New Jersey, This Is Your Government

9 03 2010

So, not only has New Jersey passed the idiocy known as Kyleigh’s Law, the firm it hired to make the decals also made vehicle inspection stickers for New York. Stickers that would not stay on license plates:

Up to 2.5 million of 13.5 million inspection stickers produced by SecureMark Decal and distributed to motorists in 2009 failed to stick, the Times reported.

Amid a public uproar, New York Department of Motor Vehicles Commissioner David J. Swarts issued a statement last May waiving the fee for replacement inspection and registration stickers and advising police to “use their discretion” upon encountering loose or taped stickers.

Now, I know Gov. Christie is doing a lot to help improve the state, but when a spokesperson for the State Motor Vehicle Commission says this problem isn’t a concern for the Kyleigh’s Law decals it makes you realize just how much work there is to do to make New Jersey a halfway decently governed state.

UPDATE: For those unfamiliar with it, Kyleigh’s Law is a NJ law requiring that all people under 21 and holding a Graduated Driver’s License must also have decals on their license plates identifying them as such. For more info, here’s the series of posts I’ve done on it, from oldest to newest:

Don’t Let NJ Make Driving While Young A Crime
More Problems With Kyleigh’s Law
Help Stop Kyleigh’s Law
Last Chance To Stop Kyleigh’s Law
I Really Hate New Jersey Sometimes
Standing Firm Against Kyleigh’s Law
Striking Back Against Kyleigh’s Law
More News on Kyleigh’s Law
News on Kyleigh’s Law and the Trautmann Suit
Disappointing News on Kyleigh’s Law


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Categories : Government Waste, Kyleigh's Law, Nanny State, New Jersey, Stupidity

Not To Say I Told You So…

3 12 2009

…But I did.

That’s because the alternative isn’t an end to rationing. It’s a rearrangement of what drives it. Like it or not, when government becomes the arbiter of choice rather than the market, decisions cease to be driven by market forces and are instead driven by political pull. Try imagining a healthcare system where every health complaint is now a political interest. Do you think they’ll prioritized around necessity and importance? Or will it be around which ones have the best lobbyists and marketing?

Confused about what I’m talking about? Congress proved me (and numerous other libertarians correct) by caving to public pressure and mandating copay-free coverage of mammograms, even though it is both economically and medically questionable to do so.


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Categories : Big Government, Government Waste, Rent Seeking, Universal Healthcare

Studies in Government FAIL

14 08 2009

Last week‘s winner was MN Government Gives $50 Million in New Contracts to the Two Companies Blamed for Bridge Collapse.

This week’s collection of government stupidity is:

Due to “Funny Accent” English Comedian Held as Suspected Cuban Illegal Immigrant
English Comedian Paul O’Grady was detained by U.S officials who suspected him of being an illegal immigrant from Cuba.

DMV Workers Furloughed, Then Given Overtime Pay to Make Up for Lost Hours
In an effort to save money WI is furloughing employees, including those at the DMV. Too bad the department is having them work overtime at time-and-a-half to make up the difference.

Mayoral Candidate Calls for Creationism Zoo Exhibit
Anna Falling, candidate for mayor in Tulsa is reviving a dead issue by making the institution of an exhibit telling the Christian Creation story at the Tulsa Zoo the focus of her campaign.

Parks Department Charges Hot Dog Stand $53,558 per Month
A would be entrepreneur has been evicted from his spot after he was unable to meet the rent payments demanded by New York City Parks Department.

Taxpayers Fund £20,000 court case to prosecute man for stealing 25p banana…and Lose
A man accused of stealing a banana insisted on a court trial. Lasting two days, he was ultimately found innocent and the taxpayers got saddled with the trial bill.


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Categories : Big Government, Government Waste, Stupidity

Happy Cost of Government Day!!!

12 08 2009

Today is Cost of Government Day for 2009.

For those not familiar with it, Cost of Government Day (COGD) is the day on which the average American has earned enough to pay for his or her share of the total costs of government. Unlike Tax Freedom Day, COGD doesn’t just include taxes, but more properly accounts for the costs of government spending and regulatory burdens.

This year it took Americans 224 days of work before they finally are able to start earning for themselves. As you can see, this is an appalling 26 days later than last year’s COGD and 23 days later than the previous all-time high of July 20 in 1982.

If you break down the components of COGD, 111 days went to federal spending, another 65 to regulatory burdens, and the last 49 days for state and local spending (note, I’m assuming the 1 day difference between the total and the parts is the product of rounding).

You can read the full report here – I highly recommend doing so, it’s excellently written and not only includes the COGD info, but also has a state by state breakdown and case studies, both at the national and state levels that help explain the massive jump in this year’s date.

In closing, a few other facts I worked out speaking with Monika Ciesielska, author of this year’s study:

  • The total cost of government breaks down to about $20.8 billion per day.
  • If the U.S. had kept spending levels at the point they were last year the money saved would be enough to buy every American man, woman, and child seven iPods each, with enough money left over to pick up 10 CDs or so in the iTunes store.
  • More pragmatically, it would also be enough to pay for everyone’s groceries for the entire year.
  • Marylanders, our state sucks pretty bad – we rank 44th in the nation and aren’t done paying for our government until August 21.
  • Be glad however that we’re not New Jersey, the other state I’ve considered home. The Garden State ranks 49th and isn’t done till September 6. Just in time for them to hopefully vote Corzine out a little less than a month later.

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Categories : Big Government, Cost of Government Day, Government Waste, Maryland, New Jersey, Regulation, United States

The New Pravda

24 01 2009

Apparently French President Nicolas Sarkozy has launched a program to subsidize newspapers in order to provide them to all of France’s young people. Thought that was ridiculous? Listen to this claim of his:

“It is indeed its [the state's] responsibility … to make sure an independent, free and pluralistic press exists,”

So somehow government paying the checks of newspaper staff will make the press free and not the Ministry of Truth. Shows what I know.

But seriously, as I said in a comment over at Pushback, where Daniel Strauss was gushing over the program and how we ought to have it here in America:

The fact is that so long as people know Uncle Sam is the one paying for their rent, their meals, and their kid’s orthodontist bill there is an extremely strong incentive for them to not be too critical.

But hey, maybe this wouldn’t be a major threat to a free press. After all, it’s not like we already have a Fourth Estate that doesn’t think skepticism of our new president and any claims he makes should be the default position.

There’s nothing inherently good about print media. We don’t need to subsidize it. Especially when there are so many alternatives available.


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Categories : Federal Funding, France, Free Speech, Government Waste, Nicolas Sarkozy, Pushback.org, Youth

Now It’s The People FOR Larry Flint

7 01 2009

The proof is in. Once you bailout one industry, every single one will want a piece of the pie. What’s my proof you ask?

Porn now wants a bailout.

Yes, you read that correctly. Larry Flint and Joe Francis have asked for a $5 billion bailout, complaining of low DVD sales.

Read more at reason.


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Categories : Bailout, Government Waste, Joe Francis, Larry Flint, Porn, reason

#shuSGA Takes Off

9 09 2008

Well, tonight was the first SGA meeting, and it was something – and that something wasn’t good. There were only 2 real wins for good governance:

-I helped kill a dress code for the SGA. Not so problematic except it would have necessitated spending the students’ money on polo shirts for SGA members. Now that the dress code is just recommended it looks like the polo purchase won’t happen.

-The SGA president and I live twittered the whole meeting. The #shuSGA hashtag was quite the success. Here’s the feed for all posts with it.

And that’s about it. I’m putting together a plan right now to try and make sure the Transparency bill passes as is. But it’s still up in the air and that worries me.


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Categories : #shuSGA, Government Waste, SGA, Transparency

What The Hell Is Wrong With The World

21 08 2008

Sometimes I wonder. A woman was arrested in Wisconsin because she had a couple overdue library books. Yeesh, was there really nothing better for state resources to get used for? Read the story here and check out the mugshot of the “perp,” she’s hardly the hard-boiled, dyed-in-wool criminal type.

But then I remember Seinfeld and old Detective Bookman.


Comments : 1 Comment »

Categories : Government Waste, Seinfeld, Stupidity

What’s Wrong With Maryland

20 08 2007

A quote from an article about efforts to change the transfer tax law so it steals even more money so it can steal even more land.

“The state is facing a budget deficit, and the program is facing the challenge of buying what’s left of the state’s open space.“

The program they’re talking about is called Program Open Space and it’s whole purpose is to buy up land to preserve it. When people talk about the state facing the problem of buying up the remaining land I wonder what hope there is to be had in Maryland.

Article’s here.


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Categories : Government Waste, Maryland, Spending

Representative Don Young Truly Is A Wise Man

21 07 2007
“Earmarks are good for the country and good for the people you represent. … That is the role of a congressman. If you can’t get money for your district, you shouldn’t be in Congress.”
– Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska, rejecting criticism for his earmarks, as reported by the Associated Press.

That’s a great thing to hear. In case you’ve forgotten, Rep. Young is the Congressman responsible for such wonderful uses of taxpayer dollars as the Bridge to Nowhere and Coconut Road.

He really does bring it home for his constituents doesn’t he? I’m betting that the big voting block on Gravina Island (around 50 people, a bunch of deer, and some bears and wolves) is just bursting with glee at the planned bridge. And who couldnt be happier than the single resident of Port MacKenzie who’s benefitting from the Don Young’s Way bridge? And is it just me, or is the good congressman going above and beyond the call of duty when it comes to Coconut Road – he is so open hearted he is glad to spend money to build roads all the way across the country to help open up access to five golf courses? He is going and getting federal dollars spent there even when Connie Mack, the congressman for the district, wasn’t trying to put in earmarks for the project (and Rep. Young is so generous he still tried to give the credit to Rep. Mack).

So can someone please explain to me why his constituents seem so ungrateful. Just listen to what they have to say:

  • “How is the bridge going to pay for itself?” asks Susan Walsh. She notes that a ferry, which runs every 15 minutes in the summer, already connects Gravina to Ketchikan. “It can get us to the hospital in five minutes. How is this bridge fair to the rest of the country?”
  • “I wouldn’t want the bridge named after me,” says Parker, laughing. “Neither bridge makes much sense, but a lot of people are going to make a lot of money building the bridge, and then they’ll have it, and it will have to be maintained. Alaska needs transportation money, but it needs to be spent in the right places.”

Fairness? Obligation to the nation? Practical considerations!?! Since when has any of that mattered, I thought Rep. Young made it clear, it was just important that you got money for your district, not that it was good money or that it was being used well? I don’t know what to think, maybe…

…maybe Don Young is wrong. Maybe earmarks aren’t good for the country. Maybe they aren’t good for a representatives constituents. Maybe they’re not good for anyone and no congressman ought to be putting them into bills. Maybe what a good congressman would do is strive to prevent more of his constituents’ money from ever leaving the district in the form of taxes to be wasted by the government as earmarks and other pointless expenditures.


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Categories : Earmarks, Government Waste, Stupidity


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