Unbiased Analysis of Today's Healthcare Issues
According to optimal tax theory, taxes should be highest on relatively inelastic activities. For instance, most men work full-time and and the tax rate does not affect this. On the other hand, it has been should that the labor supply of women is much more sensitive to wages and income tax rates. If we follow…
Merrill Goozner has an interesting post (“Unfair and Unbalanced Wonkery on Mandates“) arguing that insurance mandates aren’t good policy (I agree with him on this). For the record: I’m opposed to mandates for two reasons. First and foremost, they’re bad politics. Americans don’t like to be told to do anything. They especially don’t like unfunded…
According to CNN, the FBI “is expected to announce in coming days the awarding of a $1 billion, 10-year contract to help create the database that will compile an array of biometric information — from palm prints to eye scans.” Maybe this will increase security, but will the government take advantage of this knowledge? “People…
Government provided health insurance may have advantages, but one of the drawbacks are that these programs are expensive. According to the Boston Globe (“Subsidized care plan’s cost to double“), the cost of the Commonwealth Care program will increase from $158 million in 2007 to 1.35 billion by 2011 mostly due to increased enrollment. Enrollment is…
Many of the Democratic candidates support having employers provide insurance for their employees with the threat of a fine or tax if an employer decides not to comply. This of course will increase the cost of an employee for firms. If employees truly value the health insurance, then the cost of insurance can be passed…
So you’re a Republican and you don’t know who to vote for. Which of the Republican candidates has the best plan for health care reform? This is what I will discuss today. If you are a Democrat, please read my “Guide to the Democratic Candidates” yesterday. Similarities Almost all the Republican candidate are in agreement…
So you’re a Democrat and you don’t know who to vote for. Which of the Democratic candidates has the best plan for health care reform? This is what I will discuss today. If you are a Republican, please read my “Guide to the Republican Candidates” tomorrow. Similarities All of the Democratic candidates support the following…
Libertarians often complain that the government intrudes too much in our lives. Nanny State, a book by Denver Post columnist David Harsanyi, claims that the government is regulating what we do to an extent that it is becoming a surrogate parent. “Why are we allowing politicians, bureaucrats, and social activists to dictate what we eat,…
The Food and Drug Administration is one of the most important government agencies. The FDA has an interesting history and below I will review some important dates. 1938 Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. This law was enacted after the drug Elixer Sulfanilamide killed over 100 people. Firms were required to submit new drugs to…
Local governments provide a variety of services which are highly valued by their residents. From police protection to waste disposal, from snow plowing to utility meter reading, the local government is charged with providing the infrastructure necessary for a smooth functioning economy and a high level quality of life. But should local governments outsource these…