Sometimes, it is hard for an economist to be heard, especially by those who have strong political beliefs. And that is especially true when the economist has something important to say. I was reminded of this recently when I saw…
Should we build now while the economy slumbers?
The state of Minnesota faces a large budget shortfall, estimated at more than $6 billion for the next biennium. Should we also borrow an additional $1 billion for long-term infrastructure like new buildings at the University of Minnesota or community…
Easing state bankruptcy not a panacea
As a kid, I learned that when people don’t meet their financial commitments, creditors could take their things. A music store that the local bank had financed went belly-up, so for more than a year, the bank peddled repossessed clarinets…
Productivity, not competition, is what makes nations prosperous
Competition plays a vital role in economies, but don’t make the mistake of assuming what is true for an individual company also is true for nations. The key to prosperity is productivity. The question of how we do compared with…