Regulation

A water drop and ripples

A mandate for algorithm-free social media might not be the answer.

By Justin Katz | November 19, 2021 |

I’m not sure this is the way to a solution: A bipartisan collective of House lawmakers introduced legislation on Nov. 9 that would require Big Tech providers such as Facebook and Google to allow users to opt-out of content selected by algorithms, providing additional transparency regarding content. The measure, dubbed the Filter Bubble Transparency Act…

A man in a plague mask on a swing

Hey! Maybe the solution for health care staff shortage is more mandates!

By Justin Katz | November 18, 2021 |

Problems with Rhode Island’s health care industry indicate an across-the-board failure of government management.  Remember when they shut down our economy to avoid overwhelming our medical infrastructure?  Well, that move — and all that came after it — may be resulting in a much more intractable, longer-term failure. Want to count the ways? One. Staff at…

Jennifer Granholm laughs

Granholm’s Guffawing Aside, Why Only Non-American Oil to Ease the “Global Energy Crisis”?

By Monique Chartier | November 15, 2021 |

As you have undoubtedly noticed, the price of gasoline has risen sharply since January and heating bills are expected to jump by as much as 54% this winter. The cause is Economics 101: inadequate supply is driving up price.  In fact, one of President Biden’s senior energy advisors has acknowledged this and called on non-American…

Cash, cuffs, and the American flag

Maybe it should be a crime to impose regulations that drive businesses to try to bribe officials.

By Justin Katz | November 5, 2021 |

Arresting a private business manager for attempted bribery of a public official raises an interesting crime to contemplate. Offering money for enhanced service is not a crime.  I’ve never heard of somebody being arrested for trying to slip a m’aitre d’ cash to find somebody without reservations a table in a busy restaurant.  And if…

A water drop and ripples

People’s interests (and economic reality) have to be considered in public policy (like mandates).

By Justin Katz | November 2, 2021 |

Further to my observation this morning about the McKee administration’s attitude toward people who lost their jobs thanks to his vaccine mandate, I note noises nationally from federal contractors that a similar mandate may force them to end their contracts with the government.  Sundance writes: As we have continued to point out, a federal vaccine…

Dr. Stephen Skoly's office building

The State of Rhode Island Comes for Dr. Skoly

By Justin Katz | October 1, 2021 |

A compliance order issued to Dr. Skoly on the basis of a Providence Journal report shows the state Department of Health looking to make an example of him.

Pipes

A young entrepreneur in the trades shows how the economy ought to work.

By Justin Katz | September 21, 2021 |

The story of Canadian plumber Noah Fladager, as related by Louise Bevan in The Epoch Times, illustrates exactly the ideal around which public policy should be formed: A young plumber, and father, who quit a secure job to go solo is celebrating the fruits of his labor. Not only does he now employ others, but he’s…

A water drop and ripples

Who is the real audience for Biden’s vax-mandate speech?

By Marc Comtois | September 10, 2021 |

According to John Podhoretz, Biden’s vax-mandate “speech was a Rube Goldberg message aimed at neurotic vaccinated people”.  Pohhoretz continues: He told the American people without qualification that fully vaccinated people are at incredibly low risk: “Only 1 out of every 160,000 fully vaccinated Americans was hospitalized for COVID per day.” Then he promised to shield…

A fisherman with his net

Fishing boats are another example of government bragging about easing problems it caused.

By Justin Katz | July 20, 2021 |

Liberty Rhode Island caught the RI House of Representatives bragging about softening its grip around the Ocean State’s economic neck.  The example comes from the House’s Facebook page, which appears to be a partisan outlet to promote newspaper clippings that say nice things about House Democrats.  The page quotes an article by Ryan Blessing in The…

Dan McKee on WPRI

McKee’s excuse for extending the state of the emergency isn’t very good.

By Justin Katz | June 12, 2021 |

In fact, when pressed for justification, Governor Dan McKee ends up illustrating how fully our government operates along lines of special interests. From an Alexandra Leslie article on WPRI: The governor said there were a few reasons behind the decision, including keeping certain opportunities extended to businesses in place, like allowing takeout beer, wine and…