Homines libenter quod volunt credunt
Posted in Corporatism on Nov 2nd, 2009
Are vital for GM’s health? Yep. So much for that Obama promise to not play politics with GM. It’s only our money now anyway. Chrysler and GM have moved aggressively to cut their transportation costs, effecting Teamster jobs and riling the union’s political friends. Chrysler, for example, will save 25 percent of its $111 million […]
Posted in Government Gone Wild, Taxation on Nov 2nd, 2009
Assume that “rich people” do not change their behavior when the enlightened philosopher kings in congress tell them they have no right to a portion of their earnings. How much would (marginal) tax rates on the rich have to rise in order to pay for our current budget deficits? If you guessed … OVER 100% […]
Posted in Health Care on Nov 2nd, 2009
(HT to Mark Perry). Whatever ridiculous defense nanny state apologists want to give to this information, I’d like to know why Pelosi and Reid and their thug friends in Congress get to demonize insurance companies who make profit margins of 3.3% and returns on capital (equity) of 13%. Neither ranks the health insurance industry in […]
Posted in Environment on Nov 2nd, 2009
Would be expensive. And unnatural. Even in sunny places. Here is Ronald Bailey: Now let’s do a rough calculation of the costs of DeSoto Solar versus conventional power sources. According to the Electric Power Research Insitute, a modern 1,000 megawatt coal plant without carbon capture technology would cost about $2.8 billion to build. Adding carbon […]
Posted in incentives on Nov 2nd, 2009
Let’s see the results of a horserace between one-sized fits all standards versus more flexible approaches to funding: In this paper, we exploit key differences across funding streams within the academic life sciences to estimate the impact of incentives on the rate and direction of scientific exploration. Specifically, we study the careers of investigators of […]
Posted in Corporatism, Regulation on Nov 2nd, 2009
Perhaps no article better illustrates what happens in a modern progressive corporate state. Two highlights (lowlights): But now he and others like him — makers of small toys and owners of toy resale shops and boutique stores — say their livelihood is being threatened by federal legislation enacted in the last year to protect children […]
Posted in Environment on Nov 2nd, 2009
Some things are perhaps best left for private conversation, or for discussion over beers with some close friends. But this time I really cannot help myself. Let me pose a question or two: Is it plausible to argue that profit-seeking mining companies are extremely efficient at what they do? Both in the sense that they […]
