Unintended Consequences – Healthcare Economist

Unintended Consequences of Reduced Mortality Rates

2013-01-28Jason ShafrinLeave a comment

As the security situation in Somalia improves, certain occupations are now facing hard times. He became a gravedigger at the height of the civil war, when he used to dig at least 30 graves a day. “I became a gravedigger in 1991, when burying dead bodies was the best business in Somalia.” People who want…

The unintended consequences of expanding low-income home ownership rates

2008-10-20Jason Shafrin1 Comment

The New York Times has an revealing article on Henry Cisneros. Mr. Cisneros was the U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) under President Clinton. In an attempt to expand home ownership rates, especially among low-income households, Mr. Cisneros loosened mortgage restrictions. ” Families no longer had to prove they had five years of stable income; three…