The Declaration of Paris

When did the Declaration of Paris outlaw letters of “marque and reprisal” by international agreement – 1856, 1875, or 1906? [Read more]

Presidential Children

Who was the only President to have a son whose given name was George Washington – Jefferson, Monroe, John Quincy Adams, or Jackson? [Read more]

Presidential Homeland

Who was the first President to have been born outside the original thirteen states – Jackson, Polk, Pierce, or Lincoln? [Read more]

Taxing Judges

When was the first time the salaries of federal judges and state officers were taxed – 1822, 1939, 1958? [Read more]

Titles of Nobility

Does the Constitution forbid Congress to grant any titles of nobility? [Read more]

Minimum Wage

With the new minimum wage law set to take effect on July 1st 2009, it will make for an interesting study into the effects of K’s Law.

Legislators love raising the “minimum” wage because it makes them look like they really care about the nations least skilled laborers. The intention of the minimum wage law is to make life better for the people on the bottom end of the wage scale. The theory is, if we force employers to pay their employees more, life will be better for the employees. Let’s discover if this is true.

There is a sandwich shop not far from here which serves out-of-the-ordinary tasty subs. The four young ladies working behind the counter earn minimum wage. When the wage increase hits next month, the manager will be faced with a tough decision. In order to maintain profitability and keep serving subs she will either have to raise her prices (and lose valuable customers) or let one or more of her workers go (increasing the workload of the others).

If she chooses to let someone go it will most likely be the least skilled worker. Life will definitely be worse for this young lady as she will be out of work. In addition, the remaining workers will be forced to pick up the slack making life worse for them.

“But won’t the remaining workers be getting more money?” I hear you say? True, but because of that they will have the incentive to stay working at minimum wage instead of increasing their skills and seeking a better paying job. What’s more, when they take their new earnings to buy pizza across the street they may find the owner has raised his prices rather than layoff workers. Their new money is worth less in the marketplace.

It is the intention of the law to make life better for the least skilled workers, but instead the law eliminates jobs and incentivises workers to stay at lower paid jobs instead of making their own lives better by increasing their skills and getting better jobs.

Minimum wage does the EXACT OPPOSITE of what it is intended to do making life worse for everyone.

Interstate Agreements

Suppose a state wanted to enter into an agreement or compact with another state or a foreign nation. Could it do so without the consent of Congress? [Read more]

Andrew Jackson – Old Hickory

Andrew Jackson (March 15, 1767 – June 8, 1845) was the seventh President of the United States (1829–1837). He was military governor of Florida (1821), commander of the American forces at the Battle of New Orleans (1815), and eponym of the era of Jacksonian democracy. A polarizing figure who dominated American politics in the 1820s and 1830s, his political ambition combined with widening political participation, shaping the modern Democratic Party.^[1] His legacy is now seen as mixed, as a protector of popular democracy and individual liberty, checkered by his support for Indian removal and slavery.^[2][3] Renowned for his toughness, he was nicknamed “Old Hickory”. As he based his career in developing Tennessee, Jackson was the first president primarily associated with the American frontier. His portrait appears on the U.S. twenty-dollar bill.

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Presidential Compensation

Besides his salary, can the President receive any compensation from the government or any of the states while in office? [Read more]

The National Debt

Who was the first President to completely pay off the national debt – George Washington, Andrew Jackson, or Theodore Roosevelt?

[Read more]

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