Overregulation
Business & Economics
Using The Government To Crush Competitors Harms Fans And The Economy
Cronyism and industrial policy are thriving to the detriment of our economic vibrancy. Consider that between 1960 and 2007 – right before the Great Recession – the economy expanded by more than 3% annually. Recessions happened, of course, but the economy always recovered the lost ground. Read the op-ed here.
Blog
SpaceX Vs. California – Again
It took Elon Musk’s rocket company about a week to challenge the commission in court, arguing in its October filing that it was “egregiously and unlawfully overreaching its authority.” “First, the commission has engaged in naked political discrimination against” SpaceX, reads the complaint, and, second, the agency “is trying to ...
Blog
The Most-Regulated State In The Union
When the Mercatus Center last compiled its Snapshots of State Regulations, California was far ahead, or actually far behind, the next closest state, burdening residents with a combined 420,000 regulations, compared with about 300,000 for New York. Idaho, the least regulated state, imposed around 31,000 on residents. “Jurisdictions that allow regulations to consistently pile ...
Blog
The Heart Of American Entrepreneurship Has Grown Cold
Silicon Valley has long been considered the white-hot destination for entrepreneurs. “The area is extremely start-up friendly,” says the University of Silicon Valley. The University of San Francisco’s Center for Research, Artistic and Scholarly Excellence tell us “Silicon Valley has a long history of creating and nurturing an ecosystem of entrepreneurs, startups, ...
Blog
Newsom’s Diaper Plan Stinks
Why a new program when the old one is working ok? The state argues that there are gaps in the existing program, which targets low-income parents. Instead of simply filling the gaps, the state wants to impose some elaborate scheme that is akin to killing a gnat with a shotgun. ...
Blog
Why Your Next Bottle of French Champagne Could Cost More: Tariffs & US Sparkling Wine Options
When I read the news that prices on French Champagne could soon be soaring under President Trump’s tariff plan, my first response was to quickly get to my nearest Costco. Veuve Clicquot champagne, still made much like it was when first developed over 200 years ago by the “Grande Dame” ...
Business & Economics
Reversing Regulatory Overreach Will Encourage Payment Innovations
Innovation is often a victim of its own success as the once unimaginable becomes the invaluable service people cannot live without. The modern payments system exemplifies this phenomenon. Innovations by fintech startups as well as traditional financial companies now enable trillions of dollars in transactions annually. And thanks to robust ...
Blog
California’s Policy Responses Risks Worsening a Bad Situation
Based on the bills legislators are considering, policymakers are learning the wrong lessons. Consider SB 222 (the Affordable Insurance and Climate Recovery Act) introduced by state Sens. Scott Wiener and Sasha Renée Pérez. By allowing plaintiffs to sue oil and energy companies for the costs created by natural disasters, SB ...
Business & Economics
Fast food minimum wage’s predictable result: Fewer jobs, even higher prices to come
Wouldn’t it be nice if the government could make everyone richer simply by passing laws that increase our income? Unfortunately, our world doesn’t work that way. When government chooses winners, someone loses, and nothing illustrates this better than when lawmakers set wage floors, as they did with California’s $20 fast-food ...
Business & Economics
Overuse of Executive Orders is a Problem
President Donald Trump has been issuing executive orders at a breakneck pace, keeping campaign promises to the delight of supporters. But be careful what you wish for. Trump won’t be in office forever. Read the entire op-ed in The Sacramento Bee.
Using The Government To Crush Competitors Harms Fans And The Economy
Cronyism and industrial policy are thriving to the detriment of our economic vibrancy. Consider that between 1960 and 2007 – right before the Great Recession – the economy expanded by more than 3% annually. Recessions happened, of course, but the economy always recovered the lost ground. Read the op-ed here.
SpaceX Vs. California – Again
It took Elon Musk’s rocket company about a week to challenge the commission in court, arguing in its October filing that it was “egregiously and unlawfully overreaching its authority.” “First, the commission has engaged in naked political discrimination against” SpaceX, reads the complaint, and, second, the agency “is trying to ...
The Most-Regulated State In The Union
When the Mercatus Center last compiled its Snapshots of State Regulations, California was far ahead, or actually far behind, the next closest state, burdening residents with a combined 420,000 regulations, compared with about 300,000 for New York. Idaho, the least regulated state, imposed around 31,000 on residents. “Jurisdictions that allow regulations to consistently pile ...
The Heart Of American Entrepreneurship Has Grown Cold
Silicon Valley has long been considered the white-hot destination for entrepreneurs. “The area is extremely start-up friendly,” says the University of Silicon Valley. The University of San Francisco’s Center for Research, Artistic and Scholarly Excellence tell us “Silicon Valley has a long history of creating and nurturing an ecosystem of entrepreneurs, startups, ...
Newsom’s Diaper Plan Stinks
Why a new program when the old one is working ok? The state argues that there are gaps in the existing program, which targets low-income parents. Instead of simply filling the gaps, the state wants to impose some elaborate scheme that is akin to killing a gnat with a shotgun. ...
Why Your Next Bottle of French Champagne Could Cost More: Tariffs & US Sparkling Wine Options
When I read the news that prices on French Champagne could soon be soaring under President Trump’s tariff plan, my first response was to quickly get to my nearest Costco. Veuve Clicquot champagne, still made much like it was when first developed over 200 years ago by the “Grande Dame” ...
Reversing Regulatory Overreach Will Encourage Payment Innovations
Innovation is often a victim of its own success as the once unimaginable becomes the invaluable service people cannot live without. The modern payments system exemplifies this phenomenon. Innovations by fintech startups as well as traditional financial companies now enable trillions of dollars in transactions annually. And thanks to robust ...
California’s Policy Responses Risks Worsening a Bad Situation
Based on the bills legislators are considering, policymakers are learning the wrong lessons. Consider SB 222 (the Affordable Insurance and Climate Recovery Act) introduced by state Sens. Scott Wiener and Sasha Renée Pérez. By allowing plaintiffs to sue oil and energy companies for the costs created by natural disasters, SB ...
Fast food minimum wage’s predictable result: Fewer jobs, even higher prices to come
Wouldn’t it be nice if the government could make everyone richer simply by passing laws that increase our income? Unfortunately, our world doesn’t work that way. When government chooses winners, someone loses, and nothing illustrates this better than when lawmakers set wage floors, as they did with California’s $20 fast-food ...
Overuse of Executive Orders is a Problem
President Donald Trump has been issuing executive orders at a breakneck pace, keeping campaign promises to the delight of supporters. But be careful what you wish for. Trump won’t be in office forever. Read the entire op-ed in The Sacramento Bee.
