So I already wrote about right-to-shirk (aka right-to-work) laws, and made the basic freedom of contract argument. By its functional operation, right-to-shirk laws prevent two parties (a union and an employer) from agreeing to certain terms. I am not actually interested in the argument itself; I just raise it to mock the hypocrisy of libertarians… Continue reading Some musings about freedom and right-to-shirk laws
Author: Matt Bruenig
Nicholas Kristof is an irresponsible moron
I had the extreme displeasure of reading Kristof’s long Sunday piece on out-of-control rural Kentuckian welfare cheats. According to some random person Kristof met in Kentucky, a bunch of people there try to make their kids really stupid and illiterate so that they can claim them as disabled and collect mountains of government cash. And… Continue reading Nicholas Kristof is an irresponsible moron
Note on Community Reinvestment Act
It is easy to forget, but when the financial crisis first hit, there was a pet theory being floated out by conservatives that this was all caused by the Community Reinvestment Act. The Community Reinvestment Act prevents certain banks from using redlining and other racially discriminatory lending practices. Not surprisingly, conservatives have never been big… Continue reading Note on Community Reinvestment Act
Bryan Caplan argues against property ownership
I know it is low-hanging fruit, but I found myself really tickled at a recent post from Bryan Caplan. So Bryan Caplan doesn’t care about poor people and doesn’t think people should have to “give” to them. He also thinks that we should allow immigration because not doing so would hurt poor people. This seems… Continue reading Bryan Caplan argues against property ownership
Right-to-work is big government
So the Michigan lower house has decided to pass a right-to-work bill. This is a pretty standard right-wing maneuver over the last few decades. The idea is to make it impossible for unions to negotiate closed shops, which creates a free rider problem that will ultimately lead to their demise. That is good for owners… Continue reading Right-to-work is big government