Comment on the Commentary of the Day by Donald J. Boudreaux Chairman, Department of George Mason University [email protected] http://www.cafehayek.com

Disclaimer: The following “Letters to the Editor” were sent to the respective publications on the dates indicated. Some were printed but many were not. The original articles that are being commented on may or may not be available on the internet and may require registration or subscription to access if they are. Some of the original articles are syndicated and therefore may have appeared in other publications also.

16 August 2009 But Mr. Hawkins has also infrastructure projects that argued against the reduce transportation costs Editor, Washington Post construction of a "NAFTA within North America and, 1150 15th St., NW highway dedicated to hence, promote the Washington, DC 20071 moving shipments from creation of a larger, more Mexico to the interior of the integrated, and (hence) Dear Editor: United States and more prosperous North Canada." He worries that American economy. William Hawkins is such a highway would be disingenuous. Today he "a threat to our national 15 August 2009 argues that NAFTA is a security, and it would failure because Canada, accelerate the give-away of Friends, Mexico, and the U.S. still American jobs and erosion import a great deal from of U.S. sovereignty." Here's an example of GMU outside of North America [http://www.fairus.org/site/ economics at its best: the (Letters, August 16). To News2?page=NewsArticle link below is to an audio combat this alleged &id=16895&security=1601 recording of a talk that my scourge, he says that &news_iv_ctrl=1011 ] brilliant young colleague "NAFTA reform needs to Bryan Caplan delivered pull the three countries It's difficult to imagine what last summer at the together against outside sort of "pulling together" of Foundation for Economic rivals." Canada, Mexico, and the Education. U.S. Mr. Hawkins has in mind if he is opposed to In this talk -- which is In fact, right now attitude toward government wonderfully entertaining corporations offer a range you disapprove of. and informative -- Bryan of coverage options to sell discusses voters' rational to you. You're free to buy Isn't freedom wonderful?! ignorance and irrationality: or not to buy. "Big http://www.fee.org/Audio/Y corporations" no more But I must ask: do you SC/FINAL%20YSC%20- decide whether to give you endorse my freedom to %20Bryan%20Caplan%20- coverage any more than boycott paying for products %20Myth%20of%20the%2 "big corporations" decide offered by those whose 0Rational%20Voter.mp3 whether to "give" you a flat- attitude toward government screen TV. or what TV. is I disapprove of? Like you, Truly, this recording is most suitable for you. It's I have very strong opinions terrific. your choice. Unfortunately, about the proper role of the range of coverage government, and also like 15 August 2009 choices is restricted by you, a famous chief GOVERNMENT mandates executive is now endorsing Editor, The New York that require that all policies government policies that I Times cover certain medical find reprehensible. 620 Eighth Avenue conditions, and restricted New York, NY 10018 further by GOVERNMENT- Will you champion my imposed limitations on freedom to stop supporting, To the Editor: interstate competition with my money, Barack among health insurers. Obama's services? Will writes as if you come to my defense if distortions, exaggerations, 15 August 2009 I stop paying taxes to and lies issue only from support those policies of opponents of Obamacare : Daily Kos. Mr. Obama with which I ("Republican Death Trip," disagree - policies such as August 14). Dear Olivia Jane: the economic 'stimulus,' more vigorous antitrust He's wrong. Let's look at You and many readers of regulation, and cap and Moveon.org. According to Daily Kos are furious that trade? Indeed, will you that pro-Obamacare Whole Foods CEO John defend me if I choose not website, "Right now, big Mackey expressed - in the to pay taxes to support corporations decide pages of the Wall Street Obamacare? whether to give you Journal - his opposition to coverage, what doctors greater government If you will support me in my you get to see, and involvement in health care. boycott, then I applaud whether a particular your principle and, procedure or medicine is Exercising your rights and although I disagree with covered—that is rationed abilities as consumers, you you about Mr. Mackey's care. And a big part of are therefore boycotting political views, fully support reform is to stop that." Whole Foods. You're your freedom to boycott using your freedom to Whole Foods. But if you Talk about a distortion! avoid paying for products will not support me in my offered by someone whose boycott, then can you tell me on what principle you ago that such a tax would pon%20every%20man%E2 would stand if someone unleash an intrusive %80%99s%20business%3 (say, Mr. Mackey) bureaucracy. As Richard B%20the%20eye%20of%2 managed to secure Byrd - then-speaker of the 0the%20Federal%20inspe legislation that obliges you Virginia House of ctor%20will%20be%20in% to shop at Whole Foods? Delegates - expressed it, 20every%20man%E2%80 "A hand from Washington %99s%20counting%20hou I await your reply. will be stretched out and se%22%20Byrd&f=false] placed upon every man’s 14 August 2009 ; the eye of the Dismissed at the time as Federal inspector will be in being mere scare tactics by Editor, The New York every man’s counting tax opponents, these Times house . . . The law will of expressed concerns 620 Eighth Avenue necessity have inquisitorial proved to be legitimate. New York, NY 10018 features, it will provide penalties, it will create 14 August 2009 To the Editor: complicated machinery. Under it men will be hailed Editor, The New York Paul Krugman believes into courts distant from Times that only irrational right- their homes. Heavy fines 620 Eighth Avenue wing ideologues - along imposed by distant and New York, NY 10018 with paid agents of a unfamiliar tribunals will mysterious cabal of sinister constantly menace the tax To the Editor: billionaires - could possibly payer." worry that Obamacare [http://books.google.com/b Paul Krugman is upset that threatens ordinary ooks?id=KYQi9U62jG0C& today's political debate Americans' freedoms, pg=PA70&lpg=PA70&dq= over health-care 'reform' is finances, and health %22A+hand+from+Washin so theatrical – so full of ("Republican Death Trip," gton+will+be+stretched+ou exaggerations and lies August 14). t+and+placed+upon+every ("Republican Death Trip," +man%E2%80%99s+busin August 14). But his But while many ess%3B+the+eye+of+the+ perturbation is akin to Obamacare opponents Federal+inspector+will+be being upset that a three- might misstate some +in+every+man%E2%80% ring circus features clowns details of the proposed 99s+counting+house%22+ as well as elephant 'reform,' it's quite Byrd&source=bl&ots=ECM droppings: the former is appropriate to worry about 1wm4s_9&sig=- central to the show while unintended ill if0dY49oCANL88Pw1UpK the latter is its inevitable if consequences - especially BI7fQQ&hl=en&ei=a8GFSs unappealing by-product. when reform as massive as TwLoO0sgOkmtWkBw&sa Obamacare is in the works. =X&oi=book_result&ct=res 13 August 2009 ult&resnum=1#v=onepage Examples are legion. &q=%22A%20hand%20fro Editor, Kansas City Tribune Here's one: opponents of m%20Washington%20will the federal income-tax %20be%20stretched%20o Dear Editor: openly worried a century ut%20and%20placed%20u Cynthia Tucker argues that profit "has no place in the Editor, Washington Post 13 August 2009 health insurance industry. 1150 15th St., NW It distorts and disrupts the Washington, DC 20071 Editor, The Wall Street provision of health care, Journal adding costs without Dear Editor: 200 Liberty Street adding quality of care" New York, NY 10281 ("Shouting and Stomping Protectionist Harold Won't Obscure the Need Meyerson asserts that the To the Editor: for Reform," August 6). higher tariffs endorsed by This insight is fascinating, protectionist Sen. Sherrod Charles Murray wants to with implications more far- Brown would inject "some end mandatory income-tax reaching than the humble pro-American withholding "and require Ms. Tucker points out. considerations into our everybody to do what trade policy" ("Just One millions of Americans If profit has no place in the Word: Factories," August already do: write checks for health-insurance industry, 12). estimated taxes four times surely it has no place in the a year" ("Tax Withholding auto- and life-insurance Wrong. Higher tariffs Is Bad for Democracy," industries, either. Imagine would inject only some pro- August 13). how much less disruption, American PRODUCER and how much better considerations into our Such a change would quality, we'd all enjoy if the trade policy - and only for certainly sharpen people's prospect for profit were SOME American perception of the cost of somehow stripped away producers. government. But for even from auto and life insurers. sharper perception, why The consumers who would not require Americans to And what about the pay higher prices in return pay their full annual taxes newspaper business? for fewer and lower-quality only ONCE each year - Only heaven knows what goods and services would say, on April 15th - rather sorts disruptive, poor- be Americans. And at than in four quarterly quality reporting and least one-third of American installments? opinionating readers get imports today are inputs because of owners' quest used by American If the typical American is for profit. Indeed, I'm sure producers to enhance their trustworthy enough to elect that Ms. Tucker herself products' qualities and their representatives who spend refuses to profit from the firms' operating taxpayer monies wisely, syndication of her columns: efficiencies. Does Mr. surely he or she is her profiting from such an Meyerson rank as trustworthy enough to save arrangement would "Americans" only those for one large annual tax unquestionably disrupt her relatively few producers bill. And because pundits perspective and diminish who stand to gain from and politicians are forever the quality of her written monopoly protection that assuring us that insights. would make the vast government - unlike private majority of the rest of us firms - is unusually far- 13 August 2009 worse off? seeing and capable of planning for the long-run, In 2007, American your treatment of him was Congress would have no manufacturing output was obnoxious. Especially problem budgeting so that eight percent higher than it galling were your countless each annual infusion of was in 2000, 69 percent interruptions of Mr. Schiff's cash lasts for twelve higher than in 1990, 184 attempts to answer your months. percent higher than in questions. Your 1980, and 213 percent interruptions were fueled 12 August 2009 higher than in 1967 - the by your puerile year that Mr. Meyerson presumption that anyone Editor, Washington Post holds out as a glorious one who opposes greater 1150 15th St., NW when America "still made government involvement Washington, DC 20071 things." with health care is either callously loutish or Dear Editor: [Note: Several of you wrote flamingly stupid. to ask me if the Harold Meyerson's manufacturing-output Example: When Mr. Schiff argument that America no numbers that I cite in my said that he wants longer "makes things" is letter from earlier this government's role in health specious ("Just One Word: morning are adjusted for care to be diminished, you Factories," August 12). It's . The answer is replied sarcastically "So true, as Mr. Meyerson yes, as explained here you want to do nothing?!" says, that "Since 1987, under the heading "How is manufacturing as a share it Calculated?" Newsflash Mr. Newsman: of our gross domestic [http://www.schwab.com/pu government isn't the only product has declined 30 blic/schwab/research_strat entity that can and does percent." But this fact is egies/market_insight/1/4/sc act - it's not the only caused chiefly by a hwab_guide_to_economic_ agency that does substantial growth in indicators_industrial_produ something. By having services and construction ction_and_capacity_utilizati government do less, space and NOT, as Mr. Meyerson on.html ] is opened for individuals to implies, by declining do more. Physicians, manufacturing output. 11 August 2009 private insurers, private certifiers, patients do things In fact, according to the Mr. Lawrence O'Donnell every day. And part of the 2009 Economic Report of The Ed Show case for a freer health-care the President, total MSNBC market is that these private manufacturing output in the actors need more freedom U.S. - measured by an Dear Mr. Lawrence to experiment - more space industrial-production index O'Donnell: to adjust to each other's - hit an all-time high in wishes and abilities - than 2007 (the latest full year for I just watched your recent currently exists. which data are available). interview with investor [These data are available Peter Schiff. While I'm no You might legitimately in table B-51: fan of Mr. Schiff - I disagree that a freer http://www.gpoaccess.gov/ disagree with much of what market will work as its eop/tables09.html#erp3 ] he says - I must say that proponents believe. But you cannot legitimately If you believe what you significant number of assert that making markets write, you must regard Mr. economists (including freer reflects a desire to Obama to be dishonorable yours truly) believe that "do nothing." and diminished. both theory and evidence point to the minimum-wage 11 August 2009 10 August 2009 as a major culprit at pricing unusually large number of Editor, Washington Post Editor, The Wall Street teenagers and other low- 1150 15th St., NW Journal skilled workers out of the Washington, DC 20071 200 Liberty Street job market. New York, NY 10281 Dear Editor: To the Editor: You excoriate elected officials who, seeking A front-page report today higher office or fatter proposes several paychecks, quit the posts explanations for why the to which they are elected teenage unemployment ("More Quitters (R-Fla., R- rate is much higher than Tex.)," August 11). In your the rate for workers opinion, "When they quit generally ("Unemployment early to further their Among Teenagers ambitions or to pad their Remains Stubbornly High," bank accounts, or simply August 10). because they've lost interest, they dishonor their Most of these reasons positions and diminish make no sense - such as, themselves." And you "The scarcity of jobs also mention several quitters means more middle-class who deserve induction into teens work at jobs that your "Quitters Hall of fatten wallets rather than Fame" – quitters such as résumés." A teenager Senators Kay Bailey working only to fatten his Hutchison, Mel Martinez, wallet is counted as and Trent Lott. employed no less than is one working only to fatten So why no mention of her résumé. Barack Obama? Not only did he quit the Senate seat More disappointingly, your to which he was elected, report never mentions but during much of the time minimum-wage legislation. that he actually held that Although there's seat he was away from disagreement on this Washington campaigning regulation's effect on the for a higher office. employment prospects of low-skilled workers, a