U.S. History

Is there anything the state won't micromanage? Back in the 1970s, the Feds passed "emergency" legislation imposing daylight saving time. We're still living with this pointless and annoying mandate today.

Bernie Sanders has been compared to Ron Paul because both men have waged insurgent campaigns. But that is where the comparisons should end, as Sanders really just offers a ramped up version of the status quo.

Contrary to the popular myth being passed around, three-fourths of Americans pay taxes on their income. It's a nearly inescapable flat tax on income known as the payroll tax. And it now generates nearly as much income for the Feds as the tax more commonly known as the "income tax."

My neighbor Sam is deeply in debt. But, he tells me that he owes all that money "to himself," so he thinks it's not a problem. I think he's in deeper trouble than he thinks.

Municipal waterworks are government-run and government-owned, and generally an extension of local governments. But, bizarrely, when something goes wrong, it's somehow the fault of the private marketplace.

American history is a story of non-stop efforts by governments to intervene in the marketplace through regulations, monopolies, and subsidies. Most surprisingly, these market interventions appear to place a central role in causing economic crises over the years.

The 20th century was the progressive century, marked by the rise of war and socialism as entrenched features of American life. But perhaps the most lasting effects will be felt in the entitlement mindset woven into the American psyche via decades of successful incrementalism.

For the IRS and the federal government in general, the Drug War is just the gift that keeps on giving since the high tax rates can be traced back to a 1980s-era anti-drug law.

Whether we're talking about central banks or the US Supreme Court, governments everywhere continue to centralize power in the hands of the very few. The problem with this, though, is that successful central planning is impossible and leads to economic chaos.

It would be a mistake to label Trump as an "anti-war" candidate, but for a voter who's gung ho on military action, Trump leaves much to be desired.