In a tale of questionable historical validity, the British colonial government in early 20th century India found itself confronting a fearsome pest: cobras. Though natives had long since adjusted to uneasy coexistence with the snakes, the occupying force did not … Continue reading
Economics & Political Systems
Mark Zuckerberg’s Call for a “Universal Basic Income”
Facebook founder and billionaire Mark Zuckerberg’s Commencement speech at Harvard made a big splash. It was a warm-hearted, encouraging, interesting address, enriched by some endearing personal vignettes. It was also politically progressive to the core: It included the obligatory (for … Continue reading
Socialism Attacks the Family, Just as Its Inventors Intended
Editor’s note: This article first appeared at Stream.org. Last year, “socialism” was the most looked-up word at Merriam-Webster.com. That is hardly a surprise. It clearly reflects growing interest, especially with the remarkable surge of lifetime socialist Bernie Sanders, who won … Continue reading
Medicine that Hurts
The Republican-proposed American Health Care Act (AHCA) that the House of Representatives is expected to vote on this Thursday has been called a bill that everybody dislikes for one reason or another. Democrats are hoping that the AHCA will be … Continue reading
The Spirit of Michael Novak
Editor’s note: This article first appeared at Crisis Magazine. One of the most brilliant, influential Catholic intellectuals of the past half century has died at age 83. He was Michael Novak, theologian, philosopher, and gentleman—truly, a gentle man. I had … Continue reading
Crossing the Line on Health Insurance
In a recent television interview, Aetna CEO Mark Bertolini, head of one of America’s largest health insurers, commented that selling insurance across state lines is “an outdated concept” in the discussion of healthcare reform. Bertolini went on to explain the … Continue reading
Obama’s Shocking Historically Weak Economic Performance
On January 27, the Commerce Department reported that the U.S. economy grew at an annual rate of only 1.9 percent for the fourth quarter and that the overall rate of growth for 2016 was a feeble 1.6 percent. During the … Continue reading
Repeal and Replace with Empowerment and Control
“Repeal” and “replace” are the new buzzwords, with no signs of being bumped from the headlines anytime soon. Since the 2016 election, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has been in the crosshairs of the Republican-controlled Congress and Donald Trump. The … Continue reading
President Obama’s Parting Economic Shots
President Barack Obama’s executive actions during the two and a half months of his lame duck, post-election time in office provide the perfect exclamation point to his entire presidency. His antipathy for private property has never been clearer. Look at … Continue reading
The Center Presents: Top Stories of 2016 (Part One)
he year 2016 may likely be remembered by history as a year full of surprises, divisions, and changes. To help remember the year that was, we at The Center for Vision & Values asked some of our fellows and contributing … Continue reading
The Center for Vision & Values Presents: Top 10 of 2016
2016 has been a fantastic year for The Center for Vision & Values at Grove City College. We celebrated an all-time high in website traffic, an exponential growth in social media (approaching 35,000 Facebook fans), and a record number of … Continue reading
Don’t Help the Despots … Thoughts from the Son of Cuban Emigrants
Editor’s note: When this article was originally published, Lorenzo Carrazana was a sophomore at Grove City College in Grove City, Pennsylvania. He currently works for the Arizona State Attorney General’s Office. With the death of longtime dictator Fidel Castro, the … Continue reading
What Is Gold Saying About Trump?
Editor’s note: This article first appeared at Forbes.com. Amidst the larger drama of the election last Tuesday, the financial markets staged their own little drama. When the Dow futures plummeted by hundreds of points as it began to look as … Continue reading
Should the Electoral College be Abolished?
Donald Trump won the 2016 presidential election by winning the Electoral College. His opponent, Hillary Clinton, lost the White House but won the popular vote. If the Constitution was being drafted today—and the question of how to select a president … Continue reading
American Farms and Hillary Clinton’s Tax Proposal
America’s agricultural resources are among the best in the world. American farmers, or perhaps we should call them America’s agribusiness professionals, produce essential financial crops including wheat, corn, beans, grapes, apples, etc. We are all dependent on their productivity. Indeed, … Continue reading
The Obamacare Tipping Point
It’s that time of year again. Time for vibrant fall colors, cool crisp morning air, and open enrollment in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) insurance exchanges—the government-regulated, state-based healthcare plans set up as part of the act. Since the ACA’s … Continue reading
Hillary Clinton’s Estate Tax Proposal
“Hillary Clinton Proposes 65% Top Rate for Estate Tax” blared a headline in The Wall Street Journal. Since the current top statutory tax rate on estates is 40 percent, Clinton’s proposal is nothing if not audacious. I can’t recall Barack … Continue reading
A Prescription for Disaster
For those who may be unfamiliar with the players in the pharmaceutical business, Mylan is a successful, mid-sized manufacturer of branded and generic drugs. One of their largest products is the EpiPen, which is an auto-injection device used to treat … Continue reading
Storm Clouds are on the Horizon
In predictable economic times, it makes sense—indeed it is essential—to put money aside and save for the coming rainy day. Trouble is brewing for each and every one of us. For some, it is just two appliances failing in the … Continue reading
The Fed Seeks to Postpone a Federal Government Default
Editor’s note: This article first appeared at Forbes.com. I have been writing for years that our government is essentially broke and the federal debt will never be repaid. Within this context, the Federal Reserve has been the great enabler of even more federal debt by … Continue reading