In 2013, in contrast to the majority of the establishment media, Joel Kotkin wrote that America's future economic growth would be driven by what he called "four growth corridors," including "the Great Plains, the Intermountain West, the Third Coast (spanning the Gulf states from Texas to Florida), and the Southeastern industrial belt." Kotkin told readers of The Wall Street Journal that these growth corridors tended to be "generally less dense, more affordable, and markedly more conservative and pro-business." He continued: Overall, these corridors account for 45% of the nation's land … [Read more...]
Secession: Elected Officials Are Protecting Themselves From You
How much information do you want big tech to have on you? With big data forming a virtual Panopticon, how much of your life is for sale? Probably not any of it as far as you’re concerned. Isn’t the foundation of our Republic all about keeping big government and others out of our lives? Of course, it is. Leave us alone. But, when you see the steel walls surrounding the Capitol building in D.C., you realize your elected officials are protecting themselves from you. They’re scared of you. They want to control you to protect their power. And it’s not getting any better. There has to be a way … [Read more...]
Stimulus Rewards States That Have Abused Their Businesses the Most
States that have abused their businesses with the harshest COVID-19 lockdown rules are going to reap the most from the COVID-19 stimulus package. The Wall Street Journal editorial board writes: States will also benefit from the federal enhanced $300 weekly unemployment benefits, which are taxable income in most states. The jobless benefit sweetener will especially help states with higher unemployment such as New Jersey (10.2%), Hawaii (10.1%), New York (8.4%), Connecticut (8.2%) and California (8.2%). New Bureau of Economic Analysis data show how blue states that shut down more businesses … [Read more...]
Enjoying Christmas in a New Home Was Pricey This Year
When new home sales are falling because there isn't enough supply to meet demand, the only short term solution to balance the market is for prices to go up. It takes time to build new supply, but many of this year's home buyers are trying to escape the city now. They want to have Christmas away from the densely crowded, COVID-filled cities, and they don't care how much it costs. A combination of rising prices and short supply actually pushed down the number of sales in November. The Wall Street Journal reports: Homes sales slipped in November as the supply of properties for sale fell to a … [Read more...]
Red State Cities Booming as People Look for a Better America
What's to love about high taxes, high cost of living, high regulations, and business-killing coronavirus mandates? Nothing. That's why many of America's small business owners and entrepreneurs are leaving blue state cities where their retirement savings are treated like a piggy bank for politicians. They want to choose their own retirement life. They're moving to red state cities where governors and mayors look at business and entrepreneurs as something to be nurtured, not targeted for redistribution. One of the newest destinations for Americans fleeing their city is Nashville, … [Read more...]
Who Wants to Live the Island Life? You Do
Originally posted September 14, 2020. Imagine sitting under a palm tree, toes in the sand, gazing across a turquoise sea with not a care in the world. Wouldn’t it be nice to feel like this most days of the week rather than only on vacation, especially in times like these? Now, I know it’s not exactly practical, even if you have a tropical island as the backdrop of your Zoom calls. But you’d be surprised at how much island life is right in front of your eyes. For example, when it comes to investing, my favored Prudent Man certainly stands alone as an island far away from your everyday … [Read more...]
Once Desolate Country Towns Now Overrun by People Trying to Escape the City
Small towns across America are dealing with something they haven't seen in a long time, population increases. For decades the United States have been urbanizing, as young people left their home towns in search of better opportunities in the nation's cities. Now, a mix of COVID-19 and riots and looting have driven them from the cities. They fled with their families to small country towns, seaside summer homes, and cabins in the mountains. In the Boston Globe, Vermont locals explain how they feel about the new influx of former city-dwellers who have turned up, filling their schools, roads, … [Read more...]
Who Wants to Live the Island Life? You Do: Part II
You read yesterday about how to live an "island life," whether that be on an actual island, or by simply protecting yourself from the dangers around you. One of the best parts of living on an actual island is access to the beach. But many islands with top beaches come along with a high cost of living. Thrillist has put together a list of the "World's Most Beautiful Beach Cities Where You Can Live for Dirt Cheap." There are some nearby places like Las Terrenas in the Dominican Republic, and some further afield like Canggu, Bali. The author writes: More than a few Americans fantasize … [Read more...]
Going Up to the Country: Real Estate Heads out of Town
You have decided to escape the city, and now you're looking for what Laura Forman at The Wall Street Journal calls "location, location, isolation." She writes: Real-estate searches are looking a lot different lately. For years, home values have been greatly influenced not only by finished square footage and acreage, but also by walk scores and community. The pandemic is turning those factors on their head—at least for now. Airbnb, for example, is now touting its ability to enable users to work from anywhere, no matter how remote, after years of inviting its guests to “live like a … [Read more...]
California’s Power Failure is a Preview of the Green New Deal
If you want to get a glimpse of what the Green New Deal will do to America, then take a look at California. The Wall Street Journal's editorial board writes: Electricity blackouts are awful at any time, but especially during an extreme heat wave and for reasons that are man-made. That’s what millions in California have been enduring in recent days, and their plight is a warning to the rest of America about the risks of Green New Deal policies. The California Independent System Operator (Caiso), which manages the state’s power grid, declared a high-level emergency Friday and Saturday … [Read more...]