Libertarianism

Looking Forward to a Free Market

This entry was posted in Capitalism Economics Government Libertarianism on by

Should corporations have to disclose more about their executive pay structure?
Well, if they are public corporations created and supported by state and federal laws then a case can be made that, yes, they should be very transparent. Problably more than Barney Frank proposes.
However, this simply points again to the failure of government created organizations. Every year there are more patchwork bills to regulate corporations and, it seems, we hear more and more about what is not right with them. Let’s solve the problem! Let’s end government protection of corporations and the concept of limited liability corporations. If you are going to play you need to be willing to assume the risk.
And, yes, I disagree with Doug at Below the Beltway who says:

A possible end to the inane idea that so-called “commercial speech” is less deserving of First Amendment protection ?

As noted here when a business is structured like a human then we can consider applying human rights.

Party Time

This entry was posted in Constitution Democrats Federal Government Government Libertarianism on by

That is Tea Party Time!
Don’t like the way the gov’mnt is spending your money? Will write a real letter to a congress critter (senate and house) letting them know your thoughts and include a tea bag (I’m thinking used tea bags will be most appropriate).
While it is unlikely that any of these folks will listen to you instead of their k street or texas masters it will be a bit of fun to jab away at the republocrats.
Oh, and no reason to exclude your state and local folks.
Via Carnival of Liberty.

DART seeks fare solution?

This entry was posted in Capitalism Economics Libertarianism Transportation on by

Perhaps they should be seeking a fair solution instead?

Rising gas prices are prompting a growing number of North Texas commuters to park their cars in favor of buses and trains, but Dallas Area Rapid Transit is considering service cuts to help balance its budget.
Though DART ridership has increased 11 percent on its bus and light-rail lines and 18 percent on the Trinity Railway Express commuter line, the additional passengers have not helped the agency’s finances.
The problem: a lower-than-expected sales tax revenue forecast for 2006 throughout the region, and increased fuel costs.
The sales tax numbers are crucial because DART gets most of its revenue from that source. The transit agency, which spends about $887,000 a day to run its buses and rail lines, recovers about 11 percent of its daily operating cost through fares.
…….
According to DART, Route 234 attracts an average of 59 riders a day, and that translates into a subsidy of almost $24 for every passenger trip. The transit agency has pushed for those riders to form van pools, which have a subsidy of about $1 per passenger trip
In considering which bus lines to shrink or eliminate, DART weighs one route’s performance against similar routes. Route 234 supporters argued to the board that the Plano-to-Irving bus service is vastly different from other express routes that run from outlying stops directly to downtown Dallas. Those routes have a goal of a $4.50 subsidy per passenger trip.

Reads like another typical case of a government involved market failure.
The only fair solution is one where the subsidy per passenger trip is $0.00 and fares cover both the cost of operations and capital. If the passengers object then they should seek out an alternative that does not include taking money from others to subsidize their choices of where to live and work.

Price Gouging?

This entry was posted in Business US Economics Energy Environment Federal Government Libertarianism Regulation on by

Post Katrina gas prices maybe went up 10-15% depending on where you lived and in most cases they have rolled back down. Nevertheless, cries of price gouging were rampant and continue. But that is gas. If it is some other good like, say, oysters then it is a feel good story:

With two-thirds of Louisiana oyster beds wiped out by the Aug. 29 storm, prices of Pacific oysters have soared as Gulf Coast processors scour for alternatives thousands of miles away. That’s allowed Taylor Shellfish to raise its prices 38 percent in the past month to $40 per gallon of oysters.
“It’s the strongest demand that I’ve ever seen for oysters,” says William Taylor, ……
Prices have surged as much as 50 percent since the hurricane, according to the Pacific Coast Shellfish Growers Association, giving the Northwest growers some relief, even as they sympathize with the hurricane victims 2,000 miles away.

Imagine the outcry if gasoline prices had gone up 50%!
Seems like so-called market forces working the way they should in both cases. It can, though, be a bit hard to tell if the market is really working in the extensively regulated and subsidized oil and gasoline business.