Things that last a long time can cause quirky economic incentives. I junked my 1979 Ford LTD this spring, and I just replaced the upstairs toilet with a new 1.6 gallon per flush model. All three of my small LP…
Poverty indexing is confusing–and stuck
The Census Bureau touched off a round of punditry last week when it released the 2002 poverty statistics. Americans officially defined as poor increased by 1.7 million, to a total of 34.6 million. As a proportion of households, the poor…
The deficit: “Fiscal discipline” isn’t going to cut it
Our country would have a stronger economy in the long run if senior elected officials such as Vice President Dick Cheney were more forthright about real budget issues. Unfortunately, the vice president continues to make statements that are at best…
Currency support comes with twist
Deciding to artificially support a currency is like jumping on the back of a tiger. Unless you are sure you know how to get off, prudence lies in never getting on. The International Monetary Fund and finance ministers’ meetings in…