Ecosystems are subject to invasion, e.g. by spotted knapweed. Likewise in political systems. When governments create programs to redistribute wealth, opportunists, like noxious weeds, crowd out intended recipients. Unfortunately, any effort to aid a particular group invites those with connections and power to exploit the program. Louisiana is notorious for its corruption. I lived in […]
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The Saturday of Thanksgiving weekend my family and I awoke to four inches of sewage in our basement. While we have many close fiends, we didn’t call them for help. No doubt some would have interrupted their plans and come over. But we didn’t want to impose this big, unpleasant job on their Thanksgiving plans. […]
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I admire George McGovern’s good cheer — but not his understanding of political economy. Clearly, government has an important role in preventing harm, e.g., protecting human rights and the environment. It’s far more difficult to identify government investments that improve well-being. It’s not a null set but it is a relatively small set. Investments in […]
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Two questions nag America’s energy policy. First, when will America move from fossil fuels? Second, what is the next source of BTUs? No one knows the answers — but knowledgeable people agree the shift won’t come soon. Aside from temporary shortages caused by political disruptions, the world is awash in cheap oil and will be […]
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Montana Governor Judy Martz blamed this summer’s fires on Green groups, accusing them of “environmental terrorism.” But let’s be clear: drought, combined with hot, windy weather, was the chief culprit behind this season’s fires. The West has a history of sporadic big fires and it always will. While a few environmental groups do engage in […]
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The latest round of international talks on global warming recently took place in India. Developing countries refused to agree to restrictions on their greenhouse gas emissions. They were more interested in adapting to climate change than cutting emissions. I think this is good news. In July, the Foundation for Research on Economics and the Environment […]
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The Kalispell Daily Inter Lake lamented the closing of the Stimson mill in Libby: “When the centerpiece of Montana’s timber basket loses its last mill, industry watchers say the impacts will be profound.” It tells us even Montana’s best timberland can’t compete with the Southeast and Pacific Northwest. The laws of silviculture dictate that trees […]
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“The first essential component of social justice is adequate food,” said Nobel laureate Norman Borlaug. He received the 1970 Peace Prize for improving agricultural productivity. His “Green Revolution” saved literally hundreds of millions from famine. The world’s population is expected to grow from today’s 6 billion to about 8 billion by 2030. It’s expected to […]
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(This column was submitted by John at 10:00 am on Oct. 10, before Mike Taylor dropped out of the race for U.S. Senate. He was attending the Mont Pelerin Society meetings in London. MPS is an international organization of scholars, journalists, and governmental officials, advancing the principles of a free society and market economies. FREE […]
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The United Nations World Summit on Sustainable Development concluded last month in Johannesburg, South Africa. Real progress was made in debunking a recurring and fundamental error. Here’s the error: Most environmental problems are due to modernization and affluence. In fact, across time and cultures, technological advances and economic growth have proved the only sure path […]
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