The human costs of war outweigh all others. The death of three Minnesota soldiers in Iraq this week brought that home forcefully to us. Even with sophisticated equipment, soldiers still die. Their deaths are a painful loss to their families…
Category: Other
Ag subsidies hurt more than help
President Bush’s proposed cuts in agricultural subsidies have not received good press here in the Midwest. Democrats are attacking the cuts as emblematic of a budget strategy that is rotten at the core. Republicans criticize them as misguided, but minor…
Soaring home values not necessarily good
Our house is worth much more than it was five years ago, according to an article in Sunday’s Pioneer Press. Yippee! My wife and I are richer than before. Your house probably is worth more, too. Nor are we alone.…
Gas tax good, automobile tax not so good
Minnesota state Sen. Dick Day’s proposal for an additional 5 cents per gallon gas tax is a good idea. As an economist, I wish the Owatonna Republican had stopped there and not gone on to propose $125 and $75 taxes…
Writing off debt of poorest nations a good idea
Britain’s proposal for essentially writing off all of the debts of some very poor countries is a good one. Debt-relief advocates should restrain their enthusiasm, however. Discharging debts of many countries might help improve conditions for their growing out of…
Some work just can’t be outsourced
Sometimes, even the comics contain economics lessons. Last week, an angry Sgt. Snorkel upbraided Beetle Bailey for not digging his foxhole as ordered. Beetle, lolling against a tree, replies, “I’m outsourcing. You have to go to India to see it.”…
Wartime is a good time for central planning
Although this is anathema to most economists, central planning works pretty well at times. The belief that private markets can generally meet many of society’s needs without government action is at the core of economic theory. U.S. history demonstrates, however,…
State weighs how to ration health care
Should one give the same help to fewer people or less help to the same number of people? That is the tradeoff faced when government attempts to meet some social need with a limited budget and one Minnesota Gov. Tim…
Monopolies popping up all over
Some days one needs a profound sense of irony just to make it through the morning paper. That certainly was the case Wednesday. The lead story on the front page noted that 33,700 people will be lopped off the rolls…
Self-sufficiency in oil wouldn’t come cheaply
World sugar prices are rising rapidly to the highest level in more than four years, according to an article that appeared last week in this newspaper. The article did not note, however, that this price spike wouldn’t affect U.S. consumers.…