The Left's Cognitive Dissonance on Taxes and Regulations

Never Go to War. Especially with Yourself

There are only a vanishingly few instances where Big Government advocates are honest about the awful policies upon which they insist.

Cigarettes are one such instance.

Higher Taxes Needed to Make Cigarettes Less Affordable

The Economics of Tobacco Regulation:

“(R)egulation, which has intensified in the past two decades, includes cigarette taxation, place-based smoking bans in areas ranging from bars and restaurants to workplaces, and regulations designed to make tobacco products less desirable.”

Of COURSE higher taxes and more regulations make cigarettes less desirable. More government does that. For Big Government advocates on cigarettes? That’s the feature - not a bug.

Big Government advocates oppose President Donald Trump’s import tariffs:

“‘Make no mistake - across the board tariffs against Canada and Mexico will raise costs for American families on everything from groceries to household staples,’ the Democrats said in their letter.”

That certainly sounds like Big Government advocates understand the impact of more government.

Except: Democrats (and others) are missing entirely the point of Trump’s tariffs. Which is to disincentivize other nations’ continued overtaxing and over-regulating of our exports. And to (re-)incentivize companies to do and make things in the US.

Except: Bizarrely, almost nowhere else in the economy do Big Government advocates acknowledge the blatant obviousness of Big Government’s negative impact on all things economic.

In fact, they pretend the effects of their imposition of ever-more taxes and regs? Somehow affect cigarettes - and magically nothing else.

How I Know Higher Taxes Would Be Good for the Economy

Three Ways That Regulation Benefits Economies

Cognitive dissonance is a way of life for Big Government advocates.

Which brings us to the Internet.

Big Government advocates incessantly insist they want more and faster Internet for…everyone. And they insist the way to get there? Is ever-more government.

Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Increases Broadband Speed Benchmark

Because that’s how things work in the Real World, right? Government bureaucrats wave their royal scepters - and <presto> the Internet is faster and available to everyone.

Government LOVES spending money on “Internet for All”:

“Too many families can't afford high-speed Internet service.”

The Joe Biden Pseudo-Administration did an excellent job with the latest round of DC wasting LOTS of our Internet money.

Kamala 'Broadband Czar' Update: Still Zero People Connected by $42+ Bil Gov Program

Oh: And why can’t families afford Internet? LOTS of regulations - and LOTS of taxes.

FCC Sets New Record With Universal Service Fund Tax Soaring To 34.5% For Q4 2023

And it ain’t just the federal government.

ISPs Fear Wave of State Laws After New York’s $15 Broadband Mandate

Because we all know price controls always work everywhere. I kid. I’m a kidder.

State Net Neutrality Laws Hold Strong

The Biggest Impediment to Better Internet? Local Governments

ALL of these Internet taxes and regulations from the Big Government advocates. And yet somehow no one bothers to ask them:

“You acknowledge all of your cigarette taxes and regulations reduce the use of cigarettes.

“Don’t all of your Internet taxes and regulations reduce the use of the Internet?”

If it’s bad for the goose - it’s bad for the gander.

Oh: And here’s the REALLY fun part.

America already achieved universal service for Americans. And it was done entirely by the private sector. And it was accomplished - way back in 2015. And it ain’t me saying it. It was President Barack Obama.

Which means this last decade of regulations, taxes and hundreds of billons of spent dollars - all allegedly in the name of achieving universal service? Was a titanic waste of time, energy and money.

But, as always, Big Government advocates never allow facts to get in the way of a good beating.