Says it all

by Russ Roberts March 17, 2010

Here’s an amazing story from CNN because it’s so ordinary. It’s about a top-down govenrment initiative that sounds good–giving more broadband access to Americans. Who’s against more Americans getting broadband? The FCC has a plan to get it done. Go Broadband!
So here’s the story. (HT: Best of the Web)
Like a photographer without a camera, or [...]

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Subsidies and Distortions

by Don Boudreaux March 16, 2010

Suppose that Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, and Larry Ellison pool their wealth into what they call “The Subsidy Fund.”  Out of his fund, the three billionaires will subsidize producers of their choice.
Let’s imagine that Messrs. Gates, Buffett, and Ellison choose to bestow billions upon Blairex Laboratories, Inc., of Columbus, Indiana.  The three billionaires subsidize Blairex [...]

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Keep Those Exports Coming

by Don Boudreaux March 16, 2010

Here’s a letter that I sent to the New York Times – the third letter in response to yesterday’s Krugman column:
Paul Krugman notes that Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao “accused other nations of doing what China actually does, seeking to weaken their currencies ‘just for the purposes of increasing their own exports’” (“Taking on China,” [...]

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Hayek in Texas

by Russ Roberts March 16, 2010

Is Hayek an important enough economist to be taught in Texas schools alongside Keynes and Friedman? Justin Wolfers says no. Bill Easterly says yes.
I’m always happy to spread Hayek’s name around. But the real question isn’t whether F. A. is worthy. The real question is why is there a state-wide board making a decision like [...]

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If Technology Were a Country….

by Don Boudreaux March 16, 2010

Here’s a letter to the New York Times:
Paul Krugman accuses the Chinese government of harming America by (allegedly) keeping the value of the yuan artificially low (“Taking on China,” March 15).  Because a low yuan allows Americans to get more for less from China, Prof. Krugman believes that the resulting reduced demand for American-made products [...]

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Easterly on Hayek

by Don Boudreaux March 16, 2010

Bill Easterly – who ranks as not only a superb economist but as one of the finest verbal stylists of the profession – explains why Hayek’s works deserve more attention.

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Poorer Is Richer

by Don Boudreaux March 15, 2010

Here’s a letter that I sent today to the New York Times:
Paul Krugman writes that “It’s true that if China dumped its U.S. assets the value of the dollar would fall against other major currencies, such as the euro.  But that would be a good thing for the United States, since it would make our [...]

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Don Boudreaux on public choice

by Russ Roberts March 15, 2010

In the latest EconTalk, Don talks about his view of the political process. The discussion includes a defense of not voting (though the host of the program does vote from time to time) and a discussion of why politics is not the road to a smaller state.

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Washington Knows Best

by Don Boudreaux March 14, 2010

Here’s a letter that I sent to the New York Times:
While applauding government-imposed national standards for schooling, you give no credence to the argument that each set of parents – rather than government – is in the best position, and has the strongest incentives, to determine whether or not their children are being educated well [...]

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A Campaign that I’d Sign-Up For

by Don Boudreaux March 13, 2010

Here’s a letter that I sent to the Boston Globe:
You applaud efforts by the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood to thwart “Big Business’ attempts to turn [children] into consumers of junk food, junk toys, and junk entertainment” (“Bowing to corporate America, Judge Baker center loses face,” March 13).  While I admire these activists’ zealous concern [...]

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No Snow Job on Green Jobs

by Don Boudreaux March 13, 2010

At Economist.com, my friend Andy Morriss debates Van Jones on so-called “Green Jobs.”

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A Thought Experiment

by Russ Roberts March 12, 2010

One difference between economists and others is that economists tend to be less impressed by motivation and more impressed by what people actually do. Economists are also less impressed by what people say than by what they do. So they are particularly unimpressed by people who profess to be motivated by the public good, for [...]

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Pre-existing Nonsense

by Don Boudreaux March 12, 2010

Here’s a letter that I sent to the New York Times:
Paul Krugman thinks it wrong that health insurers don’t cover pre-existing conditions (“Health Reform Myths,” March 12).  Apparently, he believes that each market participant should ignore the value of what she gets in exchange for what she gives.
I wonder if Prof. Krugman has thought through [...]

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Corporate Welfare Kings

by Don Boudreaux March 11, 2010

A headline in today’s Wall Street Journal reads “Obama Details Effort to Double Exports Over Five Years.”
Translation: “Obama Details Effort to Increase Corporate Welfare Over Five Years.”

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Walter Williams on the Census

by Don Boudreaux March 11, 2010

If you scroll down at this link, you’ll find a video of my colleague Walter Williams discussing the U.S. Census.

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Unreasonable Reason

by Don Boudreaux March 11, 2010

Here’s a letter that I sent to the Washington Post:
George Will wisely warns against reason unreasonably applied (“As a progressive, Obama hews to the Wilsonian tradition,” March 11).  Pres. Obama and his ilk are guided by an irrational faith that human reason is so potent and encompassing that it permits the Best and the Brightest [...]

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