Liberal vs. Libertarian Legalizers
An essay I wrote in 2004 discusses liberal versus libertarian views on drug legalization. The first paragraph is here:To most observers of the drug policy debates, all drug legalizers are alike. The...
View ArticleDaylight Savings Time
As we try to recover from the loss of an hour’s sleep Saturday night, it is interesting to think about whether Daylight Savings Time (DST) is a good policy.The standard argument is that DST saves...
View ArticleGay Marriage
The gay marriage debate has unleashed passionate responses from both opponents and supporters. Opponents believe gay marriage violates moral and religious values, while supporters believe bans on gay...
View ArticleIncome Redistribution
Should governments redistribute income?To address this question, consider two different aspects of redistribution: anti-poverty programs that benefit the poor, and general redistribution that transfers...
View ArticleFunding for Baseball
Baseball is back. And the Red Sox won their first game. So all is right in Boston (for now).Libertarians, however, must watch their favorite teams with a guilty conscience. Chances are a government...
View ArticleMassachusetts Insurance Mandate
Massachusetts is set to enact a health insurance plan designed to cover the uninsured. The legislature has approved the bill, and Government Mitt Romney is expected to sign it. Many are pointing to the...
View ArticleDemocrats and Vouchers
Democratic politicians tend to oppose education vouchers. One reason is that Democrats obtain substantial support from teachers’ unions, which see vouchers as a serious threat.Yet one constituency...
View ArticleProstitution
Prostitution is legal in many countries, and in much of Nevada. In legal prostitution markets, government can collect tax revenue. In legal prostitution markets, violence is rare because participants...
View ArticleExternalities
One version of libertarianism holds that governments should intervene only when private actions harm someone else’s person or property; that is, only when private actions generate externalities. For...
View ArticleImmigration "Reform"
Congress appears to have reached an impasse in its attempt to “reform” U.S. immigration law. This time-out is a good occasion to ask what changes, if anything, might be desirable.Illegal immigration...
View ArticlePublic Colleges And Universities
The case for government subsidy of education relies on three main arguments. The first is that society benefits from having an educated populace, beyond any benefits to the person acquiring the...
View ArticleWal-Mart Banking
Wal-Mart wants to enter the banking business. Many Wal-Mart critics oppose the move and want federal regulators to block it, suggesting Wal-Mart already wields too much power in the U.S. economy.This...
View ArticleMedical Marijuana
Under current federal law, marijuana is a Schedule I drug. This means that, according to federal law, marijuana has no legitimate medical uses. Many marijuana users, however, believe marijuana is...
View ArticleIran's Nuculear Program
Iran announced earlier this week that it has made a technological breakthrough in its nuclear program. Iran claims its intentions are to produce energy, but the Bush administration believes Iran plans...
View ArticleAntitrust
One way governments regulate business is through antitrust law, which prohibits monopolization and other business practices deemed to lessen competition.The standard argument for antitrust is that...
View ArticleEndangered Species
One controversial environmental policy is the Endangered Species Act, which makes it illegal to harm a species that is “listed” by the Environmental Protection Agency. The Act often prevents private...
View ArticleSingle-Race Schools
The state legislature in Nebraska has adopted, and the governor has signed into law, a bill that divides Omaha’s public schools into districts that fall along racial lines: Black, Hispanic, and White....
View ArticleGun Buybacks
The city of Boston is considering a new gun buyback program under which it will provide gift certificates to people who turn in guns. Many cities, including Boston, operated such programs in the 1990s,...
View ArticleOil Prices and "Gouging"
As oil prices surpass $70 per barrel and gasoline prices near $3 per gallon, calls for government to stop “profiteering” and “price gouging” are again on the rise. President Bush, for example, stated...
View ArticleFlat Taxes
Much discussion of tax reform considers a flat tax on income or consumption. I focus here on the income case.The simplest possible flat tax imposes a constant tax rate on all income. This case is...
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