Do you know of a law that is outrageous? The Idaho Freedom Foundation and humorist P.J. O'Rourke are looking for candidates for our first ever Outrageous Law Contest. We're on the hunt for laws that shouldn't be on the books because they're outdated, ignored, silly, unenforceable or infringe on basic freedoms.
Solutions
Hoffman: Idaho should consider health care constitutional amendment
September 27, 2009 | posted by Wayne Hoffman inI'd bet when Superman hangs out in the Hall of Justice with Aquaman, Wonder Woman and the Wonder Twins, the Man of Steel wonders whether he should be in a league of his own.
"Aquaman talks to fish. How useful is that? I'm faster than a locomotive!" Superman pontificates.
Members of Congress are like that, belittling or ignoring the power of the people and the states.
Hoffman: Part-time lawmakers get full time health benefits
September 20, 2009 | posted by Wayne Hoffman inLawmakers are part-timers, too, and should pay more for health insurance
By Wayne Hoffman
Gov. Butch Otter’s administration correctly determined earlier this year that part-time government employees should pay more for their health insurance than fulltime employees. Name a workplace where part-time employees get the same health benefits at the same cost as fulltimers. It hardly happens. For taxpayers, the change is a victory that will save them $10 million a year.
Hoffman: Legislature should look to family as alternative to big government
September 14, 2009 | posted by Wayne Hoffman inIdahoans are rightfully upset over the continuous expansion of all levels of government. Spending is out of control. Taxes are too high.
But where we go wrong is we let the folks who want bigger government present the solutions while we do nothing. Then the rest of us get to talk about how bad and upsetting the solutions are, and we demand leadership. Then we say stupid stuff.
A few years ago, a friend, bemoaning a proposed expansion of the public school system, told me, "I'm against early childhood education."
State leaders should shelve livestock center idea
September 08, 2009 | posted by Wayne Hoffman inThe state government’s financial predicament appears to be growing, yet policymakers are unwilling to publically admit the obvious: taxpayers gave the University of Idaho $10 million in 2007 that hasn’t been spent. Were the money returned, it could help defray against a possible budget crisis next year.
Hoffman: Clunkers, Consoles, Couches Castles and other bad ideas from our government
August 31, 2009 | posted by Wayne Hoffman inThe federal government says Idahoans have received $11.6 million in rebates through the now-ended Cash for Clunkers program. That’s just 0.4 percent of the neatly $2.9 billion in rebates distributed nationwide. It’s also the equivalent of between 2,600 and 3,000 old Idaho cars being taken off the road and turned to scrap. If you know anything about economics, you know that’s a problem. Remember supply and demand? More supply, lower prices; lower supply, higher prices. With supply constrained, the vehicles that remain on the market are fetching higherprices at auction.
Boulton: Barriers to entry impact the free market
August 28, 2009 | posted by Craig P. Boulton inBarriers to entry are anything that gets in the way of starting a business or entering a trade. Most arise through a natural process, mainly the need to raise the necessary capital required to successfully conduct a business. For example, if one wanted manufacture steel, one first needs to build a steel plant, or buy one already in existence, and that requires a ton of money. Thus the average bear can probably scratch the idea of becoming a steel magnate. Conversely, to become a barber one only needs a chair, clippers, and a hairbrush. If any cash is left over, then the remaining bucks
Residents unite to take on government in Coeur d'Alene
August 25, 2009 | posted by Chuck Malloy inConservative movements don't start by accident, or survive on automatic pilot.
The tide starts with people who give a damn about how government money is spent and the future of this country. It starts with people who don't think that government has all the answers to health care and the nation's economic crisis. It survives by people who want to make a difference by attending local government meetings, searching through public records and asking tough questions.
Hoffman: BSU kicks freedom out of the car
August 23, 2009 | posted by Wayne Hoffman inWith much fanfare, Boise State University last week implemented a campus-wide no-smoking policy. I'm not going to deny the ability of the government to regulate or even ban smoking on campus. The trouble is, the policy extends beyond the campus and its buildings and straight into privately-owned automobiles.
Hoffman: Government health insurance will mean higher taxes for all Idahoans
August 16, 2009 | posted by Wayne Hoffman inI've lost 40 pounds since January, but I gained a pound back this week. I couldn't resist a second helping of fudge brownies. And I haven't been exercising. I'm sorry. I'll try harder next week.
You care about my corpulence because you're going to be paying for me when we're all on government health care. Whether you're rich or poor, everyone in Idaho will be paying higher taxes to cover more people on public assistance as soon as next July.
