The wind and solar scammers raking in massive subsidies have been joined by the ‘hydrogen huckster’, just as eager to exploit an opportunity when he sees one; an opportunity to gouge untold $billions from taxpayers. The shakedown is said to be justified on the bogus pretext that they’re out to save the planet. Scratch the […]
The problem with taking GST off of food has little to do with the revenue cost of the policy, it’s that it’s just dumb to begin with. Any gains to households are smaller than those that could be achieved through other instruments, and there’s long-term cost to the integrity of the tax system. So I […]
If Labour ministers and our left-leaning media knew more about New Zealand’s political history they would stop giving so much publicity to National’s tax-cut plans, ill-advised though they might be. The attacks are only increasing the likelihood that National will be elected. In one celebrated election, 1928, the government and the media concentrated so much…
I recently wrote a column about five facts that justified the start of an impeachment inquiry. While I have stressed that I do not believe that there is currently sufficient evidence for an actual impeachment, I am mystified by the claim that there is not ample evidence to warrant an inquiry into possible impeachable offenses.…
Populism at the country level is at an all-time high, with more than 25% of nations currently governed by populists. How do economies perform under populist leaders? We build a new long run cross- country database to study the macroeconomic history of populism. We identify 51 populist presidents and prime ministers from 1900 to 2020 […]
Is it okay for oppressed minorities to evince blatantly racist attitudes, claiming, for example, that they are “genetically superior to other groups”? (Needless to say, the claim I’m discussing here is not backed by evidence.) I’d argue that no, dismissing entire groups as inferior based purely on stereotypes is wrong, whoever does it. But it’s […]
Coal-fired power is at the heart of India’s mission to lift millions out of poverty. India has 285 plants with a capacity of 211GW already operating; it’s currently building a further 30GW of coal-fired generation capacity, with a further 35GW in pre-construction stages. A visit to India shows how serious it is about serious power […]
By Paul Homewood Who cares about whales? Whales might be dying because of sonar surveying, but Greenpeace simply ignores the science that doesn’t suit it.
In my study of European Royalty and the history of monarchy in general one of the things that I’ve learned is that the concept of monarchy has been in a constant state of evolution and adaptation. I even see that here with the development of the title and position of Roman Emperor. To historians, and […]
That was a weird 24 hours or so. If you had told me a week ago that anything I was involved with would be the lead item on Morning Report and on the two TV channels’ evening news bulletins, I would not have believed you. Election campaigns are funny things. I don’t want to say […]
Throughout the English Civil Wars, it was common for people to switch sides between Parliamentarians and Royalists; these people earned the nickname ‘turncoat’. Dr Patrick Little from our Lords 1640-1660 project explores two obscure figures in the Civil Wars and why they became turncoats. The English Civil War divided communities along religious and political lines. But […]
Why Evolution is True is a blog written by Jerry Coyne, centered on evolution and biology but also dealing with diverse topics like politics, culture, and cats.
In Hume’s spirit, I will attempt to serve as an ambassador from my world of economics, and help in “finding topics of conversation fit for the entertainment of rational creatures.”
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