Learn to say this prayer: “Dear Lord, bless [annoying person’s name] and have mercy on me!”

In between staring out the window, reading books and catching some extra shut-eye during my daily treks to work and classes, I noticed people who looked like they could use a prayer, so I would silently ask God to bless them. It wasn’t always the ones who looked homeless, or seemed to be “on” something or looked like they were about to explode; oftentimes my fellow travelers didn’t appear outwardly needy at all, but there was a weariness in their eyes or a way they would strike me, and I’d ask God to bless them.

It became a habit to do this, a way I could intercede for others in the midst of my everyday life.

O Lord, Bless the Annoying Ones

The Clintons raise money by peddling their power — selling policy, taxpayer funds and access. A by-the-books fundraiser isn’t so useful in that enterprise.

In this light, Donald Trump — who admits to playing the crony game as a donor and who promises to use government to punish uncooperative companies — looks like a street-level conman.

So there’s your choice America: the kingpin of a corrupt enterprise that sells public power in exchange for crooked contributions, or a scammy developer from Queens who is a client of her dirty game.

McAuliffe is just one of many shady Hillary fundraisers

Ozymandias

“A Light in the Darkness” — an Ignatian meditation on Advent and Christmas, with the Ignatian Schola

Sunday, December 7, 2014, 7pm
Church of St. Francis Xavier
46 W 16th St, New York, NY

“Comfort, Comfort, O My People” by The Ignatian Schola

“Comfort, comfort O my people;
speak of peace!” Now says our God.
“Comfort those who sit in darkness
mourning ‘neath their sorrow’s load.
Seek unto Jerusalem
of the peace that waits for them!
Tell of all the sins I cover,
and that warfare now is over.”

Hark the voice of one who’s crying
in the desert far and near,
bidding all to full repentance,
since the Kingdom now is here.
O, that warning cry obey!
Now prepare for God a way.
Let the valleys rise to meet Him
and the hills bow down to greet Him.

O make straight what long was crooked,
make the rougher places plain.
Let your hearts be true and humble,
as befits His holy reign.
For the glory of the Lord
now o’er earth is shed abroad,
and the flesh shall see the token
that His word is never broken.

Ignatian Schola YouTube

Yet the reality of voters’ rational ignorance is one of the chief reasons why public-choice scholars argue that political choices are often less prudent and less sensible than are choices made by people in private markets – and why special-interest groups have a much greater chance of co-opting political processes than they have of co-opting market processes.

Put differently, the reality of public choice is among the main reasons given by public-choice scholars for why political outcomes will often be less desirable than they are imagined to be by those who are enthusiastic about democratic politics. Even democratic political processes that are inclusive and non-corrupt feature inordinate amounts of free-riding and other ‘market-failure’ flaws that render such processes much less likely to work to promote the general welfare than the champions of politics suppose. Politics neither performs miracles nor is itself blessed by miracles.

So Jonathan Gruber simply admits that the very process that people on the left romanticize and celebrate – democratic politics – isn’t what it’s cracked up to be. Of course, libertarians and public-choice scholars say the same. The difference between the Jonathan Grubers of the world and the Russ Robertses and Bryan Caplans of the world is that the former believe that politics is still commendable as long as good, smart people (such as Gruber) are performing deceptions necessary to trick voters into supporting policies that good, smart people somehow divine are best for the masses, while the latter believe that the very need to deceive rationally ignorant (indeed, rationally irrational) voters is itself a major flaw in politics – a flaw that makes politics far less reliable and admirable than competitive, private markets.

GruberGate, by Don Boudreaux

Continue reading ‘Public Choice and Rent Seeking’ »

Why Your Plan Was Cancelled: Health Insurance and the Affordable Care Act, with Robert Graboyes

If you lost your health insurance and you are Christian, consider a health care sharing ministry.

#Obamacare

Continue reading ‘Was Your Health Insurance Cancelled Because It Was “Subpar”?’ »

Leonard Liggio, RIP

Being bitter is not that way to advance the ideas of true and radical liberalism. That is one of the thoughts that popped into my head in thinking about this great man — he was always a cheerful warrior for the cause of liberty.

Peter Boettke talking about Leonard Liggio

He was the least outwardly colorful and voluble of the faculty (which also included George Smith, Randy Barnett, and Leonard’s old pal from Students for America and Circle Bastiat days, historian Ralph Raico). But his calm erudition helped even raw, green undergrads grasp and value that there were layers and layers to this set of libertarian ideas, that they were not just bracing wild radicalism (though they were that, and all the better) but also deeply rooted in the history and ideas of Western civilization, a truly humane, yes, approach to the social order that promised not just liberty per se but also peace and wealth.

Leonard Liggio, R.I.P., by Brian Doherty

Uber will fire a driver if his or her performance rating (an aggregate of the ratings provided by customers of that driver) falls below a certain level. Imagine the fear under which an Uber driver operates. Assume that a driver buys a one-year-old Toyota Camry and drives around Boston for 10 to 12 hours a day providing rides. He picks up a bunch of spiteful teenagers intent on dodging the fare, and they ding the driver’s rating because of a routing mistake or just for fun. A few such rides can get him fired. There is no mentoring, training, or improvement program—nothing.

In addition, and equally unfortunate, Uber is enticing some of its drivers to get into debt. The company helps drivers without good credit get on the road by financing the car purchase. A full-time driver in a city like Boston can top his income at between $600 and $1,000 per week. Out of this the driver has to pay, each month, between $200 and $300 for the car loan and at least $300 in car expenses (such as fuel, maintenance, and depreciation). A sick driver, or somebody unable to work for other reasons, still has to pay the loan, even though he or she might not be able to work for weeks.

Uber has also allegedly used underhanded tactics to recruit drivers and sabotage the business of its main competitor, Lyft, as reported recently by the New York Times and the Verge. Such shenanigans reflect a general disregard for the importance of developing human resources. People are treated as replaceable parts.

A cavalier approach to workforce management also shapes the company’s contracts of employment. To avoid liability, Uber deals with its drivers as independent contractors, creating a 21st century version of an old employment model, wherein day laborers stand on a street corner and wait for the boss to dish out work to a privileged few. It’s true that the rating system and the other quality control measures used by Uber can mean clean cars and polite drivers. And for some people, it provides a new route to part-time employment. But treating drivers as disposable elements does not make sound business sense because drivers play a key role in Uber’s service as well as other delivery offerings.

A Failure to Treat Workers with Respect Could Be Uber’s Achilles’ Heel, by Yossi Sheffi

Last week, Uber announced the rollout of UBERMilitary – a program intended to onboard 50,000 members of the military community to the company’s fleet of drivers over the next 18 months.

The ridesharing company joins a growing number of big businesses reaping tremendous social capital from hiring programs that significantly under employ military veterans.
. . .
Here’s the problem: the platitudes aren’t accompanied by an employment program that capitalizes on the very skills Uber is praising. Rather, Uber offers these “talented and skilled leaders” work as freelance drivers, responsible for their own insurance, medical care, car maintenance, and more.

In short, Uber pays lip service to valuing those who have served, while making no mention of hiring a single veteran for the company’s leadership or management teams.

The cruel irony of “military friendly” hiring programs: How Uber and other businesses are reaping big rewards for under employing veterans, by Lydia Davey

#UberLies

#UberLies

At some point, there will be a limit to fare cutting. Either Uber will not be able to attract drivers, or the drivers will not maintain their cars, or the service will deteriorate, as cut-rate services tend to do. But when equilibrium is achieved, will an Uber driver’s ability to make a decent living factor into the equation, or will we wind up with more people without traditional employment supports — social security contributions, health benefits, sick time, vacation time — who must rely on our shrinking social safety net to get by?

Driving A Hard Bargain: Calculating The Toll Of Uber’s Reduced Fares, by Paul Fallon

Ridesharing is a racket. There’s nothing “disruptive” about taking an idea that already exists, like taxies, and figuring out how to become a cab company without owning a single car. In their current configurations, Uber and Lyft are entirely dependent on their drivers, who are currently in open revolt and quitting in disgust over the latest price cuts as Uber and Lyft fight it out to see who will win the rideshare wars. Despite constantly recruiting new drivers and offering incentives like wage guarantees and bonuses during the first month, after that initial trial run, the cold, hard reality of driving for hire in your own vehicle becomes painfully apparent.

Just like a traditional taxi company, ridesharing is built on the backs of drivers. But for full time drivers, ridesharing is becoming less and less viable. The money just doesn’t add up anymore. And the associated risks with ridesharing only make things worse.

Drivers all across the country are coming to this realization. They’re pissed beyond belief. They’ve taken to Facebook to voice their anger and organize protests, strikes, class action lawsuits and to form a union. They’ve even joined forces with the Teamsters.

WHY I UBER ON: The Reality of Ridesharing

In fact, if you ask Uber drivers off the clock what they think of the company, it often gets ugly fast. “Uber’s like an exploiting pimp,” said Arman, an Uber driver in LA who asked me to withhold his last name out of fear of retribution. “Uber takes 20 percent of my earnings, and they treat me like shit — they cut prices whenever they want. They can deactivate me whenever they feel like it, and if I complain, they tell me to fuck off.”

In LA, San Francisco, Seattle, and New York, tension between drivers and management has bubbled over in recent months. And even though Uber’s business model discourages collective action (each worker is technically in competition with each other), some drivers are banding together.
. . .
But that is just empty spin: drivers aren’t partners — they are laborers exploited by their company. They have no say in business decisions and can be fired at any time. Instead of paying its employees a wage, Uber just pockets a portion of their earnings. Drivers take all the risks and front all the costs — the car, the gas, the insurance — yet it is executives and investors who get rich.

“Sharing economy” companies like Uber shift risk from corporations to workers, weaken labor protections, and drive down wages.

#UberXploits #UberScam

Continue reading ‘#UberXploits – Uber Drivers are NOT “Partners”’ »

On a less serious note. another driver sent in this graphic of, “FUBER”, which is a variant of FUBAR, which means F****D Up Beyond All Recognition, a few days ago.

FUBER

Seddiki contests this math. His own experience shows that it takes, on average, 10 minutes to drive to get an UberX fare and then another five to 10 minutes for that person to come out for the ride. From there, it takes about 10 minutes to complete the usually short rides UberX passengers take. Altogether, that’s 30 minutes for which Seddiki typically gets the $8 minimum. Uber’s 20 percent commission deducts $1.60 and sales tax and black car fees take out another $0.80. Because Uber drivers are contractors and not employees, they also have to cover any expenses they incur while working. For half an hour of driving, Seddiki expects his SUV to consume about $2 worth of gas—much more than the hybrid vehicles used by most UberX drivers will eat up in the same period. “That means before car depreciation and insurance, I end up with $3.60 from $8,” he says. “If we look at it by the hour, that will be $7.20.”

Protests against Uber over wages have already broken out in other parts of the country. On Sept. 2, around 50 Los Angeles–based Uber drivers gathered in a North Hollywood parking lot to rail against recent fare cuts. Earlier this week, 200 drivers assembled outside Uber’s office in Santa Monica to further protest the pay cuts and their treatment by the company. Uber has also been hit with several class actions over its practice of including tips in the commission it collects from drivers. By conceding to drivers on the UberX policy—admittedly a rare step for Uber to take—the company is likely preventing days of bad press and protests that could draw consumers attention to the unrest and accusations of bad labor practices.

Uber Just Caved on a Big Policy Change After Its Drivers Threatened to Strike, by Alison Griswold

Uber Drivers Are Revolting Against Their Shitty Bosses, by Grace Wyler

Uber Drivers “Strike” — And Switch To Lyft — Over Fares And Conditions, by Johana Bhuiyan

Craigslist Uber Scam #UberScam

UberX Driver – Your Private Underpaid Driver – #UberXploits

#UberLies

What insurance? – #UberLies

Driving for Uber puts us at huge insurance risk?

The Question of Coverage for Ride Service Drivers

Uber’s Craigslist ads are misleading at best

Uber scam (All Locations)

Some Uber drivers say company’s promise of big pay day doesn’t match reality

Craigslist Uber Scam posts are starting to show up around the country (text and screen shots below).

Orlando

Philadelphia

Nashville

Chicago

Also see UberX Driver – Your Private Underpaid Driver

Uber ads on Craigslist would be more accurate if they read something like:

Make a few extra bucks every week!

You can join the 50,000 others who already have new jobs this month! (Err, freelance gig with no wages, no benefits, AND you provide your own car and buy all the gas!)

– Good Money Our top partners typically make minimum wage AFTER expenses (such as Self Employment tax, gas, depreciation, maintenance, tires, etc., etc.) and some make as much as $GodOnlyKnowsAskTravis. Get checks deposited into your bank account weekly via Uber-cool and Uber-new direct deposit! (Don’t worry, we won’t start charging you weekly data fees and phone deposits until after the rate cuts that follow our promotional discounts!)
– Flexible Hours Unlike other minimum wage jobs where the employer provides the tools of work, you can work when you want! And did we mention you get to use your own car and buy all the gas?!! (Oh happy day!)
– Safe and Transparent Your riders (even the drunk ones!) rate you and you rate your riders (especially the ones who go on short trips and don’t tip and failed to give the correct location to be picked up!). And just ignore that $1 “Safe Rides Fee” that we collect on each and every trip, no matter how short! We provide some kind of commercial liability insurance (but please do NOT mention to your auto insurer that you are driving for Uber! Mum’s the word. Shhhhhh).
– Good Communication We provide every single one of our suckers (err, “partners”) with an email address that they can use 24/7/365 to communicate with Uber about their concerns. We guarantee to use our best standard-form responses! And we will respond eventually!
– Don’t have a car, or have one that is too old? Want to get a new car to use with Uber? We can help connect you to companies who will offer you special rates available to virtually any driver. And the payment will remain the same even after we unilaterally drop the rates with little advance notice to you! You could be in a brand new car within a week, regardless of credit history! And remember, the payment will remain the same even after we unilaterally drop the rates with little advance notice to you!

Easily make a few extra bucks every week!

So come on, sucker!

Apply today!

UberDrivers on reddit.

UberPeople.net

DC

(image 1) (image 2)

UBER SCAM (ALL LOCATIONS)

uber’s whole game now is to offer riders fares that are so low that only a math-challenged or truly desperate person would provide services in THEIR personal automobile for less than minimum wage.

Continue reading ‘Craigslist Uber Scam #UberScam’ »

(Also see Craigslist Uber Scam #UberScam)

Potential UberX drivers, do not rely on what Uber tells you about how much you will make. The inflated figures Uber bandies about on Craigslist and in its PR about how much you might make are 1) inflated, and 2) before expenses. So you must discount what you make from Uber by 50% to account for Self Employment taxes (remember that you will be paying both the employee and the employer portion of these), fuel, depreciation, maintenance, and income taxes.

And after Uber has been in a city for a while, and after Uber runs its promotional discount during which drivers do not take a hit, Uber will unilaterally cut rates with little advance notice to drivers, and you will then make even less (and if you unwisely used Uber-arranged financing to buy a car, you are really stuck).

Even before your costs and deductions, Uber’s take is more like 25% of the “fare” charged to riders after Uber deducts the “Safe Rides Fee” ($1 per ride) and its 20%. Yet Uber shows the rider the top-line “fare” to the rider and to you as if that is what you earn. It’s not.

Uber’s “Safe Ride Fee” of $1 per ride is shown to the rider as part of the fare, but Uber shows the $1 fee separately when it pays drivers. So Uber makes, at the outset, $1 on every single trip. #UberLies

For example, a $6 “fare” will result in the driver being paid $6 – $1 Safe Rides Fee = $5 – (20%) $1.00 = $4.00. $4.00 / $6 = you making 67% of the “fare”. Uber’s take is more than 30%. (A $10 fare results in the driver being paid $7.20, which means Uber’s take is 28%, not 20%.) And if you think “fares” under $10 are unusual, especially after a rate cut, think again.

Uber gets so much positive press because it is allegedly “high-tech” and “innovative” and “disruptive”. But it is building its valuation on a very shaky foundation of grabbing market share by lowering rates and thus lowering driver quality and increasing driver churn. And many journalists who cover Uber have no clue about and are not interested in the misrepresentations of “income” that Uber uses to recruit drivers. After all, most journalists, like most UberX riders, love riding around for cheap, without wanting to know that UberX driver car equity is helping pay for that cheap ride.

Don’t believe us? Then read the stories linked below and listen to the Columbus, Ohio UberX driver who quit (YouTube at bottom). You have been warned.

See
– Some Uber drivers say company’s promise of big pay day doesn’t match reality, by Luz Lazo
– Uber’s EPIC blunder, on UberPeopel.net
– Beautiful Illusions: The Economics of UberX, by Justin Singer
– Ride-share service Uber drivers say pay is shrinking, by William D’Urso
– Driving in LA since the latest pay cut, on UberPeopel.net
– Uber’s Battle Against Its Drivers Continues, by Olivia Nuzzi
– What Uber Isn’t Telling uberX Drivers, by Nate Boroyan

PS. Are you sure your auto insurance covers you? Are you sure your policy won’t be canceled if your agent finds out?

Uber as a company is very disrespectful of its (mostly brown and black male) drivers. After Uber runs it promotions discounting rates (especially UberX), and stressing that the drivers are not losing anything, at the end of the promo period Uber then announces to its riders that lower rates are here to stay, making the decision unilaterally and with only a few hours advance notice to UberX drivers. The new rate reduction DOES impact drivers as the entire rate reduction comes out of drivers’ pockets. (In some cities that have had recent rate cuts, some UberX drivers did not work the Labor Day weekend to protest those rate cuts.)

Uber has recently pulled this underhanded trick on UberX drivers in Boston, Washington DC, London, Los Angeles, NJ, Tampa, Fresno, and Seattle, among other cities. So, current and potential UberX drivers, be prepared to see Uber unilaterally cut your fares by 15% to 20% while letting riders know how great Uber is for cheap rates, and giving drivers little advance notice of the new “improved” 15% to 20% pay cut.

In response to Uber unilaterally lowering rates, many Uber drivers are now attempting to cause surge pricing.

Continue reading ‘UberX Driver – Your Private Underpaid Driver’ »