The Press-Dispatch
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C-12 Opinion Wednesday, July 5, 2017 The Press-Dispatch ous trend would be great, but Americans can do much better. At least three major reforms are now possible that can unleash the power of the American economy. • Repeal Obamacare: A study by the National Cen- ter For Policy Analysis esti- mates that repealing Obam- acare would provide a boost to real GDP of more than 1 percent per year over the next decade. Based on these projec- tions, personal income would increase by hundreds of billions annually, and the economy would add nearly 1 million jobs by the end of the decade. A simple division by the number of days suggests that the cost of inaction is nearly $500 million per day in lost output. In terms of jobs, this could translate in- to as many as 250 lost jobs per day (a relatively small number unless one of those jobs is yours). • Shrink regulation: Ad- mittedly, this is a herculean task. The federal govern- ment has been burdening people with innovation-kill- ing rules for decades, and it is difficult to estimate the economic effects of a broad deregulation effort. Two Heritage Foundation scholars have estimated the economic impact of reduc- ing just one of the likely ef- fects of Dodd — Frank: ex- cess borrowing costs. Their study projects that removing these excess costs would grow the GDP by more than 1 percent per year for the next decade, and boost capital stock by nearly 3 percent per year. Inaction on Dodd-Frank costs anoth- er $500 million per day. • Reform the tax code: Estimates of tax reform ben- efits vary widely because there are so many ways to improve the U.S. tax sys- tem, but several plans are currently taking shape. The Tax Foundation stud- ied the House Republican plan and found that it would increase the long-run size of the economy (in terms of GDP) by more than 9 percent. They also project- ed that the Rubio-Lee plan would grow the economy by 15 percent over the long run. Mr. Trump's plan is not fully detailed yet, but a de- cent guess is that the ben- efits would be somewhere near these projections. The increase in jobs, wag- es and wealth from growing the economy through these types of tax reforms would be enormous. The cost of waiting on just tax reform can be conservatively esti- mated as approaching $2 billion per day in lost output. Repealing Obamacare, rolling back the regulato- ry state, and implement- ing pro-growth tax reform would be a big shot in the arm to the U.S. economy. Over the next decade, the cumulative effect of mak- ing just those three reforms could boost GDP anywhere from $ 8 trillion to $18 tril- lion. That translates to a cost of between roughly $2 billion and $5 billion for each day that Americans are denied these reforms. In terms of lost jobs, waiting costs near- ly 1,000 jobs per day. Some have said that be- cause any legislative action taken this year wouldn't take effect until at least Jan. 1, 2018, it doesn't matter if it happens now or in Septem- ber. False: The sooner inves- tors and entrepreneurs can see the changes on the hori- zon, the quicker they can be- gin taking actions that bene- fit the economy. A filled swamp is expen- sive to maintain. The Amer- ican people are waiting for Congress to drain it. And they should expect their elected representatives to stay in Washington and make the real changes they were elected to do. Ed Feulner is the president of The Heritage Foundation (heritage.org). Continued from page 11 SWAMP Continued from page 11 SUMMERTIME Continued from page 11 GAME ject of derision; rather, it was a 'military' flag used in bat- tlefields to distinguish the Southern Greys from the Union Blues, just like the uniforms. Worldwide there are those who routinely burn the American flag because to them it does not embody the attributes of the Pledge of Allegiance. Most Ameri- cans are abhorred to think such a thing could be true. Confederate memorials belong in American histo- ry to all Americans in gen- eral, and the Southerners in particular, which includes the whites, the blacks, and the Cherokee Indians, who fought in the Confederate army. But the SJW, with the help of the media, decide what Americans can have as cultural symbols and what should be denied. What's next? Smash Mount Rushmore? Washington and Jefferson were 'slave holders,' which was an accepted institution at that time. Don't forget Teddy was an imperialist, and even Lincoln, the great emancipa- tor, was a racist by modern standards and embraced re- patriation not equality. All of us are creatures of our times, and those yet to come will view our actions as bizarre. Let us pray that they do not disinter us and incin- erate our dust into nothing. Amazing Grace how sweet the sound is apropos here because in our own time we act unjustly toward others, sometimes in ignorance, other times by forethought. It is truly sad that those SJW among us cannot embrace healing and forbearance to- ward those who came before. In case you didn't notice your religious beliefs are in the crosshairs. Think about it! Continued from page 11 BENDING Continued from page 11 TRAITORS? Eventually, Supreme Court decisions would cite a Constitutional right to priva- cy (found nowhere in the ac- tual text of the Constitution) to justify Roe v. Wade, open season on unborn human ba- bies. Federal judges would overturn state ballot initia- tive results, because voters were motivated by "animus" against homosexuals. The Supreme Court would or- der the states to extend the rights and privileges of mar- riage to Sodomites. And fed- eral judges would dictate im- migration policy over the ob- jections of an elected presi- dent. This is not a friendly dif- ference of opinion. It's dic- tatorship. But arrogance is not the only source of judicial cor- ruption. Sometimes it's a timid deference to menac- ing politicians. When Franklin Roos- evelt attempted to pack the Supreme Court with six of his own judges, the Court's decisions promptly veered left. A fter President Obama (a lawyer) disrespected the Supreme Court in a State of the Union speech, and after Sen. Patrick Leahy (a law- yer) signaled that Chief Jus- tice John Roberts would be discredited if he opposed Obamacare, Roberts (a law- yer) switched sides and af- firmed the Constitutionali- ty of the coercive "individu- al mandate." We're not going to change human nature. Lawyers will have their frailties, just like us. But we owe our grand- children a free country, not a dictatorship. Court Report CRIMINAL Pike Circuit court Nicole R. Lucas charged with exploi- tation of an endangered adult, a level 6 felony. Ryan Hill charged with count I ne- glect of a dependent, a level 6 felony, and count II interference with the re- porting of a crime. Larry L. Harris charged with count I intimidation, a level 6 felony, and count II residential entry. Christopher W. Heiple charged with count I obstruction of justice, a level 6 felony, and count II possession of mar- ijuana. James Birge charged with count I criminal confinement, a level 5 felony, count II neglect of a dependent, and count III and IV theft. TRAFFIC AND MISDEMEANOR Pike Circuit Court Corey J. Carrithers charged with theft. Larry L. Harris charged with domes- tic battery. Ryan G. Downs charged with operat- ing a vehicle while intoxicated. Andy Dunbar AK A Phillip A. Dun- bar charged with check deception. Hunter Lee Willis charged with il- legal consumption of an alcoholic bev- erage. Desmond K. Roberson charged with driving while suspended. Edra Lynne Cannon charged with driving while suspended. Christopher L. Coulson charged with count I domestic battery, and count II resisting law enforcement. Sara L. Luker charged with count I operating a vehicle with an ace of .08 or more. CIVIL DOCKET Pike Circuit Court Evansville Teachers Federal Credit Union sues Gregory A. Watson on com- plaint. Barbara Whitman-Walburn and Tim- othy Walburn sue Geico Indemnity Company on complaint. Midland Funding, LLC sues Nathan- iel Willis on complaint. SMALL CLAIMS Pike Circuit Court Pike County School Corporation sues Jason Smith on complaint. Pike County School Corporation sues Brandon Truitt on complaint. Pike County School Corporation sues Nick Norris on complaint. Melliott Properties LLC, Max Elliot sues Chyna Beckley on complaint. Hoosier Accounts Service sues Deke C. Winchell on complaint. Hoosier Accounts Service sues An- thony H. Lee on complaint. INFRACTIONS Pike Circuit Court Jacob Burkhart charged with seat- belt violation. Kyle Doggett charged with speed- ing, 70 mph in a 55 zone. Laura Nicole Doggett charged with speeding, 65 mph in a 55 zone. Trace Faulk charged with seatbelt violation. Justin Hopf charged with speeding, 32 mph in a 20 zone. Madeline Larrison charged with speeding, 92 mph in a 70 zone. Amy Lee charged with speeding, 84 mph in a 70 zone. James Brown charged with speed- ing, 66 mph in a 55 zone. Larry Fox charged with operating with expired plates. Cody Richardson charged with speeding, 69 mph in a 55 zone. Shawna Stone charged with speed- ing, 84 mph in a 70 zone. Jill Crowder charged with speeding, 89 mph in a 70 zone. Sharon Duke charged with speed- ing, 84 mph in a 70 zone. Dannie Eggers charged with speed- ing, 84 mph in a 70 zone. Jacob Harper charged with speed- ing, 84 mph in a 70 zone. Michele Helm charged with speed- ing, 84 mph in a 70 zone. Jonathan Hintz charged with speed- ing, 84 mph in a 70 zone. Kylee Jackson charged with speed- ing, 99 mph in a 70 zone. Janetlynn Poppei charged with speeding, 84 mph in a 70 zone. Samual Tolen charged with speed- ing, 84 mph in a 70 zone. Jason Woods charged with speed- ing, 84 mph in a 70 zone. The cost of Medicaid Pursuit of the Cure by Star Parker The number of Americans enrolled in Medicaid has increased from 29 mil- lion in 1990 to 73 million today – an increase of 252 percent over a period when the nation's population increased 30 percent. Total spending on Medicaid today is $574 billion, 275 percent above the $209 billion of 2000. Medicaid amounts to about 40 per- cent of the total spending on the 10 largest means-tested federal govern- ment programs targeted at low-in- come Americans. According to the Congressional Budget Office, spend- ing on these programs has tripled as a percentage of our GDP over the last 40 years. Does all this mean we are becoming a more fair and compassionate nation? That might have been the intention. But if we honestly look at what is hap- pening, we will see things have gone badly astray. Some perspective on this is available in a new article by Harvard University economist Edward Glaeser in the City Journal magazine of the Manhattan In- stitute. The article, "The War on Work – and How to End It," paints a dismal picture of the direction in which our national culture is trending. Specifically, the deterioration of our culture of work, particularly among "prime-age" men, those between 25 and 54. According to Glaeser, 95 percent of "prime-age" men were working in 1967. However, during the last reces- sion, over 20 percent of this group was not working. Today, it remains at 15 percent. "Thirty percent of prime-age jobless men currently live with their parents," Glaeser reports. One reason why we're not seeing robust growth in our economy despite today's low un- employment rate is that the low rate reflects large numbers of work- ers who have dropped out of the work force. The unemployment rate just consid- ers those actively looking for work – not those who have stopped looking. Most recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics show that 62.7 per- cent of the workforce is working, com- pared to 66 percent in 2000. According to Nicholas Eberstadt of the American Enterprise Institute, if work rates to- day were what they were in 2000, there would be 10 million more Americans earning salaries. What is happening? Why are droves of Americans, particularly "prime-age" men, dropping out of the work force? Glaeser offers a number of hypoth- eses. But major in this equation is the dramatic growth of the American wel- fare state. The welfare state might have been driven by good and compassion- ate intentions. But to a large and de- structive extent, it has subsidized and encouraged not working. Which brings us back to Medicaid. Eberstadt writes, "According to the Census Bureau's SIPP survey (Survey of Income and Program Participation), as of 2013, one fifth (21 percent) of all civilian men between 25 and 55 years of age were Medicaid bene- ficiaries. For prime-age peo- ple not in the work force, the share was over half (53 per- cent)." Eberstadt notes a 2016 study by Princeton economist Alan Krueger, former chair- man of the council of econom- ic advisors under President Obama, that "nearly half of all prime working-age labor force dropouts – an army now totaling roughly 7 million men – currently take pain-medication on a daily basis." Medicaid is footing the bill for a good chunk of the opioid epidemic. And Eberstadt adds: "Of the entire un-working prime-age male Anglo pop- ulation in 2013, nearly three fifths (57 percent) were reportedly collecting disability benefits from one or more government disability programs." We must be a compassionate nation as well as a productive nation. But compassion cannot be confused with subsidization of poor values and waste. Blindly dropping taxpayer funds from helicopters is not compassion. As we have the very important dis- cussion now taking place about health care, about Medicaid, and about other well-intentioned but ill-conceived gov- ernment programs, let's keep this in mind. Star Parker is an author and presi- dent of CURE, Center for Urban Renew- al and Education. Contact her at www. urbancure.org. doms we enjoy. The freedom to vote, to express our opinion, to engage in commerce, to live in peace and order- liness. We are free not because we can recklessly do as we please, but rath- er our freedom comes from our sense of responsibility, our respect for law and rules of conduct, our ability to get along and engage in civil activities. We generally enjoy freedom from hunger, and freedom from fear, and we enjoy one of the best health care systems in the world, although I am beginning to feel our health care system leaves a lot of room for improvement, especially on the economic side of the equation. We hope we continue to build our nation on these foundations of justice and fairness and honesty in governing, because we want to leave to our next generation a legacy they can enjoy. All we need to do is to look at our children and grandchildren, and that should in- spire us to strive for a better tomorrow, so we can continue to celebrate our In- dependence Day joyfully. We are ever so grateful for those who made the ultimate sacrifice in the service of our country, for those who continue to guard and protect us, for those who govern us in the true spirit of fair and just virtues. Have a blessed week! • • • O beautiful for spacious skies, For Amber waves of grain, For purple mountain majesties Above the fruited plain, America! America! God shed His grace on thee, And crown thy good with brother- hood, From sea to shining sea. Free Press (Feb. 19, 1861): "An attempt to subjugate the seceded States, even if suc- cessful, could produce noth- ing but evil – evil unmitigat- ed in character and appall- ing in extent." The New- York Times (March 21, 1861): "There is a growing sentiment throughout the North in favor of letting the Gulf States go." Confederate generals were fighting for indepen- dence from the Union just as George Washington and other generals fought for independence from Great Britain. Those who'd la- bel Gen. Robert E. Lee as a traitor might also label George Washington as a traitor. I'm sure Great Brit- ain's King George III would have agreed. Walter E. Williams is a professor of economics at George Mason University. the dealer getting first bid. This is something euchre players will sort of recognize if they squint. Bidding is essentially telling the table what you think you and your partner are capa- ble of doing with the cards you have. Bridge is a trick-taking game, which means each player plays one card dur- ing their turn, and a full round of four turns is a trick, which is won by the player who put down the best card. So you make a bid that communicates how many tricks you think you and your partner can take from this hand. We'll go deeper into that in part two. A fter bidding is over, one player gets a break for the rest of the hand. A f- ter all, bridge is a strenuous contest of manners and finesse, and you'll be hap- py for the breather if you just got out of a contentious bidding war. This play- er is free to walk around, talk trash, change the music to their favorite sta- tion, and refill everyone's drinks—just no cheating! This player is referred to—with endearment, of course—as the dummy, and the partner of the win- ning bidder is always the dummy. Ex- cept when there is no dummy, which can happen, but I don't remember how it happens, soooooo tune in for part two, in which I actually do research before throwing words on a page! Finally, once all 52 cards have been played and all 13 tricks have been tak- en by someone, teams count up their collective tricks and compare the re- sults to what was bid. If the winning bidder did what they promised dur- ing bidding, they get points for their team, huzzah! If not, the other team gets points! Scoring is beautifully com- plicated, so we'll get to that in part two. If you can't wait a week to play a game, just give yourself however many points you feel is fair. The point is that you're sitting around a table throwing cards at each other and eating bridge mix candy and being courteous. What fun! If you already know how to play bridge and would like to correct my garishly amateur description of how to play, email me at aheuring@sgstar- times.com. Here's my things of the week. See you next time! Coffee of the week: Bow Wow Blend, available at Beans & Baristas in Evans- ville (did I mention this one already? Part of its proceeds go to the humane society.) Book of the week: It Devours by Jo- seph Fink and Jeffrey Cranor (be- comes available October 17 this year) Musicians of the week: The Yoshi- da Brothers Haiku of the week: Ah, summer grass! All that remains Of warriors' dreams. -Basho Continued from page 11 LAWYERS Quick as a Click! Submit your classified advertising by e-mail It's easy Submit your classi ed ad along with your name and phone number to: classi eds@pressdispatch.net