Economics
Change at last?!
Wednesday, November 5th, 2008Well we have a new president in the wings. Bush has been a disaster and I’m glad he’s finally going. However I wonder how much change we’re really gonna get. Obviously everyone’s list of things they want to change is different. Here’s my in no particular order of importance and how much change I expect:
1. [...]
Smart Economists doing Stupid Things
Monday, September 1st, 2008Princeton Professor and former Fed vice chairman Alan Blinder recently published a piece in the New York Times called Is History Siding with Obama’s Economic Plan? One of his main conclusions is that Democratic presidents are better for economic growth:
“Data for the whole period from 1948 to 2007, during which Republicans occupied the White House [...]
The Grass is Always Greener
Thursday, July 3rd, 2008I can’t tell you how many times people have told me how great Canadian healthcare is: its free (or cheap) and covers everyone. Apparently, however, its not better for everyone. According to this article, wait times are 5.5 weeks for CT scans and 14 weeks for MRI scans. So what do Canadians do when [...]
How flawed arguments can cost you money
Sunday, June 22nd, 2008GE wants your tax money for wind power. But they promise you will get it back because wind projects more than pay for the tax credits they receive through creating new jobs, and generating company profits and taxes for the government. Using similar logic, T. Boone Pickens is championing domestic ethanol. Producing it instead of [...]
If the Government doesn’t fund it, it won’t get done!
Saturday, June 14th, 2008If the Government doesn’t fund it, it won’t get done.
We hear this justification for government spending on a host of things. The biggest most recently is probably ethanol. Is it a good reason for the government to step in?
Well, we might notice first of all that lots of useful products got developed with little or [...]
Wow maybe this trade thing isn't all that bad
Thursday, June 5th, 2008Trade’s many enemies like to portray a world of evil multinationals moving jobs to third world countries where they take unfair advantage of the natives and foul up the environment. As shown in the following article this is not necessarily the case.
Get your green pants here
Some may complain this is only one factory and in [...]