News

Archives: January 2022

15 years ago

January 2007.

The NewSpacers are now past their whiny teenage years and have entered a productive young adulthood. Their aspirations are appropriately modest—mostly suborbital, just a quick trip to the edge of the atmosphere. While they are still talking a lot about the future, deep space exploration is not on their minds. Instead, they have short-term, realistic goals. They want to make quick stops for tourists, and enjoy other fun near-to Earth activities.
Katherine ManguWard
Space Travel: Fun and Profit

20 years ago

January 2002

“Why…is [the World Health Organization]Concerned about seatbelts, smoking, when millions of people are still suffering from measles or tuberculosis around the globe? Public choice analysis—which presumes that government agencies, like their private-sector counterparts, seek to grow their market share—suggests an answer: Since the WHO’s funding is mostly from First World governments, making them its relevant ‘customer base,’ it caters to First World concerns.”
Brian Doherty
“WHO Cares?”

25 years ago

January 1997

From merit pay to charter school to teaching certification relaxation measures, [National Education Association’s]Recalcitrance is what has earned it this title. Forbes in 1993: the National Extortion Association.”
Rick Henderson
“Schools of Thought”.

The problem is power, and that’s what the good-government people believe. The power they are concerned about is not the right kind. It is easier to be a troubled person, business, or advocacy group with the clout than it is by government coercion. Campaign contributions are a natural form of protection money when the actions of bureaucrats, legislators and agencies can make you bankrupt, enrich yourself, or even send you to jail.
Rick Henderson
“Lippo Suction”

It was 40 years ago

January 1982

The geopolitical reason for those calling for a new draft was that it would signal that the United States is serious about its defense. What message do we send if we have to resort to coercion in order to convince people to protect us?
Robert W. Poole Jr.
“The Draft Is Not a Solution”

50 years ago

January 1972

For anyone who is able to see beyond the superficialities, Soviet Russia’s most important fact stands out. It has the power and presence of government. Land is owned by the State (except for the private plots of garden), and it cannot be bought or rented from anyone else. Houses are owned by the State. In fact, Russia has not built any homes for individuals in many years. There is only one apartment in all of the poorly constructed buildings. And if a family (not an individual—individuals must live with their parents) wants to live in one, they put their names on a waiting list until an apartment is assigned them by the government. Only the State can employ anyone for a job.
John Hospers
“A Political Travelogue”

Most economists don’t like mergers, especially large ones. They believe that the market structure approach is better at’measuring competition. It is mistakenly assumed that the number and relative sizes of the firms within a market determines competitive behavior. Some economists believe that mergers automatically decrease competition because they reduce the number of firms and improve relative size (concentration).
D.T. Armentano
“Capitalism and Antitrust Laws.”