Gender Quotas, Immigration, and Vitamins

Today in the News

Gender Quotas

Several European countries have now instituted gender quotas for corporate boards.

Senior Counsel Hans Bader responds to advocates of the quotas.

“Defenders of these quotas argue that quotas are good for business because companies with more women on their boards do better. But even if such companies typically make more money, this claim confuses cause and effect, and puts the cart before the horse, as studies like the University of Michigan study illustrate. With each passing year, the percentage of female business professionals in Europe rises, as does the percentage of female college graduates. The pool of female qualified applicants in a company for a directorship naturally rises over time. So a company that is not growing and hires few new people will naturally have less women in its ranks than a company that is growing and hiring new people. The company’s growth does not occur because of the increase in women in the company; rather, the increase in women in a company occurs because of the company’s prior and pre-existing growth.”

 

Immigration

July 29 marked the anniversary of SB 1070, the contraversial immigration law passed by Arizona last year.

Policy Analyst Alex Nowrasteh comments.

“SB 1070 proponents claim that it decreased the unauthorized population in the state, and they’re probably right. But for that “achievement,” SB 1070 likely slowed Arizona’s recovery by increasing the regulatory burden for business and raising the cost of hiring all workers in Arizona. “

 

Vitamins

Sen. Dick Durbin and the FDA have proposed a new costly approval process for vitamins and nutritional supplements.

Policy Analyst Michelle Minton comments.

“A consumer walking down the aisle of a local drugstore can choose from a wide variety of supplements, vitamins and nutrients for his or her particular needs. Whether it’s a pill to treat a specific ailment, nutrients and minerals to supplement a deficient diet or vitamins tailored to age and gender to promote long-term health, supplements provide significant benefits to the consumers who rely on them. Yet if Sen. Richard J. Durbin and the Food and Drug Administration have their way, many of these products will disappear.”