“Intrusion” (Thursday, 28 January)
Once again the Barometer has swallowed the statist line and endorsed yet another intrusion into Oregonians’ personal lives. In this instance managing editor RR applauds the legislature’s proposed “one-time” five per cent income tax surcharge. Of course, he applauds with the proviso that the state realize that this is a one time good deal and that the government get its act together for the future.
What RR fails to realize is the historical fact that any temporary acquiescence on the part of the people is always interpreted by the state as permission to exploit in perpetuity. The fact of the matter is that the current “budget crisis” is a cruel and cowardly hoax. There would be a quarter of a billion dollar deficit only if spending were accelerated as planned. Our meek acceptance of “necessary” tax hikes only invites escalated deprivations by our beneficent civil masters.
“Waste” (Monday, 8 February)
On January 30, Senator Mark Hatfield said government waste was too narrowly defined. Too often we worry about waste, fraud, and abuse (WFA) within a program, but fail to question the usefulness of the program itself. The Drug Enforcement Agency comes immediately to mind. The DEA epitomizes WFA; it wastes tax funds to defraud the public into believing it is necessary to abuse that large minority who use drugs (other than caffeine, alcohol, or nicotine) for recreational purposes. Other wasteful, fraudulent, and abusive government activities might include the EPA, INS, ICC, FCC, and all extra-national military aid and activity.
“Obscene effort” (Friday, 26 February)
It’s preposterous that an administration that was swept into office on the basis of getting government off our backs plans to prosecute those young American men for the “crime” of noncompliance with mandatory registration for selective slavery. The “Justice” Department intends to pour our taxes down a rat hole in an obscene effort to disrupt the lives of as many as they can nail. Since our Constitution clearly prohibits slavery or involuntary servitude except as punishment for crime, it must be a crime in America to be young and male.
“Property rights” (Monday, 1 November)
It’s not at all surprising that “larger economic interests” would oppose the Measure; they’ve already made it through the land-use maze and are now in the catbird seat. Just as cabbies and Teamsters don’t want their respective preserves deregulated, “them that’s got” don’t want “them that’s not” to have too easy an access to the market.
All regulations of the economy (whether that be land use or petroleum distribution) are purported to be, when they are first proposed, for the protection of the “little guy” or for some other presumably desirable social purpose.
In fact, the history of economic regulation (professional licensure, intracity transport, dairy price supports) shows that the regulation actually protect the few from competition and cost society in higher prices and lost opportunity.