I’m going to die. Don’t be alarmed. I have no indication that the event is imminent. But we all die eventually. The only questions are when and how. This week I wonder whether modern technology will give me a long…
Ethanol subsidies burn many to benefit a few
Governor Pawlenty deserves an “A” in political courage for squarely confronting Minnesota’s subsidy for ethanol production. I was surprised he had the guts to call for a complete end to the 20-cents-a-gallon operating subsidy. This proposal came early last week…
Economics of life-or-death questions
People instinctively shy away from situations where someone–implicitly or explicitly–must decide who should live and who should die. A few doctors—transplant surgeons, neonatal specialists—make such decisions. But the rest of us don’t, nor do we bring them up when discussing…
Separating silliness from sense in economy plans
To see economic history come alive, take a closer look at the competing ideas President Bush and Democrats proposed last week to fix the economy. First, cut through some of the silly rhetoric surrounding the proposals and recognize that they’re…