Today’s Links: May 9, 2012

OPINION

ALEX TABARROK: “The Growth of Justice
“Justice is a key ingredient for economic growth. People will not invest if they fear that their life, liberty and property may be subject to arbitrary seizure and destruction. The rule of law and limited government provide a sphere of liberty within which individuals can make decisions with confidence that the fruits of their labor will not taken by the more powerful. Justice is not just about legislation, however. Public and private discrimination diminish a person’s ability to individuate and develop, an ability that drives innovation and growth in the artistic, economic and scientific realms. In India the caste system binds many people to the lives of their ancestors regardless of desire, talent or will. In parts of the world half the population is subjugated and bound to a limited vision of their life, a vision which is not of their own making. Similar if less extreme forces have limited women and blacks in the United States.”

STEVEN MALANGA: “How Much Do You Owe Gov’t Workers?
“Thanks to promises made over the years by the St. Paul school board, taxpayers in the Minnesota city owe teachers and other education workers some $409 million in retirement health benefits that the district hasn’t funded. So the school system has taken advantage of a new state law that allows local governments to levy a special property tax to help finance these benefits.”

SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL: “Obama Plays Politics With College Grads
“Fearful that young people might start to realize the reason they need relief right now is because of the Obama economy, Democrats have turned the college loan issue into yet another fake election-year fight. The goal is to distract young people from the fact that they’re suffering disproportionately under this president’s policies. After all, the reason young people need relief right now from an interest rate spike that Democrat leaders approved five years ago is because most of them can’t find good jobs in the first place.”

NEWS

FDA – FDA’s Report on Gilead’s Quad Focuses on Kidney Safety
“Gilead Sciences Inc’s Quad pill appears to be effective at controlling HIV infection but could lead to kidney problems that may need to be monitored, a U.S. Food and Drug Administration staff report said on Wednesday.”

LABOR – Public Pensions Fixes Face Stout Legal Challenges
“Public employees in San Jose, California’s third-largest city, are gearing up for a marathon court battle if local voters approve a measure in June to overhaul the city’s pension system.”

ENTREPRENEURS – Meeth the 13-Year-Old Girl Who Invented a Cure for Hiccups
“[Mallory] Kievman is preparing to launch her product, the Hiccupop, a hiccup-stopping lollipop of her own invention. She has a patent pending, financialbackers, and a team of business consultants (in training).”