Public school funding challenges communities across the nation. My hometown of Bozeman, Montana, is no exception. Our community highly values education and understands good schools are a key ingredient for social and economic progress. Like many others, our school board is deciding how to trim its budget in reaction to reduced state funding. The school […]
Read More
I recently read a book by a biologist who doesn’t apply the evolutionary theory she no doubt knows well. Barbara Ehrenreich’s Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America is her compelling picture of American workers (especially single moms) trying to make ends meet in minimum wage jobs. Our empathy with and sympathy for […]
Read More
We can learn much from observing the Democratic primary debates. Politicians are rarely rewarded for taking principled positions. Their incentives encourage constituent pandering. Once elected, they use their office to transfer opportunities and benefits that increase the odds of reelection. It works. According to opensecrets.org, in 2002 98 percent of House incumbents were reelected, as […]
Read More
Globalization has rapidly improved the social and economic status of women in the developing world. The explanation is straightforward: In a competitive, globalized world, the role of women becomes ever more valuable. Cultures that exclude women from full participation (e.g., Saudi Arabia) fall ever further behind. Societies that embrace education for women enjoy dramatic social […]
Read More
I recently had the pleasure of talking with two senior high school government classes. We explored the use of language and the nuances beyond words such as “conservative” and “progressive.” I urged them to think in terms of causal relationships, not the slogans so common in today’s political discourse. Here’s an example. Critics of markets […]
Read More
Protesters were drawn to Miami last week as negotiators worked on the Free Trade Area of the Americas pact. One of the protestors’ concerns is that free trade is creating a “race to the bottom” in which developing countries lower their environmental standards to attract international business. But their fears are misplaced. Here’s why. At […]
Read More
Some of the best observers of America were not born here. Alexis de Tocqueville is the classic example. His 1832 book, Democracy in America, is considered one of the most insightful accounts ever written about American society and our political institutions. Fareed Zakaria, born in India with degrees from Yale and Harvard, is in this […]
Read More
I serve on the board of trustees for a local fire department whose members volunteer to serve our community. We’re working hard to recruit and retain people with high human capital. So is every employer in Gallatin County. A generation ago our fire district was a tight community of farmers and ranchers who prized self-sufficiency. […]
Read More
Does economic growth come at the expense of environmental quality? Democratic Presidential candidate Howard Dean thinks not. He’s right. Here’s why. Economic progress is a prerequisite for improving environmental quality. The real enemy of the environment is poverty, not affluence. Consider U.S. air quality. The EPA reports that between 1976 and 1997 ozone levels — […]
Read More
I recently spoke on the scientific and ecological issues of genetically modified foods. But many in the audience, as well as friends I meet at our co-op, were actually concerned about “globalization.” Some want to arrest the spread of the market economy and modern technology. They believe these are the root causes of environmental degradation […]
Read More