In case you missed it…
Fiscal and taxes
We are constantly told that the rich don’t pay their “fair share” of taxes. But is that really true? Even under President Trump’s proposed tax changes, the American tax code would remain highly “progressive” — meaning the wealthy would continue to carry a burden that is disproportionately heavier than that of the rest of taxpayers. Indeed, many taxes currently in place are paid exclusively by the so-called “rich.” (Read more)
Education
Quality teachers are a key component of quality education — but so too is teachers showing up for work. Unfortunately, Nevada ranks second-worst in the nation on this critical metric, with almost half of the state’s teachers reported as chronically absent. The national average wasn’t much better, with more than one in four teachers reported as regularly absent from the classroom. (Read more)
Commerce tax
Tax-and-spend government officials are descending to fear tactics as they attempt to frighten voters away from repealing the Commerce Tax next year. Gov. Brian Sandoval’s recent demand — that, “Anyone supporting a repeal of the Commerce Tax must explain to Nevada’s children, families and businesses which education initiatives will be cut if it is eliminated” — is a perfect example. In reality, Sandoval’s premise is completely wrong. Despite arguments to the contrary, Commerce Tax revenue is not earmarked for education. Furthermore, even without Commerce Tax revenue, the state will continue to enjoy increasingly higher levels of spending. For tax-happy lawmakers, however, no amount of actual facts seems to get in the way of their spin. (Read more)
Capitalism and big business
Progressives, conservatives and even some libertarians seem to share concerns about Silicon Valley’s technology giants. Apple, Amazon, Facebook and Google dominate the tech world — and everyone seems eager to point out the inherent “danger” of such large enterprises. Progressives fret over tech “monopolies,” conservatives worry about the leftist nature of tech CEOs, and libertarians seem rightly skeptical of the industry’s big-brother surveillance practices. But are any of these concerns justified? Kevin Williamson argues in the National Review that none of the concerns are new, nor are they unique to Silicon Valley’s tech giants. “The illiberal impulse has always been strong, even among academics, corporate leaders, and other highly educated people of whom one might expect the opposite,” writes Williamson. (Read more)
Individual liberty
What exactly is libertarianism? According to the newly-created libertarian encyclopedia (yes, that’s a thing) it’s the belief “that men should be treated as autonomous individuals, free to make their own decisions regarding how to live their lives and how to determine their own salvation without being constrained to act against their wishes.” If ever you had a question about libertarianism, rest assured that Cato’s libertarianism.org likely has the answer. (Read more)