08 | June | 2011

Saturday, May 25, 2013

What Can We Learn from China’s Interest in Idaho?

Mark J. Perry | June 8, 2011, 7:09 pm

From the Idaho Statesman in December 2010: “A Chinese national company is interested in developing a 10,000- to 30,000-acre technology zone for industry, retail centers and homes south of the Boise Airport. Officials of the China National Machinery Industry Corp. … read more >

Economics, Entitlements

Have Social Security Benefits Really Been Cut by 19 Percent?

Andrew Biggs | June 8, 2011, 3:22 pm

The National Academy of Social Insurance, of which I’m a member, has released a new issue brief titled “Social Security Beneficiaries Face 19% Cut; New Revenue Can Restore Balance.” The paper argues that, based on changes implemented in the 1983 … read more >

Politics and Public Opinion

A Dying Breed: Districts with Split Voting Personalities

Jennifer Marsico | June 8, 2011, 3:03 pm

Oklahoma’s Dan Boren, a conservative Democratic House member, announced that he will be retiring at the end of the 112th Congress. Boren’s announcement is noteworthy for a couple of reasons. First, he is the first congressman to announce his retirement this … read more >

Carpe Diem

Existing-Home Prices Might Be Falling, But Used Vehicle Prices Are Soaring to Record Highs

Mark J. Perry | June 8, 2011, 2:41 pm

Existing-home prices may be falling, but used car prices reached an all-time high in May, according to a new report from Manheim Consulting (see chart above). Manheim’s Used Vehicle Value Index of 127.8 in May was 5.6% above its year-ago … read more >

Economics, Energy and the Environment

First They Came for Joe Camel, Now They Are Coming for Actual Camels

Nick Schulz | June 8, 2011, 2:14 pm

From the FT (h/t JM): Killing a camel to earn a carbon credit may seem a curious way to tackle climate change, but one country is poised to allow investors to do precisely that. The camel culling plan is one … read more >

Society and Culture, Education

What It Takes for Business to Help Drive School Reform

Jenna Schuette Talbot | June 8, 2011, 1:21 pm

These days, everyone’s getting involved in education—John Legend, Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, the list goes on. Some of the potentially most influential players includes dozens of prominent businessmen and corporations. But you’ll often hear many business leaders complain that their … read more >

Economics, Entitlements

Fertility and Social Security Financing

Andrew Biggs | June 8, 2011, 11:30 am

The Ethics and Public Policy Center’s Jim Capretta—whose work on health reform I’m a huge fan of—weighs in on an aspect of the Social Security problem that’s received insufficient attention: falling fertility. Capretta argues that Social Security has stifled fertility … read more >

Economics

Friedman’s Slide into Population Bomb Territory

Jonah Goldberg | June 8, 2011, 11:11 am

As I already mentioned over at the Corner, Tom Friedman lets his inner Malthus out for a drive today: You really do have to wonder whether a few years from now we’ll look back at the first decade of the … read more >

Economics, Energy and the Environment

Energy Fact of the Week: Global Oil Consumption Trends

Steven F. Hayward | June 8, 2011, 10:52 am

OPEC opens its meeting today in Vienna amid the usual reports of divisions among its members about what the cartel should do. The Iranians and Venezuelans want to restrict output because they want higher prices, while the Saudis reportedly want … read more >

Foreign and Defense Policy

Will Obama Harness Rising Public Support for the War in Afghanistan?

Marc Thiessen | June 8, 2011, 9:28 am

The Washington Post reports that support for the war in Afghanistan is beginning to rebound: The number of Americans who say the war in Afghanistan is worth fighting has increased for the first time since President Obama announced at the … read more >