Welcome to My Web Site
This is my library of essays, articles, and commentary on current issues as well as older things I wrote years ago.
Below on the “Editorial Page” are additional articles I really like and I wish I could have written them.
My 1982 book, THE INCOME TAX MUST GO! is here, as well as many shorter articles published in other places.
My basic values and beliefs are libertarian; my way of forming and changing my ideas and beliefs is skeptical (empirical, critical) with a bias toward natural law/natural rights theory. Those labels are discussed in detail in the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
Check out the list of publications in my Vitae. Very few are accessible anywhere else on line, so my project for the coming year is to link them up. I plan to digitize everything I have ever written and put it on this site.
Today’s poll:
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Editorial Page
Ranked Chioice Voting in the Electoral College
by Joe Cobb
Fitna, a Bold Film Against Tyranny
by Geert Wilders
Ron Paul / Steve Kubby for President
by Joe Cobb
Obama’s Global Tax Proposal Up for Senate Vote
by Cliff Kinkaid
“A Vote for Liberty is Not Wasted”
by Tibor Machan
Competition in Currency: Ron Paul’s “Nutty” Idea
by Peter Brimelow with commentary by Joe Cobb
My Endorsement of Steve Kubby
for President of the United States
Question from a Friend
Politics is about power
Manifesto
by Jim Babka and Perry Willis
Long Range Solar Forecast
published by NASA, May 10, 2006
Secularism is not a Religion
by Joe Cobb
The Meaning of Ron Paul’s Support
by Marc Guttman
The Weak Dollar and Inflation
by Joe Cobb
The United States Government is not Christian
Article 11 of treaty ratified by the Senate in 1797
Their Claim is that an Enemy Exists
by Joe Cobb
Libertarians Rising
by Michael Kinsley
Capitalist Heroes
by David Kelley
Why Do We Need a Government Budget?
by Joe Cobb
An Inconvenient Fact
by Patrick Moore
Sen. Craig’s Opportunity After Congress
by Joe Cobb
Envy: How to Defeat the Insidious Green Monster
by Michael Masterson
Chief Scientist Revises Global Warming Data
by Joe Cobb
Gays Become Just Another Special Interest
by John Fund
Religous Doctors No More Likely to Care for Underserved Patients
from University of Chicago Magazine
Free Markets Also Have Tough Negotiators
by Ambrose Evans-Pritchard
with an introduction by Joe Cobb
The Complex Life and Death of Pat Tillman
from Centre for Liberal Studies
Video interview on the economics of war.
Joe Cobb interviewed in 2005.
Should We Abolish the Federal Reserve?
by Joe Cobb
It’s Time for the Truth about the USS Liberty
by Ward Boston, Jr.
Illegal Immigration: Surely This is a Victimless Crime
by Joe Cobb
Global Warming: Nature Goes Against Science
by Robert Matthews
Libertarians Win an Election,
Eliminate a Goverment Program
by Kim Hawk
Libertarians’ Silver Lining in the Dark Cloud
by Brian Doherty
The Tax on Your Retirement Savings
by Joe Cobb
Ron Paul for President
by Joe Cobb
Christopher Monckton: Strong Voice
on Climate Change
with an introduction by Joe Cobb
Little Scraps of Paper for the I.R.S.
by Joe Cobb
10 Myths - and 10 Truths - About Atheism
by Sam Harris
Subsidized Agriculture and Illegal Immigration
by Joe Cobb
Climate Change: The Pollution Solution
by Russell Seitz
Early Social Security Retirement:
Good Idea?
by Joe Cobb
Santa Claws Is Coming to Town
by Joe Cobb
Court Orders California Counties to Obey
Medical Marijuana Law
from the Orange County Register
Remembering Milton Friedman
by Joe Cobb
Cure for the Immigration “Problem” - Stop Subsidizing Farmers
by Joe Cobb
Why the Defeat of Conservatives Nov.7
is Important for Libertarians
by Joe Cobb
Libertarians Made a Difference; We Changed the Government
by Joe Cobb
The Right Stuff
by Edward L. Hudgins
Is Gay Marriage a Threat to Marriage?
by Steve Chapman
How Capitalism Can Save American Health Care
by David Gratzer, as summarized by NCPA
N.Y. Times Column About Libertarian Defections
by John Tierney
Summary of Arizona 2006 Ballot Propositions
Libertarian Party analysis and recommendations
Vote ‘NO’ on the Minimum Wage Nov.7
- Ballot Proposition 202
by Joe Cobb
Why You Should Vote for Me Nov.7
as your candidate for Congress
by Joe Cobb
My Position on GLBT Rights;
Nov.7 - Vote ‘NO’ on Prop. 107
by Joe Cobb
N.Y. Times Editorial, “Rushing Off a Cliff,” Sept.28
condemning the new Military Commissions law
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Second Page
Ron Paul Got 16% in Pennsylvania.
This video did it for him.
Public Law 99-185
Background of Ron Paul’s Legislative Achievement
by Joe Cobb
The Pursuit of Excellence [draft]
by Joe Cobb
Global Warming: Myths and Reality
by Jarret Wollstein
Is Abortion Murder?
by Tibor R. Machan
Unflattering Picture of Al Gore
Stonewall Libertarians Chapter in Arizona
Christine Smith for President?
by Joe Cobb
Who Pays the Income Tax?
by Bruce Bartlett
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A book by Joe Cobb
[click here to go to the Table of Contents]
The Income Tax Must Go! (1982)
We should repeal the 16th Amendment; then the original Article I, Section 2 (census) method would automatically once again become Constitutional tax law. Federal taxation was originally supposed to be apportioned to the States by population. Different States would each use various revenue methods.
Competition among tax regimes in different States would start to occur, and the political dynamic of Federal spending would also change. Some states with less burdensome taxes would grow faster, run a fiscal surplus, and others would stagnate and run fiscal deficits. The people would learn better policy from the comparative experience.
With all Federal money coming only from State legislatures, the “gravy train” of money from Washington would no longer seem to be “found money.” Local and State governments would immediately have to start collecting the full cargo of Federal revenue — proportionate to each State’s population (not based on its prosperity or wealth). States would not be taxed more for being more successful economically.
Local legislators would pressure their U.S. Representatives and Senators for lower Federal taxes, not for more earmarked pork projects, because all Federal money would have to be raised locally by State legislators. Local politicians would probably not support for promotion to Congress any members of their own party who were big spending tax increasers — in contrast to how it works today.
A truly revolutionary proposal! We normally think of the Federal income tax as a fiscal policy tool, mostly affecting the economy, but more importantly it has changed the entire structure of federalism in our political system. Restoring federalism is almost as important as getting rid of the I.R.S.