Economic Growth

Slowing health cost growth requires information AND incentives

When I was growing up, I was taught that you change the oil in your car every 3,000 miles.

Suppose I take my three-year old car to Jiffy Lube for an oil change.

Deficits and debt under the President’s budget

There has been a lot of debate about whether the President’s budget improves or worsens the future deficit picture. This is a debate mostly about baselines — what do you assume would happen otherwise? Rather than engaging in that debate here, I am…

A short history of higher taxes

There is always a lot of rhetoric on Tax Day. Later I will comment on some of today’s rhetoric. In this post I will instead focus on some basic facts that are not earth-shattering, but provide some important historic context for the current tax and spending debate.

Extending unemployment insurance

Some have been arguing that the growth package should extend the availability of unemployment insurance (UI) benefits.

I’d like to cover three points in response:

1. Unemployment benefits have never before been extended when…

Third party liability

We gave our policy views recently to the Solicitor General (who represents the Administration in front of the Supreme Court) on a case called Stoneridge Investment Partners v. Scientific-Atlanta. The core policy issue at stake is one of third party liability, and it’s an important element…