Does Michigan have an official color?
Here’s some obvious advice about what Michigan lawmakers shouldn’t do this session: designate an official color. Yes, color. The legislature in New Hampshire, which generally has some decent laws, will consider whether to designate purple as the official state color. http://apps.detnews.com/apps/blogs/watercooler/index.php?blogid=1391
Making Lemonade out of a Lemon: How Minnesota Can Save $30 Million a Year
There’s still $4 billion in “stimulus” money dedicated to education, and the Foundation for Educational Choice has some ideas for how to spend that money in a way that will produce long-term savings. A new report by Brian Gottlob suggests that the money be distributed to states for the purpose of creating school scholarships. While “Race to the Top” funding (which has also come out of […]
The green dream: Go-karts for all
As Henry Payne has pointed out, “light trucks roared back to a majority of vehicle sales.” I’ve been part of that “roar,” and it feels good. If you want to understand the value of light trucks (I’m guessing this category includes SUVs and minivans, right?), spend a while driving with a small child in tow. I have two vehicles, and the contrast in ease of use […]
Law enforcement is a scarce resource; use it wisely
I’m glad to see that I have stirred up some dissension in this forum with my post on drunk-driving laws. Props to Dan Calabrese for giving the Randy Balko article I linked to a more complete summary than I did. Since I’m not a staunch libertarian, it’s easy for me to admit that some libertarians can veer off into libertopia. Then again, it’s useful to consider bizarre […]
Should we abolish drunk-driving laws?
The problem with government isn’t just that we have too many laws, but that the ones we have often don’t work. In 2000, two-thirds of all alcohol-related traffic deaths involved a driver with a blood-alcohol content (BAC) level of 0.14 or higher. The legal limit was 0.10. So did Congress, in its wisdom, do anything to encourage states to crack down on drivers who the […]
Defining Property Rights After a Storm
If you shovel out a parking spot, should you be able to “own” it by placing a lawn chair or other item in the space when you’re out shopping or at work? These questions and other illustrate the importance of economic principles and institutions in addressing everyday problems. The New York Times recently ran a story on a perennial topic–the phenomenon of “space savers” in South […]
The daily grope: Airports consider private security firms
According to the Washington Post, officials at some airports are considering ditching the TSA: “For airports, the change isn’t about money. At issue, airport managers and security experts say, is the unwieldy size and bureaucracy of the federal aviation security system. Private firms may be able to do the job more efficiently and with a personal touch, they argue.” Some airports, such as San Francisco International, […]