Not so long ago, the Labour Party’s Deputy PM Sir Michael Cullen stated in no uncertain terms in Parliament that sovereignty was ceded in the Treaty of Waitangi. According to his Labour Party, “The power of the NZ Parliament to change the law is central to the exercise of sovereignty and therefore the contemporary exercise…
Maybe NZ’s Minister of Justice is Right. When Parliament Can’t Make Laws, the people have no choice but to take the Law into their Own Hands.
Maybe NZ’s Minister of Justice is Right. When Parliament Can’t Make Laws, the people have no choice but to take the Law into their Own Hands.
31 Oct 2024 Leave a comment
in law and economics, politics - New Zealand, property rights Tags: constitutional law
A Prescription for Fixing the US Healthcare System
31 Oct 2024 Leave a comment
in applied price theory, health economics, politics - USA Tags: health insurance

Among the major issues not being discussed in the US presidential campaign are those facing the US healthcare system. The two main concerns are well-known. One is high cost. The US economy spends about $12,500 per person on health care in 2022, according to the OECD. The second- and third-highest countries, Switzerland and Germany, spend…
A Prescription for Fixing the US Healthcare System
Biden-Harris policies and their consequences were no surprise to those paying attention
30 Oct 2024 Leave a comment
in applied price theory, applied welfare economics, budget deficits, business cycles, econometerics, economic growth, economic history, economics of bureaucracy, economics of regulation, energy economics, entrepreneurship, environmental economics, financial economics, fiscal policy, global warming, health economics, income redistribution, industrial organisation, law and economics, macroeconomics, monetary economics, politics - USA, property rights, Public Choice, public economics, rentseeking Tags: 2024 presidential election, drug lags, taxation and entrepreneurship, taxation and investment
Milton Friedman used to advise researchers to focus on large policy changes rather than attempting to separate a small change’s signal from the noise. In this sense, the “ambitious” policy agenda of the Biden-Harris administration was expected to be a gift to the research community. Accepting this gift, since 2020 I have been making forecasts…
Biden-Harris policies and their consequences were no surprise to those paying attention
33 + 24 = Trump Win?
30 Oct 2024 Leave a comment
in politics - USA Tags: 2024 presidential election
First up is yet another billionaire supporting Trump, Bill Ackman and he lists 33 reasons for doing so on his X-account, with this intro: A number of my good friends and family have been surprised about my decision to support Donald Trump for president. They have been surprised because my political giving history has been […]
33 + 24 = Trump Win?
The Liberals didn’t even stand in British Columbia.
29 Oct 2024 Leave a comment
in politics, Public Choice Tags: Canada
The Liberal Party has been the dominant party in Canada for many years. However in the recent provincial elections in British Columbia they were not even on the ballot, as they were looking to come a distant third – so they pulled out. Their withdrawal has allowed the more leftish NDP to narrowly beat the […]
The Liberals didn’t even stand in British Columbia.
Trans is Now An Issue in the US Election
29 Oct 2024 Leave a comment
in discrimination, gender, law and economics, politics - USA Tags: 2024 presidential election, free speech, political correctness, regressive left

We must not publish a study that says we’re harming children because people who say we’re harming children will use the study as evidence that we’re harming children, which might make it difficult for us to continue harming children. I did not think that would be the case because it’s a Culture War issue and […]
Trans is Now An Issue in the US Election
Over the Border: Gun and Torts Liability to Collide in Mexican Case Before the Supreme Court
28 Oct 2024 Leave a comment
in development economics, economics of crime, economics of regulation, growth disasters, law and economics, politics - USA, property rights Tags: Mexico

This month, there is a new case on the docket after the Supreme Court granted certiorari in Smith & Wesson Brands v. Estados Unidos Mexicanos. The First Circuit reversed a trial court that dismissed the case, alleging that the American firearms industry is legally responsible for violence in Mexico. I believe the First Circuit is […]
Over the Border: Gun and Torts Liability to Collide in Mexican Case Before the Supreme Court
California Keeps Driving Up Gas Prices With ‘Layers And Layers’ Of Green Rules And Regs
28 Oct 2024 Leave a comment
in economics of climate change, energy economics, environmental economics, environmentalism, global warming, politics - USA Tags: California
“There are two reasons that gas is more expensive in California, and neither of them have to do with price gouging. The first reason, which we’re all very familiar with, is the extra taxes that are added on,” Edward Ring, the director of water and energy policy for the California Policy Center, told the DCNF. “When you take all of the state taxes, fees and programs, you’re going to add another $1.23 to the price of a gallon of gas, and that’s not including the 18 cents a gallon of federal excise tax.”
California Keeps Driving Up Gas Prices With ‘Layers And Layers’ Of Green Rules And Regs
Vegas, CSICon, sex and nooz
27 Oct 2024 Leave a comment
in defence economics, discrimination, gender, law and economics, politics - USA, property rights, war and peace Tags: Age of Enlightenment, free speech, Gaza Strip, Iran, Israel, Middle-East politics, political correctness, regressive left, sex discrimination, war against terror

I’ve been busy at the CSICon conference, which included giving my own 30-minute presentation this morning. I had to modify it to take into account the misguided views of Steve Novella, who gave a talk yesterday about “When Skeptics Disagree.” It turned out to be largely a diatribe about how sex in humans is not […]
Vegas, CSICon, sex and nooz
Chris Martz Asks Climate Fundamentalists Ten Fundamental Questions
27 Oct 2024 Leave a comment
in energy economics, environmental economics, global warming, politics - USA Tags: climate activists, climate alarmism
I guarantee not one person will give me a coherent point-by-point answer.
Chris Martz Asks Climate Fundamentalists Ten Fundamental Questions
Three Strikes law slightly improved but still unlikely to be an effective deterrent
25 Oct 2024 Leave a comment
in economics of crime, law and economics, politics - New Zealand Tags: crime and punishment, criminal deterrence, law and order
Nicole McKee announced: The Government is listening to New Zealanders and Cabinet has agreed to recommend modifications to the Sentencing (Reinstating Three Strikes) Amendment Bill, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee says. I’m glad they took on board that the bill as introduced was so watered down from the old law, that it would not be…
Three Strikes law slightly improved but still unlikely to be an effective deterrent
Te Pati Maori back the drug dealers vs the Police
24 Oct 2024 Leave a comment
in economics of crime, law and economics, politics - New Zealand Tags: crime and punishment, criminal deterrence, law and order
The Herald reports: Te Pāti Māori claims a police operation targeting Mongrel Mob members and associates alleged to be involved in a drug distribution network was “terrorism” and motivated by a “racist agenda”. It is amazing that a political party defends drug dealing gangs, and hates the Police so much they call them terrorists. TPM say they are…
Te Pati Maori back the drug dealers vs the Police
Little support for name change
23 Oct 2024 Leave a comment
From Kiwiblog – Research NZ found: Change name to Aotearoa 8% (-5% from 2022) Change name to Aotearoa New Zealand 19% (-5%) Change name to something else 2% (+2%) Do not change name 66% (+7%) Unsure 5% (+2%) So the current name is 8 times more popular than Aotearoa and 3.5 times more popular than Aotearoa […]
Little support for name change
US presidential election forecast E-15
22 Oct 2024 Leave a comment
in politics - USA Tags: 2024 presidential election

Trump is now favoured to win by four of the six prediction sites. It remains a remarkably close race with none of the seven swing states having a lead of more than 2%. As the average polling error in US presidential elections is 4%, it will come down to who does better than their polls. […]
US presidential election forecast E-15
Abolish the Electoral College
22 Oct 2024 Leave a comment
in politics - USA Tags: 2024 presidential election, constitution law
Since it appears increasingly likely that the winner of the popular vote for president will not win the election, we are already seeing calls to “dump the electoral college.” Predictably, since the Democrat is the candidate who is likely to win the vote but lose the election, these calls are … Continue reading →
Abolish the Electoral College
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