Showing results for: “Michael Vita”
Congratulations…but let’s not over do it
I was waiting to write something about today’s announcement of the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics being awarded to Diamond, Mortensen, and Pissarides. Josh has already provided his thoughts and provided links to comments by Ed Glaeser and Steve Levitt, respectively. As they describe it, the honorees’ research provides a theory of unemployment, explaining why ... Congratulations…but let’s not over do it
Representative Michael N. Castle
I write to express opinion about Mike Castle. I do not post to express an opinion about Christine O’Donnell, the Tea Party, the national election, or the Democratic nominee Commissioner Coons. I don’t have a dog in that fight, except to say that I hope for the best for Delaware. I merely post to express ... Representative Michael N. Castle
Elgar Companion to Transaction Cost Economics
Peter Klein (over at Organizations and Markets) and I recently edited a volume for the Elgar Companion series titled The Elgar Companion to Transaction Cost Economics. At long last, the volume will be available in the US in November, 2010; in plenty of time for spring semester classes that might want to incorporate some or ... Elgar Companion to Transaction Cost Economics
The Complexity of Simple Economics
That’s the title of Steve Horwitz’s blog post reflecting on a recent celebration honoring the lifetime contributions of 1986 economics Nobel Prize winner James Buchanan. (HT: Art Cardin for pointing it out on FB) Horwitz describes Bachanan’s comments about how “the most basic insight of economics is fairly simple: the spontaneous order of the market.” ... The Complexity of Simple Economics
Which CFPB Will We Get?
Todd mentions Elizabeth Warren’s “kick off” speech for the CFPB, in which she accepts the new “President and Special Advisor to the Secretary of the Treasury?” gig, and tells us what the new Bureau is all about: The new consumer bureau is based on a pretty simple idea: people ought to be able to read ... Which CFPB Will We Get?
Now, Everyone, Gasp In Surprise
Alan Greenspan has been revered in political and media circles since his benevolent reign over times of fortune as the Chair of the US Federal Reserve. Now Mr. Greenspan has acknowledged what many of us have been saying for a long time: fiscal stimulus didn’t work. (insert gasps of surprise here) Now, to his credit, ... Now, Everyone, Gasp In Surprise
Attention Economists and Grad Students: Thought About Law School?
I have recently joined my colleague Bruce Johnsen as a co director of the Robert A. Levy Fellowship in Law and Liberty at GMU Law. It is a very generous fellowship for economists who have their PhD’s or “ABD” status to come to law school on our dime along with a stipend of roughly $27,000 ... Attention Economists and Grad Students: Thought About Law School?
To Slice or Not To Slice; a Taxing Question
Earlier this week, the WSJ reported on a nuance in the New York state tax code that has come take a bite out of at least one bagel company’s profits, and it illustrates how the complexities of arbitrary taxation schemes can rear their ugly heads and create incentives–and challenges–for consumers and sellers alike that would ... To Slice or Not To Slice; a Taxing Question
The troubles with business journalists
Chrystia Freeland had some interesting thoughts on this in Sunday’s New York Times: Too much of the top business writing (e.g., Michael Lewis) reports from the inside, based on cooperation with the insiders. Mikael Blomkvist would disapprove. So-called investigative reporters like Gretchen Morgenson obsess over individual wrongdoing instead of root causes. (Don’t get me started.) ... The troubles with business journalists
Terrorism Finance Meets Business Associations
Now that TOTM blog traffic is hitting all-time highs, I thought it would be a good time to share a link to my most recently published paper, Terrorism Finance, Business Associations, and the “Incorporation Transparency Act.” It is highly critical of Senator Levin’s “Incorporation Transparency and Law Enforcement Assistance Act,” over which Senator Levin, Senator Lieberman, ... Terrorism Finance Meets Business Associations
Food for thought, but don’t believe the label
“People who read food labels such as the Nutrition Facts Panel, ingredient lists or serving size are more likely to have healthier diets than those who do not read labels, according to a new study appearing in the August issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.” So reads the opening line of a ... Food for thought, but don’t believe the label
The (deficit) spender of last resort
Todd posts below about the $26 billion bill before the US House today as a gift to teachers (or perhaps more accurately, teachers unions) and school bureacrats. In reality, only $10 billion of the funds is specifically slated to rehire laid off teachers and some other public employees. The other $16 billion is to fund ... The (deficit) spender of last resort
