Patrick R. Gibbons
Credit Crisis Hits Imaginations Hard
Alan Reynolds of the Cato Institute published an excellent article in Forbes Magazine recently. Citing the buzz from politicians, wonks and pundits who claim the credit crisis has frozen lending across the country, Mr. Reynolds replies: "Oh really?"
Spending limits or bust
Nevada must look at both sides of the boom-bust issue.
Assembly Speaker Barbara Buckley (D) hosted a town-hall forum Monday, ostensibly to discuss challenges facing Nevada and hear residents' ideas about solving our problems. Her central message was that state government's tax inflow is highly susceptible to larger boom and bust cycles.
If it is not sustainable, it won't be sustained
SustainLane Media recently ranked Las Vegas 47th out of 50 U.S. cities in terms of "sustainability." After looking at the subcategories of what constitutes "sustainability," I have to say: whoopty-do.
Deregulation didn't do it
Our current economic crisis is more complicated than it is massive. Few people understand what is going on and even fewer know what to do about it. We know there is an investment banking crisis but not a traditional banking crisis (as of yet). Relatively speaking, unemployment numbers are not bad (especially when compared to continental Europe), and America's export industry is performing strongly. People on Main Street are still going about their lives as normal; it is Wall Street that is in a panic.
Self-sufficiency equals poverty
What is so great about buying local? Supporters of this idea say that the money will stay in the local market and be reinvested back in the community. They say our economy would be self-sufficient and sustainable.
Kentucky's big gamble
In an unprecedented and potentially damaging attack on online businesses and interstate commerce, the governor of Kentucky is seeking to seize the names of private Internet domain sites in order to block gambling he says competes with the state.
Paying taxes doesn't mean you care
Democratic vice presidential nominee Joe Biden recently echoed the thoughts of many on the Left - that rich people need to pay more in taxes. In many people's opinion, rich people need to give more because it is the moral and right thing to do; in Biden's opinion, it's patriotic.
Too many facts, sorry we can't publish that
Mr. Greenspun's opinion column "Keep on fighting the good fight for education Chancellor Rogers" assumes that government spending and education are the engines of economic growth (they are not) and believes that Nevada needs to raise taxes to increase funds for education.
Bailouts and Funny Money
Many newspaper editorial boards and supposed pundits across the country are busy blaming the mythical, supposedly laissez-faire and deregulated free market for our financial system's current disaster.
The Government can't create jobs
Recently the Center for American Progress and the Nevada Conservation League partnered to report on the economic impact of federal investments in clean energy in Nevada.
