Opinion
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Credit Card Debt, Delinquency Rates Keep Falling
Opinion -The Federal Reserve in December released data showing credit card debt fell for the 13th consecutive month in October.Revolving credit, most of which is credit card debt, decreased at an annual rate of 9.3 percent in October 2009. -
Cigarette Ban Causes Illinois Casino Revenues to Plunge
Opinion -Casino tax revenues in Illinois are going up in smoke, apparently because of the state’s ban on smoking cigarettes in public places, according to a report by economists at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. -
Bay State Tolls Still in Place in Defiance of State Law
Opinion -When tolls refuse to hit the road—even after projects they fund are fully paid—not much of what follows seems good for toll payers or taxpayers. -
Turf Battles Put Federal Insurance Office on Hold
Opinion -Legislative changes that would diminish the powers of a proposed Federal Insurance Office have resulted in the breakdown of what once seemed to be a consensus between regulators and insurance companies over the creation of the new federal bureau. -
Texas Commissioner Rejects Insurance Rate Hikes
Opinion -Texas Insurance Commissioner Mike Geeslin’s recent rejections of rate filing requests from both of his state’s government-mandated property insurance markets have drawn praise from fellow members of Gov. -
Cook County Rolls Back Sales Tax
Opinion -On the fourth try, the Cook County, Illinois board of commissioners successfully reduced the county’s retail sales tax, which applies in Chicago and surrounding suburbs and unincorporated areas of the county. -
Great Train Robbery: Minnesota Rail Line Rolls Over Taxpayers
Opinion -Now that all of the hoopla, celebration, and hype over the opening of Minnesota’s Northstar Commuter Rail line have subsided, it’s time to examine the facts. -
Subsidy Fiasco: Millions Spent, Homes Destroyed for Nothing
Opinion -One of the most-criticized U.S. Supreme Court decisions in recent history is now linked with one of the biggest economic development failures in history. -
Media Advisory: Boycott of Copenhagen Talks Reveals Hidden Agendas
Opinion -China, India, and other developing nations boycotted United Nations climate talks in Copenhagen Monday, claiming Western nations must commit to deeper cuts in greenhouse gases while allowing developing nations to continue emitting greenhouse gases -
Dell Shuts NC Plant Despite $300 Million in Incentives
Opinion -Despite winning more than $300 million in incentives and tax breaks from North Carolina and local governments four years ago, Dell Inc. has decided to shutter an assembly plant because of changing economic circumstances. -
Is Stealing a Virtue?
Opinion -I am profoundly disappointed in Caritas in Veritate, the encyclical issued on June 29, 2009 by Pope Benedict XVI. It contains no fewer than six endorsements of wealth redistribution by government. -
Year After TARP: $700 Billion Down the Drain
Opinion -TARP, the Troubled Asset Relief Program, is a year old now. On Sept. -
State Sales, Income Tax Revenues Keep Falling
Opinion -States suffered from falling tax revenues again in the third quarter, compared to the previous year, according to preliminary data in the latest state revenue "flash" report from the Rockefeller Institute. -
Government Pension Plunder in California
Opinion -The economy is struggling, the unemployment rate is high, and many Americans are struggling to pay the bills, but one class of Americans is doing quite well: Government workers. -
Critical Failures in Multinational Systemic Regulation Identified
Opinion -A U.S. House of Representatives subcommittee member is considering having the United States coordinate systemic risk regulation with the European Union, but experts say the effort may be too cumbersome to be effective. -
State Officials Assail Snacks, Beer for N. Carolina’s Hired Lawyers
Opinion -Beer and snacks were on the agenda at a meeting of the North Carolina Council of State—and they had one executive-branch officer fuming. -
Feds Don’t Believe Stimulus Spending Will Create Jobs
Opinion -The idea behind the $787 billion stimulus bill is that government can create jobs by spending money. For now, let’s ignore fact, history, and economic theory and assume government spending can actually create jobs. -
Eminent Domain Ruling Paves Way for NY Land Seizures
Opinion -In a 6-1 ruling the New York Court of Appeals has determined New York State may invoke eminent domain and seize nearly any private property for economic development projects. -
Report: Utah Tobacco Tax Hike Expected to Fall Hardest on Poor
Opinion -A bill by anti-smoking politicians in Utah to raise cigarette taxes by 30 cents is projected to raise tens of millions of dollars—primarily from Utah's poorest residents, according to a new study. -
DC Vouchers Face Renewal Battle
Opinion -Education reform and school choice advocates nationwide are already mourning the likely loss of the groundbreaking DC Opportunity Scholarship voucher program.The U.S. -
Consumer Power Report #206
Opinion -If you are in San Diego or know people who are, The Heartland Institute is holding a Health Care Roundtable on December 15 at the Marina Village Conference Center from 9:00 am to noon. -
2009 December InfoTech & Telecom News (full text PDF)
Opinion -The December issue of InfoTech & Telecom News reports members of Congress, both Republicans and Democrats, are expressing growing concern about plans by the Federal Communications Commission to impose network neutrality regulations. -
Silverdome Brings Just $583K as Another Michigan City Eyes New Stadium
Opinion -Just five days after news broke that the Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners is considering imposing a hotel and restaurant tax to finance construction of a 6,800-seat sports arena at an estimated cost of $81. -
Media Advisory: Response to Amendments on Biologics
Opinion -Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) is said to be interested in offering an amendment to the Senate health reform bill that would deny highly profitable biologic drugs a full 12-year period without competition from biosimilars.