Despite huge increases in money flowing to oil-exporting nations, you seldom hear the word “petrodollar” anymore. Perhaps buzz words eventually just fall out of use. Or perhaps philosopher George Santayana’s dictum that “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned…
Should we pay for roads now or hand bill to our kids?
The dispute between Gov. Tim Pawlenty and many legislators over highway funding boils down to the old question of “jam today or jam tomorrow?” On second thought, that is not quite accurate. Both the governor and legislators want jam today.…
Drug policies prop up the profits in dope
The Afghan government just announced a new crackdown on opium production. That country now produces 90 percent of the world’s output. Opium reportedly is the largest single component of Afghanistan’s gross domestic product. Though laudable, history and economic theory tell…
Ignoring past costs often leads to a brighter future
We all know there is no use crying over spilled milk, but when it is our own milk we do so anyway. In love, war, and even business, it can be hard to know when to walk away from a…