AEIdeas

Monday, May 20, 2013

Foreign and Defense Policy, Middle East and North Africa

Is a strong Iran good for America?

Michael Rubin | May 17, 2013, 2:25 pm

Over at RealClearWorld, Robert Kaplan makes a compelling case that the United States should not fear a strong Iran: It is not in the long-term interest of the United States to side with the Sunni Arab states against Iran or … read more >

Economics, Taxes and Spending

What AEI folks are saying about the IRS scandal

Abby McCloskey | May 17, 2013, 2:19 pm

A lot has happened this week. We learned that IRS higher-ups have known about targeting conservative groups since 2011. And yet they did nothing. On Wednesday, IRS acting commissioner Steven Miller resigned. On Thursday, Joseph Grant, commissioner of the tax-exempt … read more >

Pethokoukis, Economics, U.S. Economy

Is inequality hurting the US economic recovery?

James Pethokoukis | May 17, 2013, 10:55 am

Stock markets and corporate profits are up, wage growth anemic. So Fed Governor Sarah Bloom Raskin is wondering whether the “large and increasing amount of inequality in income and wealth” is hampering the current US economic recovery and perhaps “pose … read more >

Image Credit: $amii (Flickr) (CC by-SA 2.0)

Society and Culture

The 21 greatest conservative rap songs of all time (part 10)

Stan Veuger | May 17, 2013, 9:40 am

Contrary to popular belief, much rap music espouses conservative values and themes. Stan Veuger has taken on the task of ranking the best examples; his list continues here. 12. 2pac – Brenda Got A Baby (1991) Most rap songs devoted … read more >

Pethokoukis, Economics, U.S. Economy

The US has more austerity than Europe. So why is America doing OK?

James Pethokoukis | May 17, 2013, 9:29 am

So which economy in the world is “suffering” most from austerity? As Capital Economics notes, the combination of US tax hikes and spending cuts means that over the next two years the federal budget deficit is expected to fall by … read more >

Politics and Public Opinion

What you may have missed in the polls: Small business and Obamacare, pessimism in Europe

Karlyn Bowman and Andrew Rugg | May 17, 2013, 8:56 am

Small businessmen sour on ACA: In a survey of 603 small business owners, 48% of them said that the Affordable Care Act will be bad for their businesses. Thirty-nine percent said the law will have no impact while 9% said … read more >

Carpe Diem

In Venezuela, government price controls create economic chaos, so don’t minimum wage laws do the same in the US?

Mark J. Perry | May 16, 2013, 2:58 pm

Government price controls continue to create economic chaos and chronic shortages of basic household items in Venezuela. Here’s a news report about the latest price-control-caused shortage: First milk, butter, coffee and cornmeal ran short. Now Venezuela is running out of the most basic … read more >

Foreign and Defense Policy, Middle East and North Africa

Obama’s Syria fantasy

Paul Wolfowitz | May 16, 2013, 2:10 pm

If pigs had wings, perhaps they could fly. And if the US had some leverage, perhaps all the talk about a negotiated end to the Syrian crisis might amount to something. But even if the US could develop some negotiating … read more >

Pethokoukis, Economics, Regulation

Why one-size-fits-all patent law is a bad idea

James Pethokoukis | May 16, 2013, 2:02 pm

Alex Tabarrok has argued that patent law should be stronger in business sectors where there are high “innovation-to-imitation costs” such as pharmaceuticals and weaker where costs are lower, such as software. Tabarrok: So, pharmaceuticals are really the classic case of where the … read more >

Foreign and Defense Policy, Middle East and North Africa

Is Iraq falling apart? Not so fast

Michael Rubin | May 16, 2013, 1:46 pm

Sectarian violence is on the upswing in Iraq. Almost 50 people have died in that country in the last two days following a wave of bombings and shootings. For several months now, tension has been mounting. Some analysts trace the … read more >

Lean In… to Government?
Sheryl Sandberg's runaway best-selling book Lean In has managed to offend both the Left and the Right. Sandberg touts female hard-headedness, yet also calls for an elaborate government- and employer-supplied support system for women. […]
Are American Voters Racist?
Racial prejudice plays a very small role in American politics, but a highly disciplined sense of self-interest on the part of one group may play a very large role in the way the federal government functions. […]
The Perpetual Passion for Paper
Paper is becoming less important in some respects, but its strengths — prestige, utility, permanence, and security — are more essential than ever. […]
Could California Make a Comeback?
An unexpected glimmer of hope might cast a new light on the Golden State. […]