In case you missed it…
National Employee Freedom Week (August 14-20)
The National Labor Relations Board isn’t nearly as interested in protecting workers’ rights as it is in protecting the revenue union leaders receive from dues-paying members. If it was really interested in protecting the average worker, the NLRB would be far more interested in preserving and even promoting an employee’s right to choose. (Read more)
Cronyism:
In response to a question from a reporter about the sustainability of businesses that take subsidies, Elon Musk said Tesla didn’t really even need the $1.3 billion in tax benefits given by the state of Nevada. “It was important that Nevada offer that package just to show that they cared,” explained Musk. Silver State lawmakers must have really touched his heart when they approved the tenth largest subsidy in U.S. history. (Read more)
Individual liberty:
How free are Nevadans? The Cato Institute has a new interactive map that shows the level of freedom enjoyed by citizens in each state. The good news is Nevada is still freer than most. The bad news is that the Silver State has been moving the wrong direction on the freedom index for over a decade. (Read more)
Healthcare:
The percentage of Americans aged 18–64 covered by private health insurance in 2015 was roughly the same as it was prior to the passage of Obamacare. In addition to not substantially increasing the number of privately insured adults, Obamacare has also resulted in a large number of citizens moving to Medicaid — thereby straining government budgets. Furthermore, due to the Affordable Care Act’s impact on premium prices, many adults are now unable to afford the climbing costs, and are simply foregoing coverage as a result. (Read more)
Economic freedom:
Socialist ideas have been dominant in Brazil since they first took root there in the late 19th Century, interrupted only by a period of military dictatorship late last century. The country is now facing difficult times as it faces corruption, cronyism and economic decline. But there’s a silver lining: The concept of economic liberty is beginning to take hold among younger generations. As young libertarians are saying in Brazil, “Menos Marx, mais Mises.” (Read more)