Sadly, no. In fact, the politically unfree countries are enjoying more economic growth than the politically free ones. Kevin Hassett tells you why here (piece published in The American).
vrijdag 21 augustus 2009
Does Economic Success Require Democracy?
Sadly, no. In fact, the politically unfree countries are enjoying more economic growth than the politically free ones. Kevin Hassett tells you why here (piece published in The American).
donderdag 20 augustus 2009
Notable & Quotable
Rose Friedman writing with her husband Milton on economic and political freedom. Read the column here.
woensdag 19 augustus 2009
L'échec de l'évaluation des ministres, ou les limites de la culture du résultat, par Philippe Dobler et Olivier Saulpic
L'évaluation est aujourd'hui au coeur des réformes en cours, notamment dans les hôpitaux, les universités et de nombreuses administrations (mais aussi d'évolutions dans les entreprises). On ne sait pas bien ce que recouvre le terme de "culture de résultat" qui sous-tend ces réformes, mais il semble légitimer des pratiques d'évaluation des individus sur la base d'un nombre le plus réduit possible d'indicateurs chiffrés, diffusés largement selon un principe de transparence et associées à des systèmes formels de sanction-récompense que l'on souhaite le plus objectif possible....
Lisez la suite de l'article dans Le Monde ici.
ObamaCare Is All About Rationing
Overspending is far preferable to artificially limiting the availability of new procedures and technologies.
Read Harvard's Martin Feldstein opines on the President's health reform efforts here.
International trade in used vehicles as an “alternative” cash for clunkers programme: Evidence from NAFTA
Under the US “cash for clunkers” programme, billions of dollars are being allocated to pay drivers to purchase a new vehicle and scrap their old automobile. This column says the programme will reduce international trade in used cars, which significantly benefits consumers in developing economies. Such trade also increases the average emission efficiency of automobiles in both the US and developing nations, which raises the possibility that “cash for clunkers” might raise global emissions.
Read the complete article here.
dinsdag 18 augustus 2009
Migratie en Integratie en godsdienst???
Het stond in de krant. De taliban in Afghanistan heeft ervoor gezorgd dat vrouwen nu ook geen eten meer krijgen als zij geen sex met hun man uiteraard en niet vriend of samenwonenende partner willen ...woordloos ben ik!
maandag 17 augustus 2009
What to Do About Pre-existing Conditions
Most Americans worry about health coverage if they lose their job and get sick. There is a market solution.
Read J.H. Cochrane's column here.
US: Health Care’s Taxing Problem
Mainstream economists generally agree that current U.S. tax policy for health insurance is fundamentally irrational, regressive, and ultimately destructive. Fixing this system should be one of Congress's top priorities when it comes to health reform. Sadly, the current Congressional health-reform proposals would leave the worst feature of the current system in place and make a bad situation worse...
Read the article here.
France: carrières incomplètes et retraites
Pour consulter l'étude du Centre français d'études de l'emploi, cliquez ici.
Le dangereux paradoxe de la politique économique chinoise
Des problématiques propres à la Chine poussent le cours du pétrole à la hausse sur le marché mondial. En ce moment, l'empire du Milieu achète et produit plus de brut qu'il ne lui en faut, l'objectif étant, entre autres, de maintenir l'emploi dans le secteur du raffinage. Parce qu'elles veulent s'épargner les répercussions politiques et sociales du chômage, les autorités chinoises créent la tension sur le marché des matières premières. ...
Pour lire la suite de l'article, cliquez ici.
vrijdag 14 augustus 2009
US: Restriction or Legalization? Measuring the Economic Benefits of Immigration Reform
By the latest estimates, 8.3 million workers in the United States are illegal immigrants. Proposed policy responses range from more restrictive border and workplace enforcement to legalization of workers who are already here and the admission of new workers through a temporary visa program. Policy choices made by Congress and the president could have a major economic impact on the welfare of U.S. households. This study uses the U.S. Applied General Equilibrium model that has been developed for the U.S. International Trade Commission and other U.S. government agencies to estimate the welfare impact of seven different scenarios, which include increased enforcement at the border and in the workplace, and several different legalization options, including a visa program that allows more low-skilled workers to enter the U.S. workforce legally.
For each scenario, the USAGE model weighs the impact on such factors as public revenues and expenditures, the occupational mix and total employment of U.S. workers, the amount of capital owned by U.S. households, and price levels for imports and exports. This study finds that increased enforcement and reduced low-skilled immigration have a significant negative impact on the income of U.S. households. Modest savings in public expenditures would be more than offset by losses in economic output and job opportunities for more skilled American workers. A policy that reduces the number of low-skilled immigrant workers by 28.6 percent compared to projected levels would reduce U.S. household welfare by about 0.5 percent, or $80 billion.
In contrast, legalization of low-skilled immigrant workers would yield significant income gains for American workers and households. Legalization would eliminate smugglers’ fees and other costs faced by illegal immigrants. It would also allow immigrants to have higher productivity and create more openings for Americans in higherskilled occupations. The positive impact for U.S. households of legalization under an optimal visa tax would be 1.27 percent of GDP or $180 billion.
To read the report, click here.
Side-by-side comparison of major HC reform proposals
Read the Kaiser Family Foundation comparison here.
America's Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009
Now that's what I call a democratic debate: read America's Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009 here, and leave comments!
Obama’s Health Care Reform Proposal - Summary
Read the Kaiser Family Foundation's summary on Obama's Healthcare reform here.
Simple explanations for global financial instability and the cure: Keep it simple
Why is there so much disagreement about the causes of the crisis? This column says that lax monetary policy and excessive leverage are to blame. It argues that many alleged causes are simply symptoms of these policy errors. If that is correct, then the recommended corrective is remarkably simple – there is no need for intrusive regulatory measures constraining non-bank intermediaries and innovative financial instruments.
Read this column here.
donderdag 13 augustus 2009
Low Life Expectancy in the United States: Is the Health Care System at Fault?
Life expectancy in the United States fares poorly in international comparisons, primarily because of high mortality rates above age 50. Its low ranking is often blamed on a poor performance by the health care system rather than on behavioral or social factors. This paper presents evidence on the relative performance of the US health care system using death avoidance as the sole criterion. We find that, by standards of OECD countries, the US does well in terms of screening for cancer, survival rates from cancer, survival rates after heart attacks and strokes, and medication of individuals with high levels of blood pressure or cholesterol. We consider in greater depth mortality from prostate cancer and breast cancer, diseases for which effective methods of identification and treatment have been developed and where behavioral factors do not play a dominant role. We show that the US has had significantly faster declines in mortality from these two diseases than comparison countries. We conclude that the low longevity ranking of the United States is not likely to be a result of a poorly functioning health care system.
Read the full report here.
Health 2.0 could shock the system
The internet is changing people’s expectations of what they have a right to know and say. Doctors are horrified that they could be chosen in the same way someone would choose a restaurant – but why not? asks Esther Dyson.
Read the full article here.
Islam and heresy - Where freedom is still at stake
Read the complete opinion article in The Economist here.
Generic drugs and competition - Something rotten
Read the complete opinion article in The Economist here.
Simple explanations for global financial instability and the cure: Keep it simple
Why is there so much disagreement about the causes of the crisis? This column says that lax monetary policy and excessive leverage are to blame. It argues that many alleged causes are simply symptoms of these policy errors. If that is correct, then the recommended corrective is remarkably simple – there is no need for intrusive regulatory measures constraining non-bank intermediaries and innovative financial instruments. Read the complete column here.
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