Smith Hayek

Month: March 2011

  • Obama’s magic math – can I use that at home?

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    Jeff
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    Today President Obama announced a new plan \”for America\’s energy security, including increased responsible domestic production and winning the future through a clean energy economy.\” I find it puzzling that Obama can claim to be fighting high oil prices by supporting several approaches that all work to increase costs. Obama proposes: 1. More domestic drilling…

  • Rights, Wants, Needs, Take Your Pick

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    Jeff
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    We are in a hurry to advance social causes. We can now get 3 square meals a day and have a roof over our heads, it is high time for us as a country to [take your pick] end poverty, provide everyone with clean water, provide everyone with access to great medical care, etc. Those…

  • Watch What You Wish For

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    Jeff
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    Hayek wrote in The Road to Serfdom that we need to think long-term about the policies and ideas we propose for when you combine all the ideas adopted together over time in a nation and follow their natural consequences out into the future they can lead to serious, negative consequences that the original proponents would…

  • Happy Birthday Wealth of Nations!

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    Jeff
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    Today is the 325th birthday of the publishing of Adam Smith\’s An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations! Join the celebration by listening to Russ Roberts on Cato or reading Mark Skousen on the centrality of the phrase \”the invisible hand\” in Smith\’s thinking (HT Russ Roberts).

  • The Effect of Unions on Employment and Wages

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    Jeff
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    We are seeing a lot of heated rhetoric here in Wisconsin about the governor and unions. The clearest treatment I have read of the effect of unions is Chapter 20 in Henry Hazlitt\’s book Economics In One Lesson. Jeffrey Miron, a Senior Lecturer at Harvard University and Senior Fellow at the Cato Institute, provides a…

  • Fun with Numbers or “Lies, Damned Lies, and Statistics”

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    Jeff
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    In my work we use statistics to support or disprove a point. We mine data to look for patterns, answer questions, and search for evidence of impacts. We try very hard to be objective and accurate in our use of statistics. I spend a lot of time reviewing work of others and must be on…

  • Do Teacher Unions Advance Education?

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    Jeff
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    Wisconsin is undergoing quite a bit of strife as the Governor tries to curb the power of unions, including the teachers\’ union. Opponents predict disaster and falling education quality if the union\’s power is reduced. Blogger IowaHawk looks at the data and comes to the conclusion that students in non-unionized Texas scores better than students…