Christianomics: A blog on economics, politics, and law

https://www.newsweek.com/ro-khanna-defends-small-business-comments-minimum-wage-1570911 "We don't want low wage businesses" If you run a business and you don't pay your people more than $15 an hour. This man thinks you deserve to go bankrupt. If you don't find this deeply upsetting, you need to meet more small business owners.

First everyone has a legal right to do what they did: Gina Carano had a right to post on her Twitter account. People upset at her post had the right to call for her being fired. Disney had the right to fire her. Disney also has the right to not fire Pedro Pascal (Mr. Mandalorian) and other employees for posting very similar nazi/holocaust content on their own Twitter accounts. (1) People upset at the hypocrisy of Gina’s firing have the right to boycott and #canceldisney .(2) And Ben Shapiro and the Daily Wire have the right to partner with her for their next movie.(3) So all of that is legal and constitutional. And considering none of the actions are mandated by the government I would also claim this is the free market at work. However, free market or not, the fact that this situation happened at all, begs the question: “Where does this end? Leftists told Trump supporters to, “Build your own social media.” When Parler was shut down, they said, “Build your own servers.” Now when Disney ...

This past week has seen lots of eagerness and angst directed at Gamestop, hedge funds, Reddit, and Robinhood. There are plenty of explanations for what is happening and the various legalities (and illegalities). I’ll provide a link to Ben Shapiro’s summary which I found to be succinct and clear.(1) But what I want to cover is [1] this emerging idea that the stock market doesn’t improve economic prosperity, [2] that the stock market is just gambling, and [3] how the government got us into this situation. [1] In the traditional sense of investments and buying stocks, there are tangible economic gains to be made for both the companies and the investors. It’s the same reason I went to the bank to ask for a lot of money to buy a house, and the bank said “Okay.” My house provides shelter, heat, air conditioning, a place to hang out with friends and makes my life better and more comfortable than before. The bank is similarly going to profit because it will recoup all the money it gave to me, ...

Barack Obama: “On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.” Donald Trump: “The Bible tells us, how good and pleasant it is when God's people live together in unity.” ... “When America is united, America is totally unstoppable.” Presidents of the “United” States of America, like to urge their fellow Americans to be united. In his inauguration speech Joseph Biden called for unity six times. “To overcome these challenges – to restore the soul and to secure the future of America – requires more than words.It requires that most elusive of things in a democracy: Unity. Unity.” “With unity we can do great things. Important things.” “History, faith, and reason show the way, the way of unity.” “For without unity, there is no peace, only bitterness and fury.” “This is our historic moment of crisis and challenge, and unity is the path forward.” “And together, we shall write an American story of hope, not fear. Of unity, not divisio...

  If you know a small business owner, you know this is both true and heartbreaking. What is even more heartbreaking is economists like these authors have been warning of this outcome since the start of the lockdowns. In response they were shouted down and called rude things like “grandma killers”. This is why economics is important. It’s not enough to have good intentions. At some point public policy needs to actually work. And if it doesn’t, we need to be humble enough to reverse course. https://insidesources.com/the-war-on-small-business/

We have the first amendment because the founders didn’t want an American clone of the Church of England, which was famously established because Henry VIII wanted a divorce and the pope said “No”.(1). “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion [promoting one religion over another], or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” Interestingly the phrase “separation of church and state” is not in the First amendment nor is it in the constitution. Thomas Jefferson wrote in a letter that the legislature should make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, “thus building a wall of separation between Church & State”.(2) With this context it is clear the First Amendment was intended to limit government intrusion into religion, not vice versa. Over the years, ho...

A fetus has petitioned to grant its motion for trial by combat against its mother and her abortionist, "On the field of battle where (he) will rend their souls from their corporeal bodies." The 20 week old fetus, which requested that it be referred to as baby, he, him, or Goliath the Destroyer, claims that his mother, Karen, has, "Destroyed him legally." He requested the court give him 18 years "lead time" in order to become a legal adult and forge a katana. Communication is via Morse Code, with the baby kicking Karen in the amniotic sac. This has led Karen to counter sue, charging Goliath the Destroyer with assault, battery, and trespassing. Incidentally in order to carry out the sentences of these charges would require Goliath to first be born. Inspired by this story https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/03/12/iowa-courts-trial-by-combat-sword-fight-custody-sanity-test/5030982002/