August 21, 2011
The Containment of Supply and Demand
Evidently there is a shortage of cancer drugs in the US right now and instead of a humane response, we are seeing significant price increases. The first rule of free-market economics is that the price of a product is whatever the market will bear. However, when securing a scarce product makes the difference between life and death for the consumer, this rule should be suspended: it is simply immoral for scarcity to influence the price of a life-saving product. What would we say to someone who agreed to rescue another person from a precarious situation, (a fire, drowning, etc.) only upon payment of a significant sum of money?
August 20, 2011
Tax the Poor
In the ongoing budgetary contretemps, where spending cuts are being weighed against revenue increases, the Tea Party has stood their ground against any increases in revenue whatsoever. However, it appears that in certain places on the Conservative side of the argument, revenue increases are indeed being entertained. Since fully half of the American population pays no income taxes, although many among them do pay payroll taxes, sales taxes, etc., a growing chorus of outrage seems to be swelling in favor of entertaining tax increases on this segment of the population -- the poor. When political advocacy becomes this inhumane, the only appropriate response is mockery... and none does it better than Jon Stewart.
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