Last week, I observed that “Transit’s failure to recover from the pandemic is due largely to its downtown-centric orientation in most urban areas.” An op-ed in yesterday’s Baltimore Sun makes a similar point about the planned Red Line light-rail project for that city. “The problem with Baltimore transit is not … Continue reading →
Don’t Invest in a Light-Rail Boondoggle
Don’t Invest in a Light-Rail Boondoggle
12 Aug 2024 Leave a comment
in comparative institutional analysis, politics - USA, Public Choice, transport economics, urban economics
NZ now has an asylum problem
12 Aug 2024 Leave a comment
in Economics of international refugee law, labour economics, labour supply, law and economics, politics - New Zealand Tags: economics of immigration
Stuff reports: The number of people claiming refugee status in New Zealand has exploded in the past two years, statistics released by Immigration New Zealandshow. In the 11 months to 31 May 2024, a total of 2220 people claimed refugee status in New Zealand. Half of these asylum seekers – 1108 people – were from a […]
NZ now has an asylum problem
Why I have resigned from the Research Association of New Zealand
10 Aug 2024 Leave a comment
in economics of information, economics of media and culture, Marxist economics, politics - New Zealand Tags: free speech, political correctness, regressive left
I (and Curia) have just resigned as members of the Research Association of New Zealand. It is something I never thought I would do, and do with great sadness. I have been an enthusiastic member of the industry body. I joined in 2004 when I formed Curia Market Research. It was an honour to be […]
Why I have resigned from the Research Association of New Zealand
Gary Moller on Wellington cycleways
10 Aug 2024 Leave a comment
in politics - New Zealand, Public Choice, public economics, rentseeking, transport economics, urban economics
Garry Moller writes: If I had it my way, I would scrap many of Wellington’s cycleways, and do it better. Allow me to elaborate. … For Wellington to thrive, ample on-street parking is essential. Despite the influx of more public service employees and contractors in recent years, central Wellington is struggling. Many long-term Wellington residents, […]
Gary Moller on Wellington cycleways
Smith is No Longer in a Hurry: Special Counsel Moves To Slow Down District Court Judge
10 Aug 2024 Leave a comment
in economics of crime, law and economics, politics - USA Tags: 2024 presidential election
For over a year, Special Counsel Jack Smith has made one element the overriding priority in his prosecution of former president Donald Trump: speed. Smith repeatedly moved to curtail Trump’s appellate rights and demand expedited appeals to try to secure a conviction before the election. In that effort, he found an equally motivated judge in […]
Smith is No Longer in a Hurry: Special Counsel Moves To Slow Down District Court Judge
The Creation of Ride-sharing and the Creativity of Markets
10 Aug 2024 Leave a comment
in applied price theory, econometerics, economic history, economics of regulation, income redistribution, industrial organisation, labour economics, labour supply, law and economics, occupational choice, politics - USA, property rights, Public Choice, public economics, regulation, rentseeking, survivor principle, theory of the firm Tags: barriers to entry, creative destruction, taxi regulation
The idea behind Uber first arose, the story goes, on a snowy evening in Paris back around 2008, when Travis Kalanick and Garrett Camp found themselves stuck in Paris on a snowy evening, unable to find a taxi. They wondered “What if you could request a ride simply by tapping your phone?” They co-founded Uber based…
The Creation of Ride-sharing and the Creativity of Markets
The Justice Department Makes The Case Against Hunter Biden . . . and Itself in California
09 Aug 2024 Leave a comment
in economics of crime, law and economics, politics - USA Tags: 2024 presidential election
Special Counsel David Weiss appears to have finally made the long-awaited case exposing years of concealment and political corruption. No, it is not the case against Hunter Biden. The allegations of tax fraud in California are obvious and unavoidable. Weiss just made the case against the Justice Department and himself in protecting Hunter Biden from […]
The Justice Department Makes The Case Against Hunter Biden . . . and Itself in California
Jurisdiction Stripping or Court Killing? The “No Kings Act” is a Decapitation of the Constitution
08 Aug 2024 Leave a comment
in comparative institutional analysis, constitutional political economy, economics of crime, law and economics, politics - USA, property rights Tags: constitutional law
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.) has introduced the “No Kings Act” with great fanfare and the support of most of his Democratic colleagues. Liberal groups have heralded the measure to legislatively reverse the ruling in Trump v. United States. It is obviously popular with the press and pundits. It is also entirely unconstitutional in […]
Jurisdiction Stripping or Court Killing? The “No Kings Act” is a Decapitation of the Constitution
Roots of Climate Change Distortions
08 Aug 2024 Leave a comment
in comparative institutional analysis, economics of bureaucracy, economics of education, economics of information, economics of media and culture, energy economics, environmental economics, environmentalism, global warming, politics - New Zealand, politics - USA, population economics, Public Choice Tags: climate alarmism
Roger Pielke Jr. explains at his blog Why Climate Misinformation Persists. Excerpts in italics with my bolds and added images. H/T John Ray Noble Lies, Conventional Wisdom, and Luxury Beliefs In 2001, I participated in a roundtable discussion hosted at the headquarters of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) with a group of U.S. Senators, […]
Roots of Climate Change Distortions
Police use National’s 2005 billboard slogan as an example of hate speech!
07 Aug 2024 Leave a comment
in economics of crime, law and economics, liberalism, politics - New Zealand, property rights Tags: free speech, political correctness, regressive left
Stuff reports: A transphobic post on social media, racist taunts, and a slogan from New Zealand’s largest neo-Nazi group are among a number of scenarios in police’s hate crime training. … Some examples of hate speech used as part of the training include racist remarks, a transphobic post on social media as well as a […]
Police use National’s 2005 billboard slogan as an example of hate speech!
Fed Farmers on the cost of the mana of water
07 Aug 2024 Leave a comment
in environmental economics, politics - New Zealand
Federated Farmers states: This week, Federated Farmers have written to Otago councils calling for urgent transparency on new policy aiming to protect the mana of water, known as Te Mana o Te Wai. You may have seen this in the media, as it’s been picked up far and wide. Councils were required to give effect […]
Fed Farmers on the cost of the mana of water
Fast Takes on *Build, Baby, Build*: David Schleicher
07 Aug 2024 Leave a comment
in comparative institutional analysis, constitutional political economy, economics of bureaucracy, economics of regulation, income redistribution, law and economics, politics - USA, property rights, Public Choice, rentseeking, urban economics Tags: housing affordability, land supply
I met Yale Law’s David Schleicher when he was still a law professor at GMU. Back then, we argued about the best model of non-rigged one-party democracy, often seen in major cities… and Singapore. Since then, David’s become a powerful academic voice for YIMBY. Last month, David joined me for another Fast Take on Build,…
Fast Takes on *Build, Baby, Build*: David Schleicher
Did a Christchurch Environment Judge called Prudence just end NZ’s Dreams of higher tech-based productivity growth that would’ve fixed our health system & ended poverty?
06 Aug 2024 1 Comment
in economics of bureaucracy, economics of regulation, environmentalism, politics - New Zealand, Public Choice, public economics, urban economics
New Zealand citizen, Peter Thiel, who is one of the world’s richest men, and business associate of Elon Musk, has had his house application in Wanaka rejected on appeal by the Environment Court. Theil was the first investor in Shane Legg’s company, Deep Mind, which started the Artificial Intelligence revolution. Legg is a former student…
Did a Christchurch Environment Judge called Prudence just end NZ’s Dreams of higher tech-based productivity growth that would’ve fixed our health system & ended poverty?
Weighing N.Y.’s Climate Statute
06 Aug 2024 Leave a comment
in energy economics, environmental economics, environmentalism, global warming, politics - USA Tags: solar power, wind power
The question is whether those people can be awakened before the blackouts hit.
Weighing N.Y.’s Climate Statute
Utopia, you are standing in it! 
Recent Comments