Business & Economics

Business & Economics

Government size matters

According to the Pacific Research Institute, two thirds of the Tri-State area does not rank well in terms of economic freedom. On Tuesday, the PRI released its “U.S. Economic Freedom Index: 2008 Report,” which ranks “economic freedom” in the 50 states among 143 variables, including “regulatory and fiscal obstacles imposed ...
Business & Economics

Missing step: Control spending

Wisconsin received more evidence this week that its taxes are too high. This time the evidence arrived in a study suggesting that Wisconsin may be just a few tax cuts away from becoming one of the nation’s economic hot spots. The study, from the Pacific Research Institute in association with ...
Business & Economics

Speculation not to blame for oil prices

Congress continues to wrangle on measures to curb the alleged influence of speculators on oil prices. Republicans want to insert provisions on offshore and ANWR drilling, while Democrats prefer to focus on enlarging the regulatory powers of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). However the political maneuvering turns out, cracking ...
Business & Economics

The Global Antitrust Arsenal

Earlier this week, European regulators said that they are investigating the online advertising deal between Google (Nasdaq: GOOG) and Yahoo (Nasdaq: YHOO), even though that deal affects only the U.S. and Canadian markets. Such a revelation is a disturbing sign of the globalization of government meddling and the out-of-control use ...
Business & Economics

Pacific Research Institute’s Report: South Dakota Ranks No. 1 in Economic Freedom

If you have wondered where you can live without tax burdens, the Pacific Research Institute has the answer for you. According to its new report, U.S. Economic Freedom Index: 2008 Report, the best place for economic freedom is South Dakota. The authors of the report define economic freedom as the ...
Business & Economics

Why do trial lawyers love Obama-Biden?

Richard Ward, chief executive officer of Lloyd’s of London, told USA Today recently that the rest of the world is catching up to the United States in the ignominious realm of lawsuits. He said growing litigiousness overseas is driving up costs and stifling risk-taking there, as it already has here. ...
Business & Economics

Lessons from the $388-Million Hyatt Case: How current tax policy hurts California, and how the state can fix its revenue problem

California’s financial problems may have gotten worse by $388 million, according to an August 16 Nevada trial verdict in favor of an inventor mistreated by California’s Franchise Tax Board. The unprecedented case highlights California’s enforcement tactics and points to the solution for state revenue instability. Gilbert P. Hyatt, an electrical ...
Business & Economics

The Candidates’ Record on Legal Reform

ShopFloor.org (NAM), September 17, 2008 The Examiner newspaper editorializes today on the tort reform records of the presidential and vice presidential candidates, asking a question of great interest to the business community: “Will either party’s presidential ticket keep a lid on the lawyers’ greed?” The editorial uses NAM’s “Key Vote” ...
Business & Economics

TIPS Have Underforecasted Inflation

Back in 2003, the Treasury began selling 5-year Treasury Inflation Protected Securities, or TIPS. (Longer maturities were available starting in 1997.) What happens is that the government pays a fixed coupon rate, but the principal is adjusted based on increases in the Consumer Price Index (CPI). Thus, TIPS yields are ...
Commentary

Questions on healthcare reform

Healthcare reform will be front-and-center in the presidential debates. It’s a topic that’s full of complicated issues, so it can be hard to cut through all the rhetoric and figure out exactly what each candidate is proposing. So here’s the skinny on five questions that you’ll likely hear many times ...
Business & Economics

Government size matters

According to the Pacific Research Institute, two thirds of the Tri-State area does not rank well in terms of economic freedom. On Tuesday, the PRI released its “U.S. Economic Freedom Index: 2008 Report,” which ranks “economic freedom” in the 50 states among 143 variables, including “regulatory and fiscal obstacles imposed ...
Business & Economics

Missing step: Control spending

Wisconsin received more evidence this week that its taxes are too high. This time the evidence arrived in a study suggesting that Wisconsin may be just a few tax cuts away from becoming one of the nation’s economic hot spots. The study, from the Pacific Research Institute in association with ...
Business & Economics

Speculation not to blame for oil prices

Congress continues to wrangle on measures to curb the alleged influence of speculators on oil prices. Republicans want to insert provisions on offshore and ANWR drilling, while Democrats prefer to focus on enlarging the regulatory powers of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). However the political maneuvering turns out, cracking ...
Business & Economics

The Global Antitrust Arsenal

Earlier this week, European regulators said that they are investigating the online advertising deal between Google (Nasdaq: GOOG) and Yahoo (Nasdaq: YHOO), even though that deal affects only the U.S. and Canadian markets. Such a revelation is a disturbing sign of the globalization of government meddling and the out-of-control use ...
Business & Economics

Pacific Research Institute’s Report: South Dakota Ranks No. 1 in Economic Freedom

If you have wondered where you can live without tax burdens, the Pacific Research Institute has the answer for you. According to its new report, U.S. Economic Freedom Index: 2008 Report, the best place for economic freedom is South Dakota. The authors of the report define economic freedom as the ...
Business & Economics

Why do trial lawyers love Obama-Biden?

Richard Ward, chief executive officer of Lloyd’s of London, told USA Today recently that the rest of the world is catching up to the United States in the ignominious realm of lawsuits. He said growing litigiousness overseas is driving up costs and stifling risk-taking there, as it already has here. ...
Business & Economics

Lessons from the $388-Million Hyatt Case: How current tax policy hurts California, and how the state can fix its revenue problem

California’s financial problems may have gotten worse by $388 million, according to an August 16 Nevada trial verdict in favor of an inventor mistreated by California’s Franchise Tax Board. The unprecedented case highlights California’s enforcement tactics and points to the solution for state revenue instability. Gilbert P. Hyatt, an electrical ...
Business & Economics

The Candidates’ Record on Legal Reform

ShopFloor.org (NAM), September 17, 2008 The Examiner newspaper editorializes today on the tort reform records of the presidential and vice presidential candidates, asking a question of great interest to the business community: “Will either party’s presidential ticket keep a lid on the lawyers’ greed?” The editorial uses NAM’s “Key Vote” ...
Business & Economics

TIPS Have Underforecasted Inflation

Back in 2003, the Treasury began selling 5-year Treasury Inflation Protected Securities, or TIPS. (Longer maturities were available starting in 1997.) What happens is that the government pays a fixed coupon rate, but the principal is adjusted based on increases in the Consumer Price Index (CPI). Thus, TIPS yields are ...
Commentary

Questions on healthcare reform

Healthcare reform will be front-and-center in the presidential debates. It’s a topic that’s full of complicated issues, so it can be hard to cut through all the rhetoric and figure out exactly what each candidate is proposing. So here’s the skinny on five questions that you’ll likely hear many times ...
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