Questioning your “compassionate” politics

Wednesday, May 12th, 2010

My first article/post for the Huffington Post appeared today. It begins: "You oppose Medicaid and government-run schools? You're heartless and lack compassion."  If you have ever made this accusation, even tacitly, I invite you to reconsider the government policies you support. Why does being compassionate mean supporting government-run ...

Don’t raise taxes, legalize marijuana

Sunday, May 17th, 2009

The Boulder Daily Camera published my short piece on why the city should not raise taxes.  Also check out (in the comments) Seth Brigham's open records research on how the City of Boulder spends money. The city should cut its spending -- just families, nonprofits, and companies have in response to ...

Uncharitable: how regulations stifle charities

Tuesday, April 21st, 2009

I've written many times about how government social programs unfairly compete with charity. Here's a Reason.tv interview with Dan Pallotta, author of Uncharitable, on how rules for non-profits stifle their ability to be much more effective than they are.

Proper tax treatment of charities thwarted by welfare state

Tuesday, April 14th, 2009

The Denver Post published my letter to the editor in their March 31 edition: Joel Stein’s commentary against tax-deductible charitable donations is penny-wise but pound-foolish. By favoring some types of spending and punishing others, the tax deduction indeed violates our freedom to spend our earnings as we please. He suggests that ...

Boulder Ballot Issue 1B: Follow the money to the “Worthy Causes”

Monday, October 6th, 2008

Update to: "Worthy Cause Tax": It's not Your Penny to Give. In a letter published in the Boulder Daily Camera, Rich Miller writes: Citizens for a Worthy Cause sent out a glossy mailing this past week, encouraging voters to approve Boulder County 1B.  Issue 1B will continue an existing sales tax and ...

Ballot Issue 1B: “Worthy Cause” Tax, It’s Not Your Penny to Give

Thursday, September 25th, 2008

The Daily Camera published my article on the 2008 Boulder County Ballot Issue 1B today. (print version) Update: The so-called "Citizens for a Worthy Cause" that support this are really the very organizations that receive the tax revenue.  See here. Ballot Issue 1B: It's not Your Penny to Give by Brian T. Schwartz Would ...

Obama will “ask us” to serve

Sunday, July 6th, 2008

In his speech at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, Barack Obama says he will "ask Americans to serve" and "ask for your service."  But will he ever actually ask?  Sure, he can ask for our vote, and there a point where all eligible voters can choose to vote for ...

No compassion in forced giving

Sunday, April 6th, 2008

The Rocky Mountain News published a commentary of mine about the inherent immorality of government-run charities and a proposal to challenge such charities to compete with voluntarily-funded charities.

Compulsory philanthropy stunts true charity

Sunday, October 19th, 2003

Published in the Daily Camera.  [Scan of print edition.] How could anyone possibly vote against Referendum 1A, the "Worthy Cause Tax"? Referendum 1A would extend an existing 0.05-percent sales tax for Boulder County nonprofit human service agencies, and these charities' undoubtedly promote worthy causes? But if you are tolerant ...