Lecture from Down Under, Continued

On Thursday, Dan Sullivan introduced Karl Fitzgerald, and engaged in discussion with him afterward. On point which Mr. Sullivan made was that while inflation is officially low, there is higher inflation in assets, notably land.

He also said a few words about American Indians, and about political correctness, saying that some people make a fuss about a football team called the Washington Redskins, but what about the real needs of actual American Indians. As to the Cleveland Indians, Dan Sullivan said that way back when, they had an Indian coach and a couple of Indian players, so that’s how they got their name. He also reminisced about the late Russell Means, a Lakota Indian and a Georgist. One time, when someone asked him whether American Indian or Native American was the preferred term, Russell Means replied, “We don’t care what you call us, we just want our fair share of the land.” Or words to that effect.

Spring Is Beginning

The forsythia bushes are not in full bloom, but I saw some yellow buds. Light green leaves are appearing on some of the trees, and I saw a few cherry blossoms on a tree in a sunny spot. Other cherry trees are not in bloom yet, but I expect to see more flowers soon.

While outdoors today, a lemon beagle jumped up on me, although I didn’t get to pet her, since she abandoned me to play-wrestle with a canine friend. I also, in a separate incident, med a medium-large black dog with a collar saying “Obedience School Dropout,” and got the back of my hand nuzzled.

Letter Published

On Saturday the 20th, The Washington Post published a letter of mine, together with two other letters responding to an editorial of theirs on taxes and spending. Here is the letter, as they published it:

There are surely problems with the tax code, but raising tax rates on the earnings of the rich is a dubious measure. People may respond by taking their skills and capital offshore, or by focusing on finding or creating loopholes, instead of productive accomplishment. Do we want the next advance in solar cells, or the next thing we haven’t even thought of, to be developed and manufactured in another country?

To the extent that more revenue should be raised, let us tax things we don’t want, such as the emission of greenhouse gases, and let us charge people for such privileges as the use of the electromagnetic spectrum (which should not be given away or auctioned off).

We also need to start practicing fiscal responsibility, which both major parties have largely abandoned. Sending government checks to people who don’t especially need them, and shoveling funds to state governments and to schools that are not opening are poor uses of federal funds.

Nicholas D. Rosen, Arlington