19 | February | 2013

Thursday, May 23, 2013

Today’s new vehicles are cheaper and more reliable than ever before in history; the middle class never had it so good

Mark J. Perry | February 19, 2013, 7:54 pm

The chart above shows the CPI for all items (blue line, data here) and the CPI for new vehicles (red line, data here), with both series set to equal 100 in the year 1989. Over the last 23 years, consumer … read more >

Carpe Diem

More challenges to proponents of the minimum wage law

Mark J. Perry | February 19, 2013, 4:35 pm

A few more challenges to proponents of the minimum wage: 1. Since it was first passed in 1938, the US minimum wage law has used the coercive force and power of the government to prevent millions of voluntary, mutually advantageous … read more >

Politics and Public Opinion, Elections

A simple way to help more Americans exercise their right to vote

Henrik Temp | February 19, 2013, 3:39 pm

During his recent State of the Union address, President Obama decried the phenomenon of extremely long voting lines, saying: When any American — no matter where they live or what their party — are denied that right [to vote] because … read more >

Economics, Health Care, Pethokoukis

US health care needs disruptive innovation. Does the ACA help or hurt?

James Pethokoukis | February 19, 2013, 3:22 pm

Innovation expert Clayton Christensen coauthors a must-read piece for The Wall Street Journal today on the inherent flaws in the ACA’s embrace of Accountable Care Organizations, sort of government-encouraged HMOs. What Christensen’s criticisms have in common is that they ding … read more >

Economics, U.S. Economy

While America dithers, rest of the world moves to snap up highly skilled immigrants

Michael R. Strain | February 19, 2013, 3:21 pm

The Washington Post has a great feature on the difficulties faced by highly-skilled immigrants who want to stay in the United States and contribute to our economy. The contraption sits in a basement lab at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, … read more >

Economics, Pethokoukis, Taxes and Spending

The tax that is hurting workers and business investment

James Pethokoukis | February 19, 2013, 2:43 pm

Bruce Bartlett in The New York Times investigates who really pays the corporate income tax, workers or investors. He outlines the views of four sets of researchers whose papers appear in a new issue of The National Tax Journal. Estimates … read more >

Economics, Health Care, Pethokoukis

How choice and competition are slowing the rise in US health care costs

James Pethokoukis | February 19, 2013, 1:55 pm

How to explain the slowdown in US health care spending? The more you look, the more it seems choice and competition are playing a big role. As I noted last week, the increase in high-deductible, employer-provided health insurance — frequently paired … read more >

Economics, Pethokoukis

Is the age of US growth really over? 3 factors that economist Robert Gordon might be underestimating

James Pethokoukis | February 19, 2013, 12:02 pm

I have written several times about provocative new paper from economist Robert Gordon, “Is U.S. Economic Growth Over? Faltering Innovation Confronts the Six Headwinds.” It makes the case, or at least questions the assumption “that economic growth is a continuous process that will persist … read more >

Foreign and Defense Policy, India

India’s mendacity slows progress in the fight against lethal medicines

Roger Bate | February 19, 2013, 12:02 pm

Vienna – Efforts to rid the world of dangerous medicines have been given a boost by the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime. Representatives of nations, police, manufacturers, academics, and pressure groups gathered last week at UNODC headquarters to … read more >

Economics, Taxes and Spending

Senate GOP’s Balanced Budget Amendment actually caps spending at 16.7%, not 18%

Alan Viard | February 19, 2013, 11:26 am

The 16.7% limit is even more hopelessly unrealistic than an 18% limit. Historical budget data show that federal spending hasn’t been that low since 1956, before the creation of Medicare and Medicaid. read more >