In a post on how to approach economic stimulus, Mankiw writes: More public projects would pass a cost-benefit test if we repealed the Davis-Bacon Act. This law requires contractors on these public projects to pay “prevailing wages,” which are typically union wages well in excess of what would occur in a free market. If the government paid market-determined wages for infrastructure projects, we could have both more infrastructure and less government debt. Without doubt, that ...

As a Posnerist, I am very sympathetic to the following: For myself, I would be happy to see conservatism exit from the political scene—provided it takes liberalism with it. I would like to see us enter a post-ideological era in which policies are based on pragmatic considerations rather than on conformity to a set of preconceptions rooted in a rapidly vanishing past. We have accumulated a substantial history of liberal and conservative failures. And: But ...

Twitter was a vital source of information in Mumbai: News on the Bombay attacks is breaking fast on Twitter with hundreds of people using the site to update others with first-hand accounts of the carnage. The website has a stream of comments on the attacks which is being updated by the second, often by eye-witnesses and people in the city. Although the chatter cannot be verified immediately and often reflects the chaos on the streets, ...

As if on cue, Christopher Hitchens pens what may be the pinnacle of the "we need to take this stuff more seriously" genre. If any of you can detect an actual disagreement Hitchens has with, well, anybody, please, let me know. Christopher Hitchens is saying nothing. What does he say we need? "Firm, warm solidarity." About what does he complain? "Anemic and insipid" statements from politicians. What action, what policy, does he advocate, that is ...

By now I hope you’ve read Dana Goldstein’s excellent profile of Janette Sadik-Khan. Apart from her prodigious accomplishments as New York’s transportation czar, Sadik-Khan has a winning quality that I can’t quite define. If nominated and confirmed — and I kind of hope she isn’t, as it is better to have her devise innovative policies at the local level than try to steer the Titanic — I think it is safe to say that she ...

As our focus on good works continues at Culture11, I would direct you to my piece on faith-based charities. The words of the hardworking employees inspired most: All God’s Children: “God knows these kids by name…and he’s not going to abandon them,” [Allen] Hereema said with tears in his voice. “This is bigger than you — it’s not you providing for them in the first place, God will continue to be faithful.” …Wheeler Mission: “We’re ...

This is pretty interesting. I've always wondered about this myself.

Paul Krugman says that now is no time to worry about deficits: Just to be clear, I’m not arguing that trying to reduce the budget deficit is always bad for private investment. You can make a reasonable case that Bill Clinton’s fiscal restraint in the 1990s helped fuel the great U.S. investment boom of that decade, which in turn helped cause a resurgence in productivity growth. What made fiscal austerity such a bad idea both ...

Harry Truman famously said of his responsibilities as President that “the buck stops here.” No president makes all his decisions — or even any of them — completely on his own. But a responsible president needs to take responsibility for the policies and actions of his administration. An irresponsible President, by contrast, says stuff like this to ABC News: BUSH: I don’t know — the biggest regret of all the presidency has to have been ...

Rod Dreher becomes one of the first I've seen to use the excuse of the attacks in Mumbai to tiptoe up to the line of condemning every Muslim. (This is a popular activity and if he doesn't already have many peers he will by the end of the day.)Thanks, Muslim terrorists! You do so much for the world. Your Mumbai adventures on behalf of your faith have killed scores of people, and have jacked up ...

I've pointed this out in the past, but it bears repeating: I really, really don't like using the word "progressive" instead of the word "liberal".To begin with, progressive has all kinds of historical contexts that liberal doesn't, and many of them are very nasty. The American Progressive movement of the early 20th century had a few good elements, some bad ones, and some really deeply noxious ones. We don't need those kinds of associations. (To ...

How many Facebook groups are there dedicated to impeaching Barack Obama? I lost count before I got to one hundred. This one, with 8,123 members, proposes to stop "the crime wave he intends to preside over once enthroned." The fact that millions of Americans, a priori, will not even consider any Democratic president legitimate, is a theme we've been worrying since the debut of this blog. It's part of my argument for a liberal shock ...

In comments Michael asks "What rings your cherries, art-wise?"You think I'm gonna turn down encouragement like that? I'll confine myself to the last 100 years or so, and to painting. Here's a taste:Gustav KlimtHelen FrankenthalerUmberto Boccioni. Boccioni is better known for his sculpture, but I prefer his painting, myself.Max ErnstPaul KleeMarcel Duchamp. Astonishing as both an artist and a person. Controversial for exactly the right reasons, in that he made work that simply couldn't be ...

The Hot Box pizza chain has reached a deal with a pair of veteran local restaurateurs to open two new locations in Carmel. The first, scheduled to open in January, will be at the corner of Carmel Drive and Rangeline Road. It will feature beer, wine and salads in addition to the chain’s signature pies. No location has been chosen for the second store. The franchise owners are Pete Watson, who operates 14 Buffalo Wild ...

The Kauffman Foundation Recently released their "2008 State New Economy Index". Looking at the states which contain cities I normally cover in this blog, here's where they stack up:RankStateChg From 2007Chg From 200214Minnesota-3016Illinois0317Michigan2530Ohio-1333Wisconsin-3436Indiana-5-437Missouri-2-945Kentucky0-3Looks like a definite have/have not split, though I'm not sure if I'm at the low end of that I'd be eager to switch places with Michigan right now.Among the variables included in the study are:IT ProfessionalsWorkforce EducationMigration of US Knowledge WorkersForeign Direct ...

we hearz thingz from de other side… did u heerz mah lunch? picture: aniar. lol caption: simbah » Recaption This

Ok, here's a new feature I invented just to bitch about something that happened this morning.Taste (5164 N. College) might just be the best breakfast in town. Awesome food. They've got this order at the counter then take your number to a seat thing going, which I've always hated. But I figure, hey, it's their restaurant and they've probably got reasons. It's their thing and I respect it. Their joint, their rules.The problem is that ...