A few years ago my mother turned me onto Thomas Sowell. What a well-reasoned man. His thoughtful discourse is a force of conservatism. I enjoy reading his words. It took until today for me to disagree with him.
Anyone who doesn’t like chain stores is free not to shop there. But that is wholly different from saying that they have a right to stop other people from exercising their own freedom of choice. That’s not too “complex” to understand.
The above was the ending to his treatise. Yes, downtown America is against Walmart.
Sowell does a good job of highlighting the importance of the big box stores. Chains permit those stores to sell goods at a lower price. Of course, that is good for the customer. Therefore, big box stores are good for us.
Sowell contends this is good for towns, despite whether or not people want these stores. Some towns construct laws against chain stores. Sowell argues that towns are doing themselves (and their citizens) a disservice by doing this:
Fortunately, enough sanity eventually prevailed that Fair Trade Laws were repealed. But the emotional needs that such laws met were still there, and today they find an outlet in hostility to Wal-Mart and other “big box” stores– especially in San Francisco and other bastions of the liberal left.
People have every right to indulge their emotions at their own expense. Unfortunately, through politics, those emotions are expressed in laws and administrative decisions by people who pay no price at all for indulging either their own emotions or the emotions of the people who vote for them.
But this is where Sowell runs afoul. Those laws can be good for the community.
I grew up in historic Victorian Cape May, NJ. There were no chains in this tiny seaside resort. I believe there were laws preventing chains from establishing business there. It was after I moved away that the town finally acquiesced to two Wawa convenience stores. But you’ll never find Walmart, McDonald’s, or other national chains there. And that is beneficial to Cape May. The town attracts its visitors by selling Victorian architecture, wholesome family activities, and quaint businesses (antiques, bed and breakfasts, etc.). Collectively, all businesses and citizens benefit by not having big box stores on the island.
Dismissing small towns from constructing its business climate the way it sees fit, Sowell undermines business plans for communities that work. Does this equate to Walmart being big, bad, and evil? Absolutely not. But certainly we can agree that Walmart does not have to have a place in every town. It isn’t that complex, is it?
Fred Thompson, the man I backed for President, is back on the scene. Today he wrote an article for Townhall.com. It began promising:
conservatism is alive and well in America . . . while man is prone to err, he is capable of great things when not subjugated by a too-powerful government.
That’s the conservative voice I liked hearing. Unfortunately, this introductory piece appears to be little more than pimping for Townhall Magazine:
That’s what I’ve been talking and writing about for the past few years, and that’s what I want to talk write about here on Townhall and in the new Townhall Magazine.
I joined Townhall and am writing exclusive commentaries for Townhall Magazine because I see them elevating the discourse on issues based on these principles — smaller government, individual liberty, standing for common values that have become all too uncommon, a strong national defense and, most of all, an optimism and belief in America.
Sigh . . . can new print magazines really make money these days? I subscribe to but one magazine and that is solely out of a sense of loyalty and doing things correctly. I could easily get all the recipes for free even if I didn’t subscribe.
I would love to read Fred’s thoughts on conservatism, but I’ll be damned if I’ll pay to do so.
Why does a march against gangs happen on Father’s Day? How about honoring Dad instead? . . . TwitterLocal is pretty kewl. Here is the feed for Millville and 20 miles out . . . I am getting old. My students had physical education today. Whilst picking them up, I took a couple swings with the “Nerf” covered bat. I swung so hard on the second pitch I hurt my wrist. Even so, the ball slammed off the far wall. My students were impressed. I’ll pay for this for a few days, I am sure . . . Haven’t been watching The Factor much recently. The more air time Dick Morris gets, the less I am inclined to tune in. He’s been wrong with his analysis throughout the campaign. Why does this john still get a platform? . . . Not that I am following this at all, but the headline caught my attention. “Because of this case, I have been financially crippled,” McGreevey told the judge. Oh please. The divorce hasn’t harmed you, your corrupt nature has affected your earning power. I am fine him not paying his wife millions. She seems to want servants, helicopters, and the like. But “the Gay American” should be forced to pay a certain percentage of his income, just in case he is not playing it straight in the trial. History says it’s a fair bet he isn’t . . . Hey, Sen. Obama, I understand your use of sweetie. I use sweetheart several times a day. Of course, I say it to nine- and ten-year old students . . . Just in case anyone thought government does not overstep its purview, check out what New Jersey is pushing through the legislature. Citizens apparently no longer have the right to not purchase health insurance . . . Oh, I can’t believe suing is going to help Carla Katz with the union . . . I have to say I agree that the NJ DOE should seek to recoup squandered tax dollars from school districts who misused the funds . . . FWIW, playoff hockey is exciting . . . Forget closing the state parks. I just found $143 million to cut from NJ’s budget. This money comes with no strings attached. I thought Corzine got rid of the Christmas tree fund. I guess not. Really, Garden State voters: how long are you going to vote for corruption? . . .
This past week my students and I read the book A Very Important Day that chronicles many New York City families’ trip downtown in a snow storm for their citizenship ceremony. We learned that to become a citizen of the United States that petitioners need to have lived here for five years (legally), speak English (so they don’t run us over on the road), take a test, and pledge an oath of loyalty.
We also spoke how most of us are what a supplemental book we read called Auto-Americans because we were born here or born to American citizens. As such, we do not need to jump through the hoops of learning about the United States. It is assumed we know these things. Perhaps that is an assumption we should not make.
For instance, if one wants to be President of the United States, shouldn’t he be able to pass the test that naturalized citizens are expected to pass? I think that is fair for a basic level litmus test. If the president cannot answer these questions, I think it is fair to say he is deficient in the requisite knowledge to lead the country.
Check out question #97. It states:
Why does the flag have 50 stars?
The answer is, of course, any of the following:
because there is one star for each state
because each star represents a state
because there are 50 states
Contrast those acceptable answers with the answer the presumptive Democrat candidate gave yesterday:
It really seems that New Jersey lawmakers go out of their way to show disdain for the taxpayers of this state. How else can one reconcile the latest scheme brewing in the state Assembly?
On Monday, the Assembly Environment Committee is scheduled to discuss a 10-cent deposit for bottles and cans less than 24 ounces and 20 cents for larger ones up to 3 liters. The bill would apply to juice, sport drinks, water, soda, wine and beer containers.
Is this what taxpayers in New Jersey need right now? Despite us not being in a recession as some Garden State lawmakers have asserted, the economy is not going well. A $.10 deposit per bottle/can adds to the cash leaving citizens’ pockets. Sure, they can get the money back by burning fuel and having soda residue drip all over their trunks, but why make us go through that dance?
It’s not about the environment either.
Nope, this adds money to the state coffers that can then be raided like every other fund of cash is. Remember the huge tobacco settlements? Yeah, you don’t hear about that anymore, do you? That is because it is now a liability for New Jersey. Instead of having money coming in from the lawsuits, we are paying interest on the money that was leveraged off the sale of the settlement. And that is exactly what will happen to the tin can money this silly legislation will produce.
New Jersey will be no greener, but we will be poorer and jumping through the hoops to get our cash back.
Right now I have no need to rinse an empty bottle of soda. When it is done, I toss it into the recycling can. On Friday, I carry the can to the curb. The recyclers come by empty the can and I start all over.
Under this legislation I will pay a tax fee for the bottle. I consume it and then have to wash it out. Why? Because if I don’t, the last drop or two will end up emptying into my trunk (or all over me when I transport it). The empty bottle will then be placed in a plastic bag. To hell with using the recycling can. It is too big to lug around to wherever I am going to redeem the bottle. Furthermore, it has drainage holes at the bottom. That will allow all the excess to spill in my car. The plastic bag will be discarded as it will be too sticky to reuse. The recycling can will be discarded as it now has no use.
How is this saving the environment?
This is another slush fund your elected officials are proposing.
I’ll pay for this for a few days, I am sure . . . Haven’t been watching The Factor much recently. The more air time Dick Morris gets, the less I am inclined to tune in. He’s been wrong with his analysis throughout the campaign. Why does this