America is indeed an idea. Or at least it was. Once upon a time…
Filed under: Capitalism, Libertarianism, Public Goods v. Private Goods, Society, Religion, Culture Wars | 1 Comment »
There are distinct pre- and post-Bayesian lessons from the overcrowding fiasco.
Filed under: Constitutional Issues, Law Enforcement Abuses, Public Goods v. Private Goods | Comments Off
Simply chanting "Infrastructure!" as if it were a get-out-of-debate-free card is hardly Nobel or Ivy League thinking.
Filed under: Economics & Finance, Public Goods v. Private Goods | 1 Comment »
To review: Mass transit is not a pure public good, since it is perfectly excludable. It may be a natural monopoly, and it may be a club good, but that would only suggest rate regulation or at most public provision — not taxpayer subsidization. Those who use a subway line or commuter train — and [...]
Filed under: Economics & Finance, New York City & State, Public Goods v. Private Goods | Comments Off
Attributed to Scalia in yesterday's oral arguments for Pleasant Grove City v. Summum: "You can't run a museum if you have to accept everything, right?" Right — Which is exactly why the government should not be running museums in the first place. As for the outcome of this bizarre case, I think Chief Corky Roberts [...]
Filed under: First Amendment - Religion, First Amendment - Speech, Libertarianism, Public Goods v. Private Goods, Updates | 1 Comment »
There's nothing particularly noteworthy about the (freshman economics) notion that as fuel costs (or other costs, such as airport delays and security theater) rise, people will increasingly switch to substitute modes of transportation: The high cost of fuel, along with traffic and airport congestion, is drawing travelers back to trains for commuting and for travel [...]
Filed under: Public Goods v. Private Goods, Taxation & Fiscal Policy | 5 Comments »
The question of splitting the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, which covers California, Alaska, Hawaii, six other states, Guam and the Marianas, has re-arisen in Congress. Being in New York, I neither know nor particularly care whether splitting the Ninth Circuit is either wise or urgent. But I do know that this gobbledygook from California [...]
Filed under: Law, Public Goods v. Private Goods | 2 Comments »
If an employer wants to offer an employee a free flu shot, on the theory that absenteeism is bad for business, then good for them, and good for the employee. Private parties engaging in private transactions for mutual private benefit — neat-o! But can someone please explain to me why the City of New York [...]
Filed under: Public Goods v. Private Goods | 2 Comments »