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The Real Problem in Detroit
Op-Eds
Lawmakers, undo some of 2007 reforms
A year has passed since Gov. Charlie Crist and a nearly unanimous Legislature hailed the arrival of a new era for Florida’s property insurance…
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Poorly Run Charities: A Solution
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Mob Justice in Bolivia
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But Does This Distract From the Real Problem?
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Notes from the (Virtual) Trail
Study
The Subprime Crisis in Historical Perspective
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Open Markets and Eric Cartman
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Healthier Than Fascism?
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Department of the Obvious
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Christmas Choral Music and What it Says About America
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State Level Airline Regs: Great Idea. . .Not.
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A Great Libertarian Artist?
Op-Eds
Subprime Borrowers: Not Innocents
A simple look at the blunt reality reveals that borrowers themselves should assume primary responsibility for the current subprime crisis. Millions of borrowers, all…
Study
Politically Determined Entertainment Ratings and How to Avoid Them
Full Document Available in PDF When they…
Study
The Credit Union Regulatory Improvement Act
Full Document Available in PDF This paper provides a free market perspective on…
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Ninjas are Lame
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Honey, Let’s Stay Together. . .For the Planet
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Since When Has Hugo Liked Democracy?
Ivan, Like you I was happy to see that Hugo Chavez lost the referendum that would have, more or less, made him a “president…
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LOST: Let’s Regulate Warp Drive While We’re at It.
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Cyber Cold War? Probably Not
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Who cares about “bad” foods?
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Trent Lott Knows Your Name
Comment
Blueprint for an Improved U.S. Financial Regulatory Structure
Op-Eds
Eliminating Prison Rape
It has been far too long in coming but, yesterday, the Federal Prison Rape Elimination commission released its report on elimination and prevention…
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OFCFAQ.ORG
Study
A Non-Prescription for Confronting the Sub-Prime Crisis
Full Document Available in PDF I am so busy doing nothing…that the…
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It Looks Evil
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The Cult of Historical Preservation
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In Defense of the Zone System
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Web Memo: How an OFC Would Impact the States
Introduction…
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I Want One
Study
The Continuing Value of Privatization
Full Document Available in PDF As mayor of Indianapolis, Stephen Goldsmith applied what he called…
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Worst. Show. Ever. (With a Tiny Redeeming Quality.)
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Private Criminal Law Doesn’t Work
Study
South Carolina’s Omnibus Coastal Insurance Legislation
Full Document Available in PDF In early 2007, South Carolina…
Letters
Letter to Congress in Support of Optional Federal Chartering
Dear Member: I’m writing to you in response to a letter that the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of America (the Big “I”) recently…
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Credit Unions and Payday Lending
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Eeek! More Banks
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Good and Bad Nobels: Where does Al Gore fit in?
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First SF Nobel?
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In the Zone
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Other Ways to Fix Elections
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Shaking up Insurance
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Optional Federal Charter for Insurers: FAQ
Full Document Available in PDF This paper provides a free market perspective on the…
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CFLs Rule…But we Still Don’t Need a Mandate
Op-Eds
Crist’s insurance ‘fix’ might leave you broke
When former Gov. Jeb Bush recently said his successor's insurance reforms were “as bad as the natural disasters themselves,” he understated his case. As…
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Things the First Amendment Doesn’t Say
Letters
Principles for Windstorm Insurance: A Joint Statement
The United States has entered a period of heavy hurricane activity. Much of the focus in the public policy debate has centered on insurance against…
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Private isn’t Always Better (I’ll Explain)
Comment
Personal Lines Regulatory Framework
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Climate Change Analysis Rejected. Why is this News?
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For Our Pirate Readers
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Internet Co-Ops, Why Not?
Study
Taxicab Medallions and Heirloom Tomatoes to the Rescue
Full Document Available in PDF When they seek to buy inventory, expand,…
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Health and Other People’s Money
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Goodbye to Active Management?
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They’re Timid, Not (Always) Leftist
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In Defense of Freegans (Sorta)
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Pathologizing Political Disagreement
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About Metro
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About that $100 Million Skull
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Thinking About Interest Rates and the Economy
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Sen. Johnson is Back
Senator Tim Johnson, returned to work yesterday. His return means that the debate over Optional Federal Chartering of insurance will heat up (link…
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Keeping the Voices Alive
And the night was alive With a thousand voices Fighting to be heard And each and every one of them Connected to me. - Maury…
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Friars in the City
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OFC Debate to Begin Again
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The Death of Employer Sponsored Health Insurance
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Computers: The Fun is Gone
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Why do the poor drop out of college?
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One Light Bulb: $47.00
Study
Watery Marauders
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Ugly Purse, $52,500. . .and, as Cartman would say, ‘You Can’t Have It!’
Op-Eds
Ripples Make Waves: We shouldn’t tax our credit unions
When last week’s credit-related market slump started reversing the stock market’s 2007 gains, it seemed clear that the Bush Administration would act quickly…
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What Gives in South Carolina?
I’m writing this from the new library in downtown Columbia, South Carolina. It’s a big, open all glass building that I wouldn’t want to be…
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Hands Off the Carbon Credit Business!
A well-reported front page story in today’s Washington Post shows that the indulgence–oops, I mean Carbon Credit Offset industry–doesn’t always work as advertised. Many…
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Climate Change and Gardening. . . What the !@#$@!@#?
This weekend many smaller newspapers likely carried this AP story about climate change and gardening as a prominent Sunday feature. One little problem: despite…
Op-Eds
Bankrupting Florida
If a catastrophic Katrina-like hurricane sweeps through the state of Florida, it may leave behind more than wrecked houses, damaged shops, and ruined roads:…
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How Dare You Help Out!
The BBC reports that an old woman has “has been told she must stop tending a public flower bed unless she agrees to wear…
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Freddie and Fannie Buying Jumbo Mortgages?
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Radar on Green Fakers: A Must Read
The wonderful Radar Magazine has a funny, witty, snarky and oh-so-true feature on "Green Fakers." These are, of course, eco self-righteous celebs who…
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Harry Potter Books as Objects
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$1 a Year Man
Chrsysler, has hired former Home Depot CEO Robert Nardelli to run the now-private, once-again-American-owned automaker. Nardelli, of course, did a good job at Home…
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Nanny State In Montgomery County
Montgomery County, Maryland, is considering a law that would require food chains to post nutritional information about their food. In terms of its intrusion…
Op-Eds
Barriers to more effective US disaster insurance
Sir, You are right about the need for much greater purchase of disaster insurance but, perhaps, say verylittle about how difficult it might be…
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Bergman the Hack
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At Last, Competition for Amtrak?
A small upstart company run by a Colorado multi-millionaire, GrandLuxe Rail Journeys, appears to have broken a major barrier and started providing scheduled, competitive…
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Should Disaster Insurance Be Compulsory?
A masthead editorial (full text by subscription only) lays out a compelling case for mandatory purchase of catastrophe insurance. I’ve long supported something close…
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Is Traditional Landline Telephone Service Even Worth Saving?
The failure of SunRocket–which I write about here–has left a fair number of people without landline telephone service. Nothing bad seems to have happened…
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Hands off VOIP
Today's New York Times carries a story about the sudden failure and shutdown of my former home telephone company, SunRocket. Although it obviously…
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Plans for the A380
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One Cheer for Singletary
Christine: Like you, I dislike Singletary’s hectoring tone but I think that she inadvertently makes a pretty good point: Market prices can provide a…
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What Lending Crisis?
Op-Eds
Short on Storm Coverage
So long as hurricanes continue to sweep through Florida's landscape, Floridians will have to find ways to repair the damage. As the Sentinel…
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Would You Like Some Wood Pulp With That?
Op-Eds
Private Public Matters
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Mandatory Purchase
In a piece in Saturday's Washington Examiner, I examine the parallels between auto insurance and health insurance, and, for the most part, find that…
Op-Eds
The Road to Health Care Reform
When they buy automobile insurance, Americans enjoy a market that provides many choices, lots of competition, and, in most places, reasonable rates. Residents of…
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Support for Big Government Grows
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Could it happen here? Probably not.
Recent media reports indicate that some the leading suspects in the recently attempted terror attacks against the U.K. were doctors working for the…