The results of a recent study by Michigan University’s, Dr. Christine Stanik, reveals that women with limited education and poor career prospects usually attract men who could provide them a stable financial future.  This behavior has evolved with societal reinforcement, and greed is not necessarily the only impetus. Dr. Stanik posits: “In ancient times, women evolved an attraction to men with wealth because they knew such a mate could improve the chances of their offspring’s survival…It is a very strong gut feeling that is hard to shake off, especially when a woman does not have her own career which would give her financial independence.”  Interestingly, Anna Nicole Smith, the oft-referenced tragic figure discussed in several posts, was one of Dr. Stanik’s examples.

Federalist 36: A Final Word on Taxes The Federalist Papers contains seven entries specifically addressing how our fledgling nation was to handle the delicate and potentially volatile issue of taxation.  Having touched upon Essay #30 dealing with taxation previously, let’s bookend the topic with a brief synopsis of #36  it is focusing specifically with the central government’s power of taxation: “The Same Subject Continued: Concerning the General Power of Taxation.” The challenge of taxing a wide number of people fairly lies in the ability to ascertain who and how much to tax.  Hamilton stressed the need for a non-oppressive tax code; one which reflects the interests of diverse individuals, ranging from merchants to carpenters to blacksmiths to lawyers.  It was his hope that each individual would see the need to contribute a portion of their resources to insure continued economic growth, keeping safe a nation poised to give them the privilege of practicing trades as they saw fit and that they would be therefore more willing to comply with the taxing authority. As Hamilton has observed, a government can be potentially be too efficient when it comes to preserving the power it has by attempting to take more power.  A heavy Read More …