“Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want, and deserve to get it good and hard. “ H. L. Mencken
The people of New Jersey spoke loud and clear on election night. They want state government to spend more of their money. Not really their money, just upper income folks who make up a small percentage of the population. And they want Trenton to expand its already overbearing micromanagement the economy.
Let’s start with Murphy’s call for a $15 minimum wage. A minimum wage—or price—creates surpluses, a basic principle of economics. A minimum wage will hurt the very people Murphy says he wants to help—workers with low skills. The losers of a higher minimum wage are the young—primarily minority youths—and small businesses that will have to lay off workers or close their doors. Increasing the costs of doing business will adversely affect their bottom lines. In other words my fellow New Jerseyans be careful what you wish for.
Raising taxes on millionaires is another example of why government is like Willie Sutton, the notorious bank robber who was asked why he robbed banks, he replied, That’s where the money is.” Phil Murphy and Democrats in general are legal versions of Willie Sutton.
Higher taxes on upper income taxpayers will cause any out of state high income individual, business owner corporate executive to think twice about relocating to New Jersey. In other words, we will never how many upper income folks will not move to New Jersey because of the highest marginal taxes Murphy is so hot to increase.
Closing tax “loopholes” is another example of businesses and individuals legally lowering their taxes. Removing them will cause business to think twice about moving to New Jersey. And some businesses may leave New Jersey if their taxes increase to intolerable levels. So-called loopholes are perfectly kosher, except to statists like Murphy and his cheerleaders in think tanks and on many newspaper editorial boards in the state.
Murphy asserts New Jersey needs a state bank. This is one of worst proposals ever devised in the minds of big government advocates. Putting billions of the people’s money at the disposal of state government is like putting a nymphomaniac on a submarine and telling her to behave. In a state where corruption is rampant, a state bank is a horrific idea.
More gun control has been the mantra of the gun grabbers for decades. Murphy’s proposals will do nothing to lower crimes committed by thieves, robbers and murderers. If owning a firearm by peaceful citizens who want to defend themselves, which is virtually impossible in New Jersey because of the draconian laws already on the books, criminals will go to where they always go to—the black market—to obtain firearms. In other words, Murphy rejects the idea that self defense is a basic human right. According to Article 3 of the UN Declaration of Human Rights, “Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.” To secure the right to life, liberty and person and security, owning a firearm is fundamental exercise of this human right. Murphy just doesn’t get it.
Lastly, even though Murphy’s agenda is fully outlined on his website, https://www.murphy4nj.com, the final initiative I want to address now reveals his economic ignorance and effective use of gender politics, which was a essential element in his overwhelming victory over Kim Guadagno.
Murphy wants to impose “equal pay “ for women, because according to his website, women earn 82 cents for every dollar a man earns. If this is true, employers should be falling all over themselves to hire every women looking for a job, because use they will be able to save 18% on their labor costs. In addition, women should be replacing high priced business executives saving corporations hundreds of millions of dollars around the state.
Murphy’s “progressive” agenda is a continuation of the top down, trickle-down economics of the past 100 years. He and his advisors would be will advised to read the just published, The Progressive Era by the late Murray Rothbard, http://store.mises.org/-P11063.aspx.