Business & Economics
Business & Economics
Tort reform can help states’ fiscal crises
The Wall Street meltdown, with the Dow hovering near its lowest level in years, has obscured a troubling reality. Economic growth in the northeast region has been stunted for a long time, for a simple reason. Four states in particular — New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island — ...
Business & Economics
Choices hint at move to middle
Many conservative pundits have predicted a radical shift in U.S. economic policy and serious, prolonged economic stagnation under the incoming Obama administration. In many ways their analysis is correct, but things could turn out quite differently if President Obama pulls a Clinton – meaning he shifts quickly to pragmatic, workable ...
Business & Economics
Assessing Obama’s Economic Team
Conservatives are understandably depressed these days, but they now have something to smile about in President-elect Obama’s picks for key economic posts, such as Tim Geithner for Secretary of the Treasury. Mr. Geithner, currently president of the New York Federal Reserve, boasts an intimate knowledge of international economics. During his ...
Business & Economics
“I’d like to buy the world a Coke, and keep its taxes high”
When I was a kid, the jingle went: “I’d like to buy the world a Coke, and keep it company; I’d like to teach the world to sing, in perfect harmony…” Apparently, the composers were motivated by a group of stranded travellers at the airport in Shannon Airport, Ireland, hanging ...
Business & Economics
Growth is the only solution to state’s crisis
Most of the proposed solutions for California’s budget problems – spending cuts, tax increases, infrastructure spending – attempt to patch a Band-Aid on a festering wound but do not address the underlying causes of the infection – an economy weakened by improper nutrition and the wrong medications. We cannot cut, ...
Business & Economics
Inadequate labeling or human error?
Re: Nov. 28 commentary “Court takes up pre-emption doctrine.” It’s hard to see how “inadequate labeling,” not human error, resulted in the amputation of Diana Levine’s arm, as Thomas O. McGarity claims. The FDA-approved label on the anti-nausea drug Phenergan contained prominent warnings: “extreme care should be exercised to avoid ...
Business & Economics
Hayek Tells Bill Buckley That Even Keynes Was Afraid of the Keynesians
Last month Bob Roddis caused a stir when he made available the audio recording of Hayek’s 1975 “Meet the Press” appearance. Well Roddis has done it again. He has provided me with this recording (mp3) of Hayek on Bill Buckley’s Firing Line. Buckley asks Hayek about the popularity of Keynesianism, ...
Business & Economics
Tort reform can stop defensive medicine
David W. Oliker was absolutely right to identify tort reform as key to combating skyrocketing health care costs (Nov. 30 essay, “Quality, affordability, accessibility are all key”). Defensive medicine adds significantly to America’s health care bill. To protect themselves against costly and often frivolous medical-malpractice lawsuits, doctors and hospitals order ...
Agriculture
Synthetic biology is a key to energy independence
Barack Obama recently pledged to establish a $150 billion “Apollo project” for energy independence. A new field known as synthetic biology presents one of the most promising opportunities to achieve his goal, but influential interest groups within his own party are fighting to kill this technology in its cradle. Just ...
Business & Economics
Does labor need Employee Free Choice Act?
AS THE election dust settles, attention turns to President-elect Obama’s governing agenda. If he prioritizes the labor-law changes he favored as a senator and candidate, he will inflict serious, lasting costs on American workers and the economy. The size of the federal deficit will constrain the taxing and spending initiatives ...
Tort reform can help states’ fiscal crises
The Wall Street meltdown, with the Dow hovering near its lowest level in years, has obscured a troubling reality. Economic growth in the northeast region has been stunted for a long time, for a simple reason. Four states in particular — New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island — ...
Choices hint at move to middle
Many conservative pundits have predicted a radical shift in U.S. economic policy and serious, prolonged economic stagnation under the incoming Obama administration. In many ways their analysis is correct, but things could turn out quite differently if President Obama pulls a Clinton – meaning he shifts quickly to pragmatic, workable ...
Assessing Obama’s Economic Team
Conservatives are understandably depressed these days, but they now have something to smile about in President-elect Obama’s picks for key economic posts, such as Tim Geithner for Secretary of the Treasury. Mr. Geithner, currently president of the New York Federal Reserve, boasts an intimate knowledge of international economics. During his ...
“I’d like to buy the world a Coke, and keep its taxes high”
When I was a kid, the jingle went: “I’d like to buy the world a Coke, and keep it company; I’d like to teach the world to sing, in perfect harmony…” Apparently, the composers were motivated by a group of stranded travellers at the airport in Shannon Airport, Ireland, hanging ...
Growth is the only solution to state’s crisis
Most of the proposed solutions for California’s budget problems – spending cuts, tax increases, infrastructure spending – attempt to patch a Band-Aid on a festering wound but do not address the underlying causes of the infection – an economy weakened by improper nutrition and the wrong medications. We cannot cut, ...
Inadequate labeling or human error?
Re: Nov. 28 commentary “Court takes up pre-emption doctrine.” It’s hard to see how “inadequate labeling,” not human error, resulted in the amputation of Diana Levine’s arm, as Thomas O. McGarity claims. The FDA-approved label on the anti-nausea drug Phenergan contained prominent warnings: “extreme care should be exercised to avoid ...
Hayek Tells Bill Buckley That Even Keynes Was Afraid of the Keynesians
Last month Bob Roddis caused a stir when he made available the audio recording of Hayek’s 1975 “Meet the Press” appearance. Well Roddis has done it again. He has provided me with this recording (mp3) of Hayek on Bill Buckley’s Firing Line. Buckley asks Hayek about the popularity of Keynesianism, ...
Tort reform can stop defensive medicine
David W. Oliker was absolutely right to identify tort reform as key to combating skyrocketing health care costs (Nov. 30 essay, “Quality, affordability, accessibility are all key”). Defensive medicine adds significantly to America’s health care bill. To protect themselves against costly and often frivolous medical-malpractice lawsuits, doctors and hospitals order ...
Synthetic biology is a key to energy independence
Barack Obama recently pledged to establish a $150 billion “Apollo project” for energy independence. A new field known as synthetic biology presents one of the most promising opportunities to achieve his goal, but influential interest groups within his own party are fighting to kill this technology in its cradle. Just ...
Does labor need Employee Free Choice Act?
AS THE election dust settles, attention turns to President-elect Obama’s governing agenda. If he prioritizes the labor-law changes he favored as a senator and candidate, he will inflict serious, lasting costs on American workers and the economy. The size of the federal deficit will constrain the taxing and spending initiatives ...
