Geography does not condemn New Zealand to underperformance; policy does. Singapore and Ireland succeeded not by chance but through openness, low taxes, and strong institutions. New Zealand lags because government remains too large and policies insufficiently competitive. With the right reforms, we too can close the gap.
Pumping up freedoms in Oregon – redux
<A new amendment to Oregon’s law, effective 1 January 1, 2018, further frees some Oregonians to pump their own gas. This is an update to a December 2015 post. > Two cheers for a tiny wave of liberty rippling through the state to our south. Beginning January 1, some Oregonians will have additional rights to […]
Bernie Sanders, Sweden and New Zealand
I survived socialism. So it’s always surprised me that Bernie Sanders is fond of saying America should look more like Scandinavian countries such as Sweden. Because what’s made Sweden the success it is on many of the metrics Sanders loves to point to aren’t the policies Sanders espouses. On the contrary, the reforms he wants […]
Pumping up freedoms in Oregon
Two cheers for a tiny wave of liberty rippling through the state to our south. Beginning January 1, some Oregonians will have their right to pump their own gas restored to them. A whole host of reasons are cited for the law that has made pumping your own gas in Oregon punishable by a fine […]
Economics bites Chipotle
The Mexican fast food chain Chipotle has taken on its competitors in recent years by marketing its products as “food with integrity”. It moved to sourcing much of its food locally and took genetically modified ingredients off its menu. It was attempting to suggest its competitors offer inferior and socially irresponsible products. In a 2014 […]