs have the appearance but not the reality of a solution - they are only palliative and delay the actual reforms needed. A tariff is a tax and China...

Hillary Clinton made a big announcement Sunday, saying she’d put her husband “in charge of economic revitalization.” Only problem is that she’s already forsworn all the policies Bill enacted while he was in office that led to the 1990s boom.

“We don’t care who you are,” stated Koskinen, “Whether you go to church, or don’t go to church.” Koskinen explained audits occur when something pops up in your tax returns they find suspicious. It’s basically all about the numbers. Party or religious affiliation is not part of any IRS audit red flag, according to Koskinen.

From the article: Donald Trump is the Republican presumptive nominee, but ... you'll read articles urging voters never to support him. Ignore them. Many of these Trump opponents are principled people. Some fear Trump, ... they believe ... that America and its institutions, ... cannot endure a Trump presidency.... ... Trump's most vocal opponents -- prefer a president they can control... Trump is a wild card, and in a race between the devil they know and the one they don't, they'll take Hillary Clinton every time. Another four years of a Democratic president is, after all, good for business. And...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEi8MFTOZ3c Trump Claims Clinton Bias, Blasts Stephanopoulos on Taxes ‘It’s None Of Your Business!’

“Negative interest rates” have become a phenomenon with economists and the media. But I’m writing to tell you something about negative interest rates you haven’t heard. You certainly won’t hear about it in the mainstream press. What’s coming at you is a historic event. It’s something our grandchildren will hear stories about, much like the Great Depression or the Cold War. It could send the price of gold much higher in the coming years. If you know what’s coming, it could mean the difference between having lots of free cash in retirement and barely getting by. And please remember this...

Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump just revealed an inconvenient truth about U.S. debt, the outspoken and often controversial Peter Schiff told CNBC in a recent interview. Last week, Trump joined CNBC's "Squawk Box" last week to discuss a wide range of topics including U.S. debt, interest rates and replacing Fed Chair Janet Yellen. It was Trump's comments about potentially renegotiating the more than $19 trillion in U.S. debt and the sensitivity surrounding higher interest rates that raised eyebrows. While some observers argued that Trump's approach could be tantamount to a debt default, Schiff told CNBC the GOP nominee was...

<p>Reminds me of something Mike Murphy said about Trump in the aftermath of Jeb’s collapse. The logic in favor of nominating another Bush was always, er, complicated, but the logic against nominating a loose cannon is straightforward.</p> <p>I’ll bet even Murphy didn’t think Trump would advertise the possibility that America’s creditors might not receive payment in full in a Trump administration. Choose your own preferred term for what he’s recommending here — renegotiation, bankruptcy, default.</p>

Newt Gingrich went on with Sean Hannity tonight after the Donald Trump’s Indiana blowout and after Ted Cruz suspended his campaign. Newt argued that Donald Trump could be the “the most effective anti-left leader in our lifetime.” Newt added that anyone who does not support Trump is supporting Hillary. First of all, Donald Trump may turn out to be the most effective anti-left leader in our lifetime. He is against political correctness. He is against bureaucracy. He places American nationalism first which I think we desperately need. I’m tired of being told we have to phony agreements and phony efforts...

The rap on Donald Trump is that he’s all bluster. The New York Times says he’s offering “incoherent mishmash.” Ted Cruz claims Trump has “no idea” how to fix the economy. Don’t’ believe it. The Trump campaign is putting forward proposals to fix problems facing the nation, from the long waits for medical care at the VA to the impending collapse of Obamacare. Check out Trump’s economic plan, for starters. Unlike Hillary Clinton’s radical anti-business agenda, Trump’s plan would actually help unemployed Americans get back to work. Trump slashes the corporate tax rate to 15 percent, down from the current...

The Big Short: As The Big Short is short on reality, Big Government is short on accountability If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. If it stops moving, subsidize it.—Ronald Reagan Enter Dodd Frank: legislation named after Democrats’ Christopher Dodd and Barney Frank, which enacted 2,300 pages of banking regulations. What could have possibly gone wrong with 2,300 pages of new government regulations on banks? This: