27 | February | 2013

Sunday, May 19, 2013

Exponential growth in ‘Saudi Texas’ oil; output has doubled over last 3 years and completely reversed a 23-year decline

Mark J. Perry | February 27, 2013, 9:22 pm

The Energy Information Administration released new data today for US oil production by state through the end of last year, and its report showed that “Saudi Texas” produced an average of 2.22 million barrels per day (bpd) in December, the highest average … read more >

Economics, International economy, Pethokoukis

Debt among advanced economies now tops 1,000% of GDP

James Pethokoukis | February 27, 2013, 4:05 pm

The OECD: “Debt as a share of GDP has surged in the OECD since the mid-1990s. Average total economy financial liabilities have gone beyond 1,000% of GDP during the recent crisis. The degree of total economy indebtedness differs strongly across … read more >

Carpe Diem

America’s failure to educate both genders effectively

Mark J. Perry | February 27, 2013, 3:25 pm

“A consistent failure of the school system is reflected in its failure to educate males and females equally effectively. If the problem category were race or religion it would be politically intolerable. But boys and men–no problem. Where, for example, … read more >

Carpe Diem

Classic 1978 Milton Friedman lecture on the future of energy

Mark J. Perry | February 27, 2013, 3:17 pm

In the video above from 1978, Milton Friedman delivers a timeless lecture in San Franciso about the future of energy in the US, and discusses issues including peak coal, peak oil, the myth of finite resources, the Limits to Growth, and the price mechanism.

Pethokoukis, Economics, U.S. Economy

The sequester and Obama’s Faustian bargain

James Pethokoukis | February 27, 2013, 3:16 pm

As the Obama White House keeps telling America, the sequester cuts to discretionary spending by the federal government will be devastating. Next time you hear Team Obama spin this line, remember the following facts: 1. In 2012, the Obama administration … read more >

Carpe Diem

Q: Are people responsive to 25% changes in price or not?

Mark J. Perry | February 27, 2013, 3:03 pm

Walter Williams asks some economic questions about what happens when prices or wages change by 25%: “In his State of the Union address, President Barack Obama proposed raising the minimum wage from $7.25 an hour to $9 an hour. That … read more >

Foreign and Defense Policy, Defense

Lipstick on the pig

Tom Donnelly | February 27, 2013, 2:51 pm

Let’s face it: President Obama has performed a masterful jiu-jitsu move on the Republican Party, turning the Tea Party’s smaller-government energy of 2010 into a force that’s served to both expand and more deeply entrench entitlement programs while achieving a … read more >

Economics, Pethokoukis, U.S. Economy

The weak labor market is about more than just the unemployment rate

James Pethokoukis | February 27, 2013, 1:09 pm

AEI’s Aparna Mathur and Daniel Hanson: Since 2007, the real median income of American families has dropped by over $5,000 per family, while the BLS reports that the average employed person spends 8.3 hours per day working, up from 7.6 hours per day … read more >

Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons via the Library of Congress

Pethokoukis

Calvin Coolidge and the Great Depression

James Pethokoukis | February 27, 2013, 1:00 pm

In a Bloomberg column, my friend Amity Shlaes ably defends Calvin Coolidge, the subject of her new biography, from the charge of having caused the Great Depression: … can one assign Coolidge any blame for the Great Depression? Some, especially when … read more >

A visit to the Luke C. Moore Alternative High School

Society and Culture, Education

Cage-busting leadership in DC education

Lauren Aronson and Chelsea Straus | February 27, 2013, 12:13 pm

One of the best parts about doing education policy in a place like Washington, DC is the host of excellent schools within a short metro ride from our office, giving us a chance to leave the ivory tower and see … 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. […]