Executive Action on Dangerous Pointy Corners

In an impassioned yet highly controversial speech, President Obama insisted that if Congress did not act soon that he would use his executive authority to end the scourge of excessively pointy corners in kitchens and living rooms throughout the country. 

Econ 101 and the War on Poverty

With the midterm elections approaching and the Democrat’s War on Poverty revving up there is no doubt that distinguished economists of all stripes will weigh in on how the war should be waged.  Expect a complete lack of consensus.

2012 Election Special

Several months ago the Obama narrative coalesced around some version of how Governor Romney wants to take us back to “the ruinous policies that got us in to this mess in the first place”. One can only assume that what the Obama camp is referring to here is the policies of President George W Bush. Assuming that’s the case, it’s worth taking a look at the key tenets of the Bush Presidency so that we may better understand the risk that we might somehow return to those policies. There were four defining pillars of the George W Bush Presidency. (1) an adventurous foreign policy (2) an unprecedented amount of government spending (3) crony capitalism, or favors and favorites in government (4) controversial tax cuts.

Not Everyone is a Winner

In an address Saturday at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh PA, President Obama replayed one of his favorite exhortations about economic growth. He described the virtue of more taxpayer and deficit spending on investments "from clean energy to advanced manufacturing".

The Dark Days of 2005?

The Democratic narrative is coalescing around the idea that Republicans want to undo all of the progress made during the past two and a half years and go back to the dark days of the Bush White House.

Who is Really Hurting Seniors?

As soon as Paul Ryan's budget plan was rolled out, Democrats immediately got busy explaining how this will lead to seniors sleeping in bus stops and eating out of trash cans.

Sloan Research Project - Debt and Spending as Constraints on Economic Growth

The following was an Independent Study conducted at the MIT Sloan School of Management and was supervised by Professor SP Kothari.

ObamaCare Anesthesia

Time is a great anesthetic. Obama and the 111th Congress counted on it.

QE2, With the Benefit of a little Hindsight

Long term interest rates are rising, US trading partners are incensed, commodity prices are soaring, Fed credibility is crumbling and QE2 is just beginning.

The Empire Strikes Out

Obama recently likened the GOP to "The Empire", the bad guys from the Star Wars movies.  Of successful GOP fundraising efforts he said "The Empire is Striking Back".

               Darth Obama, Sith Lord,, Apprentice or Master??

Unpublished WSJ Submission

I wrote the following in response to a chilling article by Federal HHS Director, Kathleen Sebelius.  Newt Gingrich had a lengthy response which did get published, but unfortunately mine did not. 

Free Trade

No issue has more potential to raise the global standard of living, and the health and happiness of the world’s population, than free trade. 

What Is, and What Ought To Be

Journalists, politicians and liberal arts students get to think a lot about "what ought to be".  "what ought to be" thinking is not constrained by the possible.

How Freedom Dies

Vilification of someone or something is a requisite step on the road to authoritarianism.

Just the Facts Please Sir

The President was correct when he stated that the health care rhetoric had become over heated. 

Wise Guys

I'm reminded of Joe Pesci's line in Casino where he says "It was the last time that street guys like us would ever be trusted with anything that f'ing valuable".  So it is for the Democrats.

A Sleeping Giant Awakened

A sleeping Giant has been awakened.  Richard Nixon called this giant "The Silent Majority",

Bipartisan Health Care Reform

It looks like we can hit the reset button on health care finally.  The Democrats are still determined to get “something” done and the Republicans are saying that they’re willing to go along, just not with the existing bill.

Out with the Neo, In with the Retro

Politicians on both sides of the aisle need to reconnect with the integrity of their beliefs. They have lost their way, and rather than serve their citizens, too often they serve only themselves.

Obama Likes Painting Rainbows

Having gone 47 years without ever working to create jobs, wealth or a profit has liberated the president’s mind to pursue