Real World Economics Article Links Sorted by Date   
(Also see listing by Keyword)

All columns are copyrighted, but may be reproduced for nonprofit or educational use if appropriate credit is given to the author.  Requests for other reprints should referred to the author.

We make every effort to post columns in a timely manner.  If our archive does not carry the most recent Real World Economics columns, you can also check the Pioneer Press web site, which posts each column on the day it appears and archives columns from the most recent three months.
 
Published Headline Keywords
07/10/08 Reaction to Fed's lending reins a matter of politics housing, politics
07/06/08 Favors are subtle forms of "rent seeking" politics, rent seeking
07/03/08 At the Fed, President appoints, Senate disappoints Federal Reserve, FOMC, politics
06/29/08 Expecting price swings?  They'll come housing, oil prices
06/26/08 Global market reality trumps gas price fantasy globalization, oil industry, oil prices
06/22/08 Brush up on math to grasp economy economic data
06/19/08 Weighing the tradeoffs of off-shore drilling Bush Administration, environment, oil industry, oil prices, politics, supply and demand, tradeoffs
06/15/08 Fair is fair in unemployment benefits Bush Administration, Campaign 2008, equity, horizontal equity, politics, unemployment, vertical equity
06/12/08 Understanding the futures markets futures markets
06/08/08 Social Security needs new incentives incentives, labor markets, retirement, Social Security
06/05/08 High commodity prices revive argument over what's best for poor nations Africa, international trade, Latin America,
06/01/08 In price cycles, some bound to feel squeezed housing, inflation, oil prices, Leon Walrus
05/29/08 U.S. gave the world model for agricultural research Brazil, farm policy, globalization
05/25/08 Sometimes, our money illusions are shocking inflation
05/22/08 Only time will tell if commodities riding a bubble derivatives, futures markets
05/18/08 Equity spending couldn't last forever Alan Greenspan, housing
05/15/08 Default swaps carry uncertain risks bonds, credit default swap
05/11/08 Loan supply won't create demand Federal Reserve, supply and demand
05/08/08 Politicians see letters from economists as junk mail Bush Administration, Campaign 2008, Great Depression, oil prices, politics, Smoot-Hawley Act
05/04/08 Rate cuts help borrowers, hurt savers Federal Reserve, inflation
05/01/08 Investor distaste for prepaid mortgages led to crisis bonds, Great Depression, housing
04/27/08 Surging food, fuel prices cloud inflation picture Consumer Price Index, economic data, inflation, oil prices
04/24/08 Those who fail to read fine print shouldn't cry foul bonds
04/20/08 Some losses are truly immeasurable Africa, productivity, Thanksgiving
04/17/08 Wastes of taxpayer moneys shows our values are off-kilter disaster relief, farm policy, public financing, reverse RoHo, tax increment financing
04/13/08 Recession's pain isn't evenly spread economic data, elasticity of demand, recession, unemployment
04/10/08 When Greenspan opens his mouth, critics chew him up Federal Reserve, Alan Greenspan, housing, recession
04/06/08 For a lesson in economics, talk to a farmer supply and demand, USDA
04/03/08 Financial reforms include good, bad and ugly Bush Administration, Federal Reserve, politics, recession
03/30/08 How to decide who is paid for victimization crime, economies of scale
03/27/08 Tax reform always under pressure from special interests politics, taxes
03/23/08 Bush' cheerleading silly but understandable Bush Administration, Federal Reserve, politics, recession
03/20/08 History shows wide-ranging reasons for recessions Federal Reserve, history, housing, Japan, recession, stock markets, Paul Volcker
03/16/08 Politics always a factor in defense industry defense spending, politics
03/13/08 Is Fed throwing good T-bills after bad mortgage debt? Federal Reserve, housing
03/09/08 Wall Street's herds moving on to new troughs stock markets
03/06/08 Lenders hold key to mortgage trap Ben Bernanke, fallacy of composition, game theory, housing
03/02/08 Gas tax is our best option--for now oil industry, oil prices, Pawlenty administration, taxation, taxes, transportation
02/28/08 Saving key to real recovery budget deficit, recession
02/24/08 Merger talks should raise antitrust flags airline industry, antitrust, Bush Administration, monopoly
02/21/08 Placing bets on commodities boom ethanol, sunk costs, supply and demand
02/17/08 Subprime may be the least of it housing
02/14/08 Muni-bond insurers latest to feel sting of risk bonds, monoline insurer, risk,
02/10/08 Lessons of the great inflation Federal Reserve, Great Depression, inflation, Allan Metzler
02/07/08 Farm, mine sectors pack less punch land prices
02/03/08 Boosting local tax deductible a bad idea housing, real estate taxes, taxation, taxes
01/31/08 To spree, or not to spree Milton Friedman, John Maynard Keynes, Franco Modigliani, David Ricardo, taxes
01/27/08 Cents and sensibility in marriage Jane Austen
01/24/08 Cure the disease, not just the symptoms Bush Administration, economic growth, Japan
01/20/08 Recession is an "unknown unknown" recession
01/17/08 (no column)
01/13/08 Data show rich indeed get richer China, exchange rates, purchasing power parity, World Bank
01/10/08 On this monopoly board, railroads are winning monopoly, railroad
01/06/08 Exchange seats go for big money David Ricardo, wind power
01/03/08 Home values linked to commuting costs housing, transportation
12/30/07 Signs of the real economy are everywhere real economy, recession
12/27/07 Only few economists get a voice Federal Reserve
12/23/07 Helicopter Ben had it right Ben Bernanke, central bank, Federal Reserve, Alan Greenspan, money supply
12/20/07 Price hike blame game hard to play ethanol
12/16/07 China manipulates itself into a corner China, exchange rates
12/13/07 Higher prices spur oil, copper producers into action Brazil, oil industry, oil prices
12/09/07 Push for liquidity neglects history Federal Reserve, FOMC
12/06/07 Mortgage play may be least bad option housing, sub-prime lending
12/02/07 "Greater criminal" gets loose crime, housing, sub-prime lending
11/29/07 China trumps U.S. in economic woes China
11/25/07 At some point no one wants our dollars exchange rates
11/22/07 Perspective leads to thanks poverty, Thanksgiving
11/18/07 Export tax can help or hurt ag imports & exports, Argentina, taxes
11/15/07 Shocks hit small banks harder banking
11/11/07 Books put crisis in perspective Miton Friedman, John Kenneth Galbraith, Great Depression
11/08/07 Cure for $100 crude?  Raise taxes on big rigs oil prices, taxes, transportation
11/04/07 Greenspan hits pitfall in memoir Alan Greenspan, sub-prime lending
11/01/07 Leverage becomes enemy when prices fall housing, stock markets
10/28/07 Know what Fed's job is, then let's do it central bank, Federal Reserve, FOMC, money supply
10/25/07 Decision to disclose information can enter gray area data, information
10/22/07 Bailouts sometimes backfire banking, Michael Spence
10/18/07 Consumers' bold stand may become fast retreat economic data
10/15/07 Hurwicz's Nobel shows nice guys can finish last Leonid Hurwicz, Nobel Prize
10/14/07 Changing conditions breed invention transportation
10/11/07 "Nanny" government should simplify savings Milton Friedman, Alan Greenspan, retirement, taxation
10/07/07 Traffic and property intertwined Ronald Coase, property rights, transportation
10/04/07 "Fair" climate policies are foul to poor countries Bush Administration, China, environment, globalization
09/30/07 Inflation does not create itself Argentina, central bank, inflation
09/27/07 How a tractor helped win WWII productivity, World War II
09/23/07 Bush can't be Keynesian supply-sider Bush Administration, John Maynard Keynes, supply-side economics
09/20/07 Beauty should be built into new I-35W bridge trade-offs, transportation
09/16/07 Few seem to know, care that inflation is a tax Federal Reserve, FOMC, Milton Friedman, inflation, taxation
09/13/07 Reaping econ lesson from wheat prices elasticity of demand, exogenous shock
09/09/07 Public good is also good for business public good
09/06/07 Flood insurance can be muddy issue disaster relief, insurance industry, moral hazard
09/02/07 Housing price expectations as strong on the way down demand shift, housing
08/30/07 Over time data can prove unreliable data, economic data
08/26/07 Carelessness can hurt any industry risk
08/23/07 Fed's actions are solely up to Bernanke Ben Bernanke, Federal Reserve, FOMC
08/19/07 Creating money with a few keystrokes money supply, Federal Reserve
08/16/07 Public spending suffers for poor accounting taxation, transportation
08/12/07 Tight credit not a cause for worry Federal Reserve
08/09/07 Safety first...but check the budget Pawlenty administration, risk, transportation
08/05/07 Higher mileage standards aren't enough auto industry, environment, oil industry, politics
08/02/07 Disaster aid, and where it ends, is never simple disaster relief, Hurricane Katrina, moral hazard, politics
07/29/07 Loan bailouts would be bad public policy banking, housing
07/26/07 What is government's role in public safety? lawsuits
07/22/07 Dollar's slide affects more than tourists euro, exchange rates
07/19/07 Poverty trumps safe travel in poor nations Brazil, Bush administration, environment, poverty, transportation
07/15/07 "Death taxes" debate needs some clarity estate taxes, taxes
07/12/07 Thievery rises along with metal prices supply and demand
07/08/07 Food-stamp stunt obscures broader issues politics, poverty
07/05/07 Decentralized Fed is best Federal Reserve
07/01/07 Monopoly status isn't everything William Baumol, contestable market, monopoly
06/28/07 GDP data easily misunderstood economic data, GDP, international trade
06/24/07 Human quirks throw wrenches into theories rational expectations
06/21/07 Be careful what you wish for China, inflation, Paul Volcker
06/17/07 Ignore inane trade-balance rhetoric auto industry, Campaign 2008, international trade, trade deficit
06/14/07 Farm subsidy database is only part of the story farm policy, farm subsidies
06/10/07 Be judicious in applying housing data Consumer Price Index, economic data, housing
06/07/07 Bush has missed lessons of history Bush Administration, history, Robert Hormats, Iraq war
06/03/07 Markets outdo social engineers market economy
05/31/07 Pope's "third way" is elusive mercantilism, politics, poverty, South America
05/27/07 Port bond fund shows limits of government bonds
05/24/07 Don't expect too much from immigration legislation immigration, politics
05/20/07 Klobuchar carbon bill is a sound step environment, global warming, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, politics
05/17/07 Consumers don't need a nanny politics
05/13/07 Consumer prices aren't whole story Consumer Price Index, economic data
05/10/07 Gas prices defy easy explanation elasticity of demand, oil industry, oil prices, supply and demand
05/06/07 CEO pay votes could correct market failure CEO compensation
05/03/07 Both private sector, government "create wealth" public good, real estate taxes, taxation
04/29/07 The "not so great" often make history history
04/26/07 We can't ignore taxes...or dirty bathrooms politics, taxation
04/22/07 Easy trade-offs are hard to come by opportunity cost,  risk, trade-offs
04/19/07 Principal-agent problem plagues U.S. in Iraq Iraq war, politics, principal-agent problem
04/15/07 Absolute or relative numbers?  It depends economic data, information
04/12/07 Tax fairness is in the eye of the beholder efficiency, equity, taxation
04/08/07 Colleges should unplug effort to limit electricians Adam Smith, unions
04/05/07 States can't alter slowdowns John Maynard Keynes, politics, supply-side economics
04/01/07 Want to help environment?  Shut up and do something Bush Administration, environment, European Union, Kyoto Protocol, Pawlenty Administration
03/29/07 Fantasies won't clean up the junk environment, external costs, transaction cost, taxation
03/25/07 Don't repeat mistakes on Gulf Coast environment, Hurricane Katrina, insurance industry
03/22/07 Let's stop and think before regulating external costs, Milton Friedman
03/18/07 Market drives excess cows and cubicles supply and demand
03/15/07 Underlying ills intensify subprime peril housing, pension funds
03/11/07 "Carry trade" carries risk for investors carry trade, exchange rates
03/08/07 Taxing groceries overtaxes the poor poverty, taxes
03/04/07 Want to cut government?  OK, where? federal budget, politics
03/01/07 Occasional market storms inevitable China, stock markets
02/25/07 Petrodollar recycling is still a challenge oil industry, oil prices
02/22/07 Should we pay for roads now or hand bill to our kids? bonds, Pawlenty administration, transportation
02/18/07 Drug policies prop up the profits in dope Afghanistan, South America, supply and demand
02/15/07 Ignoring past costs often leads to a brighter future Iraq war, sunk costs
02/11/07 Human nature can make a mess of trash policy public utility
02/08/07 Mounting debt defies theories Bush administration, Milton Friedman, John Maynard Keynes, national debt, rational expectations
02/04/07 Bush health plan deserves consideration Bush administration, health policy, taxation
02/01/07 A "tax exemption" is just a bribe Milton Friedman, Pawlenty administration, taxation
01/28/07 Don't blame ethanol for costly tortillas economic data, ethanol
01/25/07 Bush misses chance to be true conservative Bush administration, environment
01/21/07 Western ideas don't always translate well Bush administration, globalization, Ferdinand Tonnies
01/18/07 Comprehensive forecasts impossible ethanol,  wind power
01/14/07 How should nation rule on judges' pay? compensation, judiciary
01/11/07 Aid military members who need it most military spending, Pawlenty Administration, pension funds
01/07/07 Society willing to tolerate highway risks transportation
01/04/07 Deficit spending is seductive deficit spending, federal budget, Milton Friedman, politics, David Ricardo, taxation
12/31/06 Will new year bring same old Congress? politics
12/28/06 Weighing the costs of justice crime, immigration
12/24/06 Word choice can illuminate or befuddle balance of payments, foreign trade, GATT
12/21/06 Food scares revive economic debate Ronald Coase, Milton Frieman
12/17/06 Fed shouldn't rush to cut rate in 2007 Federal Reserve, FOMC
12/14/06 Immigration reform complex immigration
12/10/06 Politics can scuttle Fed's mission Burton Abrams, Federal Reserve, Milton Friedman, money supply, politics
12/07/06 Price laws are useless relics of New Deal Milton Friedman, pharmaceuticals, price fixing
12/03/06 Money only buys so much happiness Daniel Kahneman, poverty
11/30/06 How cost-efficient is NATO? defense spending, NATO
11/26/06 Treasury cashes in on collected coins Federal Reserve, seignorage
11/23/06 Time to give thanks for immigrants Milton Friedman, immigration, Thanksgiving
11/19/06 Policy stymied by politics in U.S., China China, national debt
11/16/06 Is drug-cost bargaining sound policy? Medicare, pharmaceuticals, rent-seeking, Social Security
11/12/06 It's hard to put a lid on buyers' expectations housing, inflation
11/09/06 Can divided power yield coherent power? Campaign 2006, politics
11/05/06 "Demand shifters" hurt newspapers demand shift, information
11/02/06 Neither Senate hopeful has grasp of economics Campaign 2006, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, politics, Social Security
10/29/06 How much are we entitled to? Social Security
10/26/06 It's time for truth in property taxation fallacy of composition, politics, real estate taxes, taxation
10/22/06 UnitedHealth board typical in its inaction principal-agent problem
10/19/06 Corruption affects economy in big, little ways Brazil, corruption, politics
10/15/06 Lumber-aid ideas revive old debate natural resources management, unemployment
10/12/06 Nobel laureate revitalized Keynesian theory John Maynard Keynes, Nobel Prize, Edmund Phelps, rational expectations, Adam Smith
10/08/06 Government's net worth hard to figure national debt
10/05/06 Fed policy sent stocks, real estate soaring Federal Reserve, Irving Fisher, housing, stock markets
10/01/06 Voters just don't care about the budget federal budget
09/28/06 Savvy investors know hedge funds don't hedge funds, investments
09/24/06 Alcohol tax makes sense, up to a point elasticity of demand, taxation
09/21/06 Disability insurance strains budgets Disability and survivors' benefits, Social Security
09/17/06 U.S. economy isn't mobilized for terror war Afghanistan, defense spending, terrorist attacks
09/14/06 Blue Cross proposal spurs healthy debate health policy, insurance industry, politics
09/10/06 Look beyond profits-wages comparison economic data
09/07/06 Let's put "fixed lump" to rest labor markets, Iraq war
09/03/06 Voters need to keep eye on farm bill farm policy, farm subsidies, politics
08/31/06 Don't blame interest rates for housing slowdown Federal Reserve, housing
08/27/06 Ethanol, river plans work at cross-purposes Army Corps of Engineers, ethanol, Mississippi River
08/24/06 Politicians overstate their effect on economy economic data, Pawlenty Administration, politics, unemployment
08/20/06 Health care taxes are bad economics Bush Administration, health policy, Medicaid, taxation
08/17/06 ABCs of the PPI and CPI Consumer Price Index, economic data
08/13/06 How to reduce use of energy?  Tax it energy policy, environment, Mike Hatch, oil industry, Pawlenty Administration, politics, taxation
08/10/06 Tempering news about short pause China, Federal Reserve, FOMC, oil prices
08/06/06 There is no universal fix to global pollution environment
08/03/06 Market jitters underscore a stormy horizon economic data, Henry Paulson, stock markets
07/30/06 Beware of flawed logic in tax debate Bush Administration, post-hoc fallacy, taxes
07/27/06 Can there be too much information? Mike Hatch, information, Pawlenty Administration, pharmaceuticals, politics
07/23/06 Mother Nature has final word on crop profits inelastic demand
07/20/06 Fed is shielded from politicking Ben Bernanke, central bank, Federal Reserve, inflation, stock markets
07/16/06 Hard work alone won't yield wealth education, poverty, productivity
07/13/06 Drug-plan confusion wastes resources information, Medicare, pharmaceuticals, price discrimination
07/09/06 Demand for product has domino effect ethanol, foreign trade, supply and demand
07/06/06 Taxi limits hurt poor poverty, David Ricardo, transportation
07/02/06 Sometimes, good law is bad economics lawsuits
06/29/06 Fed needs steady hand on helm Ben Bernanke, Federal Reserve, FOMC
06/25/06 Economics, morals both factor into regulations housing
06/18/06 Governors can't do much to economy Mike Hatch, Pawlenty Administration, politics
06/15/06 Supply-demand effects vary by market housing, market economy, supply and demand
06/11/06 Give the CEO a raise?  All in favor say "aye" labor markets
06/08/06 U.S. college are envy of the world education
06/04/06 Technology changes what is "tradeable" technology
06/01/06 A Treasury secretary's lot Bush Administration, Henry Paulson, John Snow,
05/28/06 Mixed signals makes Fed's job harder economic data, Federal Reserve, FOMC, inflation, money supply, recession,
05/25/06 Capital gains put the "fun" in fungible fungible, stock options
05/21/06 Creative highway financing doesn't add up transportation
05/18/06 As information flows, do does immigration immigration, information
05/14/06 Faulty logic often clouds economic policy debates fallacy of composition
05/11/06 Pension bills will come due baby boom, pension funds
05/07/06 A billion here, a billion there...what does it all mean? Bush Administration, defense spending
05/04/06 Stadium ploy nothing new Thomas Schelling, sports
04/30/06 Big projects like light rail can enhance property value David Ricardo, transportation
04/27/06 U.S. can't control oil prices Bush administration, ethanol, oil industry, oil prices
04/23/06 Average rates tell true story about taxes Medicare, Social Security, taxes
04/20/06 Zoning decisions can never please all property owners zoning
04/16/06 Do signs point to inflation?  Time will tell China, Milton Friedman, inflation
04/13/06 Globally immigrants go where the work is immigration, incentives
04/09/06 Dedicating sales tax is bad public policy sales tax
04/06/06 Immigration a fact of our democracy immigration, Pawlenty Administration
04/02/06 Strike balance with eminent domain laws incentives
03/30/06 It's time for MAC to stop coddling Northwest airline industry, captive regulator
03/26/06 Fed chiefs aren't there to serve presidents Federal Reserve, G. William Miller
03/23/06 Pension controversies nothing new pension funds
03/19/06 Don't judge tax-refund loans too quickly taxes
03/16/06 Liquor-law report sobering externals costs, monopoly, Pawlenty administration, Arthur Pigou, taxation
03/12/06 Jury is out on telecom consolidation William Baumol, monopoly, Qwest, telecommunications
03/09/06 U.S. aid has strings attached Supreme Court, tradeoffs
03/05/06 R&D can't live on free-market funding alone military spending, public good, Vern Ruttan, technology
03/02/06 Fed rookie's financial resume is short Bush administration, Federal Reserve, politics, Kevin Warsh
02/26/06 Federal power on trial in pollution case environment, Supreme Court
02/23/06 Willing to pay more for day care?  Then you will Alfred Marshall, supply and demand
02/19/06 Biofuels are no cure-all for energy needs energy policy, ethanol, oil industry
02/16/06 Forget about trade "deficit" budget deficit, Bush administration, China, trade deficit
02/12/06 Housing's slow cool-down eases pain housing
02/09/06 Budget debate degenerates into political game Bush administration, farm subsidies, politics, Social Security
02/05/06 Wherever you go, introspection is valuable Brazil, civil service, health policy, labor markets
02/02/06 Bush dodged true energy-policy fix Brazil, Bush administration, energy policy, Arthur Pigou, oil industry
01/29/06 Does success spring from effort or luck? Brazil, economic success
01/26/06 Look beyond Fed's chairman Federal Reserve, Alan Greenspan
01/22/06 Let's lose phone-tax hang-up taxation, telecommunications
01/19/06 Tone down ecosystem debate Brazil, environment, resource management
01/15/06 Most charity tax breaks don't aid poor charities, Hurricane Katrina, taxes
01/12/06 IT empowers regular folks Brazil, information, Internet, technology
01/08/06 Some myths about the boomer effect baby boom, productivity
01/05/06 Railroad loan challenges Republican identity railroad, transportation
01/01/06 Inverted yield curve:  Threat or just a blip? yield curve
12/29/05 Immigration debate to simplistic immigration, labor markets
12/25/05 How feedback can affect retail sales retail markets
12/22/05 Beyond "Freakonomics" Steve Levitt
12/18/05 Housing boom bound to run out of steam housing
12/15/05 Medical advances involve trade-offs medical industry, pharmaceuticals, trade-offs
12/11/05 Pork-barrel politics hurt war on terror Bush administration, politics, terrorist attacks
12/08/05 Short-term fear derails long-term gain ag imports and exports, Argentina, Brazil, WTO
12/04/05 Sometimes, a parliament holds appeal Canada, politics
12/03/05 Use state money to retrain, not retain auto industry
12/01/05 Tax surplus stems from business cycle budget surplus
11/27/05 Bumper crop storage an enviable problem resource management
11/24/05 Fair pay, and gratitude Iraq war, public employees, Thanksgiving
11/20/05 Wal-Mart just wants everyone in same boat minimum wage, unions
11/17/05 Do trade missions matter? mercantilism, trade mission
11/13/05 Credibility is crucial in trade talks NAFTA, Nobel Prize, Thomas Schelling