Business & Economics
Commentary
Cochrane Threatens Austrians More Than Krugman Ever Did
This is a very short-sighted view. Just because someone gets in a fight with someone who we can’t stand–and I’ve criticized Krugman enough to have credibility on that score–doesn’t mean we should endorse any old arguments. There was quite a bit in Cochrane’s response that should alarm an Austrian economist, ...
Robert P. Murphy
September 14, 2009
Business & Economics
Medical-Malpractice Reform: Will Republicans Take the Bait?
Medical-malpractice reform has long been on the Republicans’ health-reform checklist (most of which seems to be writtten in invisible ink). Representative Gingrey of Georgia passed a bill through the House in 2005, and has re-introduced it. The key ingredient in the legislation is a cap on punitive, non-economic damages of ...
John R. Graham
September 10, 2009
Business & Economics
Tackling Geithner’s Town Hall
CNBC News Report with Larry Kudlow, September 10, 2009 YouTube, September 10, 2009 Analysis on what the Treasury Secretary had to say about the financial crisis, with Robert Murphy, Pacific Research Institute for Public Policy; Richard Clarida, Pimco; Andrew Ross Sorkin, NY Times and Keith Boykin, The Daily Voice.
Pacific Research Institute
September 10, 2009
Business & Economics
Without legal reforms, the health care system will remain broken
There’s an old joke about the boy who goes to the doctor and uses his index finger to point all over his body, explaining, “It hurts here, here, here and here.” The doctor sighs and says, “Son, your finger is broken.” This poor kid was looking for his ailment in ...
C. Mark Chassay
September 8, 2009
Agriculture
Labor Day fix: cut taxes, spending, regulation
For Californians, this Labor Day may not be a cause for celebration. The federal government recently reported that the state’s unemployment rate reached 11.9 percent in July, its highest level in more than four decades. Many have blamed the ailing national economy for these dismal jobs numbers. Although there is ...
Robert P. Murphy
September 6, 2009
Business & Economics
Letter: House bill will penalize drug makers
During the past 10 years, Michigan has had a declining population, a shrinking job market, and the worst personal income growth of any state. Its unemployment rate is an incredible 15.4 percent, but now Michigan stands to lose even more jobs in one of the state’s remaining robust sectors. The ...
Lawrence J. McQuillan
September 3, 2009
Business & Economics
The Triumph Of Optimism
You call this a crisis? Think back nearly 30 years ago. When Ronald Reagan took office the country’s economy was in a shambles—inflation was running into the double digits, growth had stagnated and the top marginal tax rate was 70%. Meanwhile, the Soviet Union, bristling with imperial designs and nuclear ...
John Fund
September 3, 2009
Business & Economics
Think tank pans Connecticut
An enviable performance during the recession notwithstanding, a new study puts Connecticut among the bottom feeders nationally for its economic performance leading up to this year. The data do not include information from 2009 during the worst of the recession, and that fact is reflected in the top-ranked state being ...
Alexander Soule
September 3, 2009
Business & Economics
Is San Francisco’s “Open Season” on Data a Model for State Government?
San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom last month launched DataSF.org, a new web site designed to improve transparency by disclosing information about city government. Giving residents unfettered access to data such as crime statistics, restaurant inspection records, and public works projects demonstrates a strong commitment to open government, but will it ...
Daniel R. Ballon
September 2, 2009
Business & Economics
How unions took $4 million from cash-strapped UC
Kevin Dayton of the Associated Builders and Contractors of California hunted down the e-mails chronicling the pressure put on University of California President Mark Yudof to provide taxpayer funds for a bogus labor “think tank” after Arnold line-item-vetoed the funding. Here’s part of his account: As the state’s budget crisis ...
Chris Reed
September 1, 2009
Cochrane Threatens Austrians More Than Krugman Ever Did
This is a very short-sighted view. Just because someone gets in a fight with someone who we can’t stand–and I’ve criticized Krugman enough to have credibility on that score–doesn’t mean we should endorse any old arguments. There was quite a bit in Cochrane’s response that should alarm an Austrian economist, ...
Medical-Malpractice Reform: Will Republicans Take the Bait?
Medical-malpractice reform has long been on the Republicans’ health-reform checklist (most of which seems to be writtten in invisible ink). Representative Gingrey of Georgia passed a bill through the House in 2005, and has re-introduced it. The key ingredient in the legislation is a cap on punitive, non-economic damages of ...
Tackling Geithner’s Town Hall
CNBC News Report with Larry Kudlow, September 10, 2009 YouTube, September 10, 2009 Analysis on what the Treasury Secretary had to say about the financial crisis, with Robert Murphy, Pacific Research Institute for Public Policy; Richard Clarida, Pimco; Andrew Ross Sorkin, NY Times and Keith Boykin, The Daily Voice.
Without legal reforms, the health care system will remain broken
There’s an old joke about the boy who goes to the doctor and uses his index finger to point all over his body, explaining, “It hurts here, here, here and here.” The doctor sighs and says, “Son, your finger is broken.” This poor kid was looking for his ailment in ...
Labor Day fix: cut taxes, spending, regulation
For Californians, this Labor Day may not be a cause for celebration. The federal government recently reported that the state’s unemployment rate reached 11.9 percent in July, its highest level in more than four decades. Many have blamed the ailing national economy for these dismal jobs numbers. Although there is ...
Letter: House bill will penalize drug makers
During the past 10 years, Michigan has had a declining population, a shrinking job market, and the worst personal income growth of any state. Its unemployment rate is an incredible 15.4 percent, but now Michigan stands to lose even more jobs in one of the state’s remaining robust sectors. The ...
The Triumph Of Optimism
You call this a crisis? Think back nearly 30 years ago. When Ronald Reagan took office the country’s economy was in a shambles—inflation was running into the double digits, growth had stagnated and the top marginal tax rate was 70%. Meanwhile, the Soviet Union, bristling with imperial designs and nuclear ...
Think tank pans Connecticut
An enviable performance during the recession notwithstanding, a new study puts Connecticut among the bottom feeders nationally for its economic performance leading up to this year. The data do not include information from 2009 during the worst of the recession, and that fact is reflected in the top-ranked state being ...
Is San Francisco’s “Open Season” on Data a Model for State Government?
San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom last month launched DataSF.org, a new web site designed to improve transparency by disclosing information about city government. Giving residents unfettered access to data such as crime statistics, restaurant inspection records, and public works projects demonstrates a strong commitment to open government, but will it ...
How unions took $4 million from cash-strapped UC
Kevin Dayton of the Associated Builders and Contractors of California hunted down the e-mails chronicling the pressure put on University of California President Mark Yudof to provide taxpayer funds for a bogus labor “think tank” after Arnold line-item-vetoed the funding. Here’s part of his account: As the state’s budget crisis ...