Make America Mercantilist Again: 6 False Premises That Underpin New US Tariff Policy

March 11, 2018

In this blog posting, I make the argument that using tariffs to reduce trade deficits and increase domestic economic well-being will be counterproductive. Furthermore, the claims made by the President (and his Commerce Secretary) to support tariffs related to steel and aluminum imports are based on false premises. In a previous posting, I defined mercantilism … More Make America Mercantilist Again: 6 False Premises That Underpin New US Tariff Policy

Tax Reform Based on Shared Principles “trumps” One Based on Competing Interests

December 5, 2017

As T. R. Reid points out in his marvelous new book, A Fine Mess, fundamental tax reform in 2018 is due if we are to follow the major reform every 32 years established in the 20th Century (with such reforms in 1986, 1954, and 1922.)  The 1986 reform was exemplary in many ways; let me … More Tax Reform Based on Shared Principles “trumps” One Based on Competing Interests

How Should Wisconsin Respond To The New Opportunities To Expand Medicaid With Federal Funding?

August 24, 2017

Recently, I sent a letter to State Representative Amanda Stuck, a supporter of “BadgerCare for All”, indicating some ideas about how the state of Wisconsin, given its current political alignment, might reform its Medicaid program.  “Badger Care for All” proposes that any individual (independent of his or her income) could purchase a BadgerCare insurance option (Wisconsin’s Medicaid program) , and that … More How Should Wisconsin Respond To The New Opportunities To Expand Medicaid With Federal Funding?

If the Question Relates to Efficient and Equitable Health Policy Reform, Single Payer is Not the Answer

August 8, 2017

Advocates for a single payer health insurance plan, such as the Physicians for a National Health Program, have been making their case for decades. According to a just published survey by Merritt Hawkins , 56 percent of physicians now somewhat or strongly support a single payer system in the United States. Furthermore, in recent months, … More If the Question Relates to Efficient and Equitable Health Policy Reform, Single Payer is Not the Answer

Medical Care As We Know It In The US Is Unsustainable.

July 12, 2017

With the passage of Medicare in 1965, President Lyndon Johnson opined “No longer will illness crush and destroy the savings that [older Americans] have so carefully put away over a lifetime.” As the demographics of this country expand the pressures on our slowly growing economy, payment for an expensive illness response system may indeed crush … More Medical Care As We Know It In The US Is Unsustainable.

A Second Globalization Features The Great Convergence

May 2, 2017

In previous blog postings (here and here), I have addressed some of the key myths regarding international trade as well as the difficulties in determining whether U.S. exchange rates are over, under, or fairly valued.  This posting addresses how the forces that drive globalization have changed and so has the distribution of income (in both … More A Second Globalization Features The Great Convergence

Are High Risk Pools the Best Way to Keep Down Premiums in the Non-Group Insurance Market?

April 12, 2017

In my previous posting on the ACA, I posited five questions that serious health policy reform should address.  High risk pools form part of a response to the first question:  Who should pay for the predictably expensive (such as those with chronic disease)? Based on Statistical Brief #497 (SB497)  from the Agency for Healthcare Research … More Are High Risk Pools the Best Way to Keep Down Premiums in the Non-Group Insurance Market?

Are U.S. Exchange Rates Too High, Too Low, or Just Right?

March 7, 2017

Currency exchanges rates between any two countries are determined by a variety of factors including their balance of trade and payments, capital flows (both restricted and unrestricted), and monetary policies.  In a recent posting on Conversable Economics, Timothy Taylor argued that “all exchange rates are bad” (meaning that they generate some negative consequences.)  Although this … More Are U.S. Exchange Rates Too High, Too Low, or Just Right?