Keep Spending and Borrowing, And Here’s Where You End Up

From The Hill comes this report on the latest CBO report:

Perdue On DGA’s Anti-McCrory Ads: “very truthful, for the most part”

From the News & Observer comes comments made by Gov. Perdue this morning. How long do you think it will be before the McCrory campaign responds to this?

And she dispelled GOP rhetoric pushed by Pat McCrory that she is the driving force behind the negative attacks attacking his gubernatorial campaign. The ads are funded by the Democratic Governors Association, where Perdue is vice-chairwoman. 

“I have no involvement at all,” she said. “I think the ads are very truthful, for the most part, and very good for the most part.”

“Free” Birth Control. Handed Out At School. Without Parents’ Knowledge.

And we wonder why our society is in such deep, deep trouble. Look no further than Los Angeles, where teenagers can now receive “free” birth control of all types at school, and the parent’s won’t be told of their child’s actions — by law. And guess who’s in the middle of it — the biggest abortion provider of them all, Planned Parenthood.

So, let’s see. Let’s give medication with serious consequences based on serious, adult behavior. And let’s give it to kids who admit they aren’t responsible enough to remember to take medication, let alone understand what they’re being encouraged to do.

The 16-year-old student said she felt relieved to know that she could visit the clinic without telling her mother. “Just knowing you can come somewhere to get birth control just feels good,” she said. ‘It’s a relief.”

Once in the student was in exam room, Medrano explained how birth control worked and gave her the options: a patch, a ring, pills or a shot. The girl chose the shot, which lasts for 12 weeks. “I’m gonna forget the patch or the pill,” she said.

And yes, it’s even being touted by one supporter as a great pre-prom planning idea! Once again, Planned Parenthood is right in the middle of this mess.

Planned Parenthood also trains Roosevelt students as peer advocates to talk to their classmates about STDs and pregnancy prevention. Aurora Bermeo, a student who has worked as a peer advocate, said she tried to get the word out about the free care. In advance of the prom, the advocates made presentations and handed out fliers.

“It’s super important,” she said. “When prom season comes around, things happen…. We try to get them on birth control.”

There’s only thing missing in this super-duper “free” at-school service: the parents. Sad and shameful.

A Great Example of the Free Market In Action

We free marketers fail to point out often enough how beautifully the marketplace works and, thus, why it is so important to keep the market as free as possible from interference from burdensome regulations and interference. Here’s a great example of how airline customers and airlines themselves are responding to each other’s actions and choices.

The issue is fees for checked baggage. Airlines decided to create a revenue stream by charging fees. Some customers decided to go along with it and pay the fees. Other customers responded by grousing. In response, some airlines advertised free bags or first bag free in order to create a new reason to fly with them instead of the competition. Airlines that have continued to charge fees are now seeing a new customer reaction, in which more customers than ever are stuffing the overhead bins.

Airlines responded by asking for volunteers, during the boarding process, to voluntarily check their bags at the jetway — for free. Customers responded by intentionally bringing oversized bags to the gate, hoping the airline will ask for volunteers and giving them the chance to check their bags for free. The problem has gotten so bad that some airlines are redesigning planes to enlarge the overhead bins, and designs for new airplanes are following suit.

This is how the marketplace works when it’s left to businesses to find a need and fill it, and to customers to decide — via their buying decisions and behavior — if they like what the business has to offer. It may seem simple and obvious, but too many times our policymakers impose regulations that interfere in the market by imposing false incentives that alter the behavior of both business and consumer.

Is This Chapel Hill’s Next Ban?

The we-know-better-than-you-do Chapel Hill town council loves taking control of people’s lives, including dictating what we can and can’t do while driving. So how about this idea from New Jersey, where unrestrained dogs and cats in cars will draw you a fine.

Dogs can be placed in harnesses that click right into the seat belt buckle. Cats don’t take well to harnesses for the most part, so they need to go in a carrier. And the carrier needs to be buckled down.