Business & Economics
California
Learn about the problems with LA's Measure ULA
Yet another example of a tax that didn’t live up to its promises
Measure ULA, approved by nearly 58% of the voters, initially imposed a 4% “mansion tax” on the sales of any homes or commercial properties valued at more than $5 million. The rate jumped to 5.5% on sales above $10 million. The thresholds increased to $5.15 million and $10.3 million on ...
Blog
The Gordon Chang Report–China: Mastermind of Middle East Turmoil
READ THE PDF On July 23, 14 Palestinian factions, including arch rivals Hamas and Fatah, signed the Beijing Declaration, a unity pact, in the Chinese capital. China’s Global Times, the Communist Party’s semi-official tabloid, termed the deal an “epoch-making event.” In July, Xi Jinping appeared to be driving events in ...
Business & Economics
NEW BRIEF: CalPERS’ Political Agenda Puts Taxpayers and Retirees at Risk with Low Returns, Higher Unfunded Liabilities
SACRAMENTO – CalPERS – which adheres to a politicized Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) agenda – is generating lower returns in its investment strategies compared to a more typical investment strategy, finds a new brief released today by the Pacific Research Institute, a non-partisan California-based free market think tank. CalPERS ...
Commentary
Learn why price controls won't reduce inflation
Kamala Harris is wrong. American economic history is replete with failed price control policies
Yet in one of her first policy proposals as the Democratic Party’s White House candidate, Kamala Harris insisted that the country needs “the first-ever federal ban on price gouging on food and groceries.” She would set “clear rules of the road to make clear that big corporations can’t unfairly exploit ...
Agriculture
Read the latest on the Harris grocery price gouging plan
Kamala Harris is wrong. The ‘California Way,’ not corporate greed, hikes grocery prices
Harris is right: we’re paying more at the grocery store these days. According to the Federal Reserve, food prices are up about 20 percent compared to when Harris became vice president. But when looking for a culprit for rising food prices, economists suggest Harris should look in the mirror – ...
Blog
Spending Watch
California’s Expensive but Ineffective Income Support Spending
California’s Expensive but Ineffective Income Support Spending Wayne Winegarden August 2024 Including federal, state, and local funds, California’s per capita spending on income support programs is 81 percent higher than the average expenditures for all other states – per capita spending of $3,869 compared to $2,141. These expenditures include “cash ...
Blog
Read the latest about California's misguided energy policies
As Chevron Exits California, Will Still Attempt to Buy Its Oil Refineries?
It’s unlikely that was the plan. But it is interesting that at roughly the same time Chevron made its announcement, which was no surprise to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office, the California Energy Commission issued a staff report that includes a dedicated section (Chapter 3, page 7) on “State-Owned Refineries.” It’s ...
Blog
CAPITAL IDEAS: Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Undermines the Social Responsibility of Businesses and Investment Managers
The concepts behind Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) investing and management are the latest theory trying to address a long-standing question: What is the appropriate social function of a business? This question predates Milton Friedman’s 1970 New York Times piece “The Social Responsibility of Business Is to Increase Its Profits,” ...
Blog
Read why latest employer is leaving California
Chevron’s Departure Highlights California’s Risky Economic Future
Companies have been decamping from California for greener pastures so frequently that, in some ways, Chevron’s announcement is barely newsworthy. The particulars of Chevron’s decision are important, however, because they exemplify the large economic risks California’s policymakers are taking. Judged by their actions, California’s political leaders, including Governor Newsom, have ...
Business & Economics
Read the latest on gig work and worker freedom
Kamala Harris Is Bad News for Gig Workers
Two million independent contractors caught a break from the California supreme court when it recently upheld a ballot initiative that was intended to overcome Sacramento’s patently obvious effort to outlaw gig work. Any celebrations should wait, though. The administration wants to take California’s war on worker freedom national. The PRO ...
Learn about the problems with LA's Measure ULA
Yet another example of a tax that didn’t live up to its promises
Measure ULA, approved by nearly 58% of the voters, initially imposed a 4% “mansion tax” on the sales of any homes or commercial properties valued at more than $5 million. The rate jumped to 5.5% on sales above $10 million. The thresholds increased to $5.15 million and $10.3 million on ...
The Gordon Chang Report–China: Mastermind of Middle East Turmoil
READ THE PDF On July 23, 14 Palestinian factions, including arch rivals Hamas and Fatah, signed the Beijing Declaration, a unity pact, in the Chinese capital. China’s Global Times, the Communist Party’s semi-official tabloid, termed the deal an “epoch-making event.” In July, Xi Jinping appeared to be driving events in ...
NEW BRIEF: CalPERS’ Political Agenda Puts Taxpayers and Retirees at Risk with Low Returns, Higher Unfunded Liabilities
SACRAMENTO – CalPERS – which adheres to a politicized Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) agenda – is generating lower returns in its investment strategies compared to a more typical investment strategy, finds a new brief released today by the Pacific Research Institute, a non-partisan California-based free market think tank. CalPERS ...
Learn why price controls won't reduce inflation
Kamala Harris is wrong. American economic history is replete with failed price control policies
Yet in one of her first policy proposals as the Democratic Party’s White House candidate, Kamala Harris insisted that the country needs “the first-ever federal ban on price gouging on food and groceries.” She would set “clear rules of the road to make clear that big corporations can’t unfairly exploit ...
Read the latest on the Harris grocery price gouging plan
Kamala Harris is wrong. The ‘California Way,’ not corporate greed, hikes grocery prices
Harris is right: we’re paying more at the grocery store these days. According to the Federal Reserve, food prices are up about 20 percent compared to when Harris became vice president. But when looking for a culprit for rising food prices, economists suggest Harris should look in the mirror – ...
Spending Watch
California’s Expensive but Ineffective Income Support Spending
California’s Expensive but Ineffective Income Support Spending Wayne Winegarden August 2024 Including federal, state, and local funds, California’s per capita spending on income support programs is 81 percent higher than the average expenditures for all other states – per capita spending of $3,869 compared to $2,141. These expenditures include “cash ...
Read the latest about California's misguided energy policies
As Chevron Exits California, Will Still Attempt to Buy Its Oil Refineries?
It’s unlikely that was the plan. But it is interesting that at roughly the same time Chevron made its announcement, which was no surprise to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office, the California Energy Commission issued a staff report that includes a dedicated section (Chapter 3, page 7) on “State-Owned Refineries.” It’s ...
CAPITAL IDEAS: Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Undermines the Social Responsibility of Businesses and Investment Managers
The concepts behind Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) investing and management are the latest theory trying to address a long-standing question: What is the appropriate social function of a business? This question predates Milton Friedman’s 1970 New York Times piece “The Social Responsibility of Business Is to Increase Its Profits,” ...
Read why latest employer is leaving California
Chevron’s Departure Highlights California’s Risky Economic Future
Companies have been decamping from California for greener pastures so frequently that, in some ways, Chevron’s announcement is barely newsworthy. The particulars of Chevron’s decision are important, however, because they exemplify the large economic risks California’s policymakers are taking. Judged by their actions, California’s political leaders, including Governor Newsom, have ...
Read the latest on gig work and worker freedom
Kamala Harris Is Bad News for Gig Workers
Two million independent contractors caught a break from the California supreme court when it recently upheld a ballot initiative that was intended to overcome Sacramento’s patently obvious effort to outlaw gig work. Any celebrations should wait, though. The administration wants to take California’s war on worker freedom national. The PRO ...
