Public pension funds are $1.6 trillion short of the money they will need to pay government employees throughout their retirement years.

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January 8, 2020 | Weekly Newsletter

UPCOMING EVENT: War on Poverty or War on the Poor? ([link removed])
Bestselling Author Amity Shlaes, Oakland, 1/14/20
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New York Times bestselling author Amity Shlaes takes on Lyndon Johnson and the so-called “war on poverty” in her acclaimed new book, Great Society: A New History, showing that the cost of Big-Government entitlements are blocking the very opportunities needed now and in the future for all Americans, especially the most disadvantaged. RESERVE TICKETS » ([link removed])
Do Public Pension Shortfalls Mean You’ll Face a Tax Hike? ([link removed])
By Craig Eyermann (The Beacon, 12/30/19)
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Public pension funds are $1.6 trillion short of the money they will need to pay government employees throughout their retirement years. How much money would your household need to pay to help cover a funding gap in your state’s public-employee pension plan? READ MORE » ([link removed])

[link removed] California Dreaming Lessons on How to Resolve America’s Public Pension Crisis ([link removed])
By Lawrence J. McQuillan
Californians May Wonder if the Constitution Applies to Them in 2020 ([link removed])
By K. Lloyd Billingsley (The Daily Caller, 12/31/19)
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Because California is a bellwether for the nation, Americans everywhere should be concerned about future restrictions on their constitutional rights. Recent laws in the Golden State abrogate the First and Second Amendments, with bans on “malicious” political videos and mandatory background checks for gun-ammo buyers. READ MORE » ([link removed])

[link removed] The Founders’ Second Amendment Origins of the Right to Bear Arms ([link removed])
By Stephen P. Halbrook
The High Cost of Good Intentions ([link removed])
Reviewed by Lee A. Craig (The Independent Review, Fall 2019)
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Entitlement spending makes up more than 70 percent of federal expenditures, with over 90 percent going to those age 65 and older. In The High Cost of Good Intentions, Stanford University professor John F. Cogan looks at the history of U.S. federal entitlement programs from the Revolutionary War to the Affordable Care Act. READ MORE » ([link removed])

[link removed] The Independent Review Fall 2019 ([link removed])
Vernon L. Smith: A Birthday Appreciation ([link removed])
By Art Carden (Forbes, 1/1/20)
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A pioneer of experimental economics, Nobel laureate Vernon L. Smith has blazed trails that help us better appreciate the workings of a free market. Now age 93 and still going strong, he continues to conduct path-breaking research that yields new insights and illuminates old truths. READ MORE » ([link removed])

[link removed] Living Economics Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow ([link removed])
By Peter J. Boettke
The Beacon: New Blog Posts
* Is the Federal Bureaucracy America’s Nobility? ([link removed]) , by K. Lloyd Billingsley
* Little Women Shows Timelessness of “Coming of Age” ([link removed]) , by Samuel R. Staley
* A Broken Track for California’s Zombie Bullet Train ([link removed]) , by Craig Eyermann
* Faction: The Underlying Cause of Anger and Hatred in America ([link removed]) , by James A. Montanye

Catalyst: New Articles
* Don’t Bet Only on the Sun and the Wind ([link removed]) , by William F. Shughart II
* Chick-fil-A’s Awkward Adolescence ([link removed]) , by Mary Theroux
* From the Russia Investigation to FBI Mass Surveillance, Government Snooping Is Out of Control ([link removed]) , by Ross Marchand
* Does Collegiate Athletic Excellence Promote Academic Excellence? ([link removed]) , by Richard Vedder
* What’s With All the Empty Condos? ([link removed]) , by Scott Beyer
* Decrying Income Inequality Is a Harmful Tactic That Will Make Us All Worse Off ([link removed]) , by Edward P. Stringham


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