Far from having been reformed, much less abolished, welfare continues to grow. The most recent example is the attempt by the Clinton administration to convince Americans that there is a “child care crisis,” which can only be “solved” through expansion of government. The welfare state has become a deeply destructive but sadly unavoidable fact of life in modern society.
When Clinton declared he would use budget surpluses to “fix” Social Security, the ruse was obvious. He was trying to forestall the only moral use of any surplus: cutting taxes. But a few days later, a very strange trend began to develop. Clintons words were endorsed and echoed by D.C. conservatives and libertarians.
The civil rights juggernaut has now invaded sports, that one-time redoubt of pure merit and standing embarrassment for affirmative action. Not only does this latest beachhead presage significant real-world consequences, it reveals something of the strategy of the privilege lobby.
It was a news story to end all news stories—literally. The announcement that a giant asteroid was headed for the vicinity of the earth caused a momentary sensation. Dr. Brian G. Marsden, director of the Central Bureau of Astronomical Telegrams, informed the media that an asteroid would pass within 30,000 miles of earth on October 26, 2028—a Thursday—and that it could possibly score a direct hit.
How is capitalism being treated in American popular culture today? The signals are mixed, but generally the picture is bleak. Hollywood continues its unrelenting assault on the commercial society that is its own lifeblood. The latest filmmaker to criticize capitalism all the way to the bank is James Cameron, self-proclaimed “king of the world” at the recent Oscar ceremonies. His film Titanic has become the biggest money-maker of all time by providing a cheesy parable on the evils of money-making.
Former FTC Chairman James C. Miller III, tells the story of how, in the early 1980s, Chrysler head Lee Iacocca requested that the FTC block a proposed joint venture between General Motors and Toyota. The request was denied. GM and Toyota formed the New United Motor Manufacturing Corporation. Iacocca entered into his own joint venture with Mitsubishi.
November and December mark the bicentennial of the Kentucky and Virginia Resolves. Penned by Jefferson and Madison, the Resolves are peerless for their brief but masterful explication of the Constitution. Though there will be no parades or celebrations of the Resolves 200th birthday, the subjects—formerly citizens—of our great welfare-warfare state need to reacquaint themselves with the Resolves principles. Like no other document, the Kentucky and Virginia Resolves mark the path to a return to constitutional government.
Janet Reno couldn’t get the hang of computers. By her own account, she couldn’t tell “what was on the hard drive, what was on the soft drive.” So she prefers “paper and pencil.”
Then she arrogantly sets herself up as Americas computer czar, claiming to know better than tens of millions of consumers about operating systems and software.
“Good corporate citizenship” is a familiar song that has topped the charts for far too long. Every two decades, it comes back with a slight variation, finding wild popularity. The new version arrived in the mid-eighties with suggestive lines about corporate behavior. The traditional corporate enterprise, it sings, should modify its goals not only because it affects other people, but because it touches everything: animal, vegetable, and mineral.
When Carol Browner, head of the Environmental Protection Agency, proposed new air quality standards last year, she claimed that thousands of Americans are being killed every year by tiny particles in the air with diameters of less than 2.5 microns. The EPA currently regulates airborne pollutants 10 microns in diameter, so Browner asked to have the agency’s powers expanded. Charcoal grills, lawnmowers, and other gasoline-powered equipment could be outlawed when they produce too much pollution.
