New EPA regs to hit Michigan hard
Regulators regulate, and if there’s any government office that’s good at coming up with new regulations, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is one of the top contenders. The regulations will have economic effects (read: your wallet or even your job), sometimes with minimal environmental benefit. A new report on the EPA pegs Michigan as getting hit harder than all but four other states. Expect […]
Ron Paul: Winning at the wrong time
When it comes to selecting candidates for the general election ballot, some states have a primary. What happens when a state has both? Contests that grant fleeting victories. Back in February, Republicans in Minnesota (where I live) held their party caucuses. They took a vote on the presidential candidates. Rick Santorum won, which gave him a boost in publicity, and most likely, fundraising as well. […]
Minnesota #41 out of 50 on economic outlook
By current standards, Minnesota’s economy is among the best in the nation. But will it continue to be in the top tier? Last year, the Bureau of Economic Analysis said that Minnesota ranked 13th in per capital personal income. The state’s average income of $42,843, was six percent higher than the national average. That’s pretty good, though I suspect it’s lower than most Minnesotans would have […]
Over in Badgerland
Wisconsin is having a primary election today. Mitt Romney will most likely win it, but as one observer notes, today’s election is a mere undercard to an election on June 5, in which Gov. Scott Walker could be removed from office for the offense of crossing public-sector union bosses. I should have followed the Wisconsin primary more closely, but I haven’t, so I’ll go with the safe […]
Daily Grope: 87 percent say changes in airline security have done more harm than good
The world of air travel has changed a lot since 9-11, and not for the good. After a recent debate (Oxford Union-style), 87 percent of respondents agreed with the statement,“changes made to airport security since 9/11 have done more harm than good.” The number from the online debate conducted by the Economist magazine doesn’t come from a scientifically valid survey, but it is part of […]
Working until April 17 to pay for government
In 2012, Americans will work 8 hours a day, five days a week, from the beginning of the year until April 17 to pay for the spending incurred in their name by federal, state, and local governments. That’s one of the findings of the Tax Foundation’s latest calculation of “Tax Freedom Day.” Tax Freedom Day (trademarked by the foundation) is one way to express the […]
Is a more-educated retail sales force worth the money?
Is the expense of going to college worth it? When you consider not only tuition and books, but also opportunity costs, the answer is sometimes “no, at least from a financial standpoint.” The Atlanta Regional Council for Higher Education, naturally enough, is an advocate for spending on higher ed. It cites, among other things, salary premiums enjoyed by college graduates over similarly situated people without degrees. […]