How Norway Avoided Dutch Disease

Avoided by Norway, Dutch disease is contracted by nations that let a commodity windfall dominate what they produce and spend.

Removing the Bailout Safety Net from the Greek Economy

Although the bailout of the Greek economy just ended, doubts remain about their ability to sustain their long-term debt obligations.

The Package That Amazon Returned

Now that Amazon’s HQ2 will not be in Long Island City, New York, we can ask if the multi-billion dollar incentive package was worth the tradeoffs.

How Social Security Is in Worse Shape Than We Think

Twice last year– during February and August–we shared six facts about Social Security. Now, disagreeing with the Social Security Trustees 2018 Report, economists at the University of Pennsylvania suggest the program is in worse shape than we think. Social Security…

When Free Money Didn’t Do What It Was Supposed To Do

The preliminary results for Finland’s two-year guaranteed income experiment appears to have created more questions than it answered.

How Boats and Cake Are Like Taxes

Whether deciding how to divide boats in Santa Barbara harbor, a cake, or tax revenue, fair distribution requires knowing what different people say is fair.

The Surprising Problem With End-of-Life Spending

Although end-of-life Medicare spending accounts for a relatively large slice of its budget, it’s tough to cut for a reason that none of us would expect.

Sweden’s Carbon Tax

Looking at Sweden’s steadily rising carbon tax, we can ask what it is, what it does, and why the people accept so high a rate.

All You Need to Know About a NASA Shutdown

A look at the NASA shutdown reveals the massive human cost and the programs that are affected when an agency is suddenly unfunded.

Why We Might Have Another Partial Government Shutdown

To see why another partial government shutdown is a possibility, we can look at the Congress’s continuing resolutions (CRs).