In the U.S., researchers have traced the shift from “defined benefit” to “defined contribution” health insurance plans, and examined the advantages of the new system. Under defined contribution, the employer determines up front how much it will spend for health care, then typically provides an array of options from which
Should critics of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund take pleasure in being the targets last week of anti-globalist forces who tried to shut down Washington with their demonstrations? Hardly.
The Bank and the Fund are rational institutions that are at least trying to do the right thing.
In the wake of September 11, U.S. airlines suffered curtailed flights and plummeting passenger traffic for an industry that was already losing money. The U.S. Congress responded with $5 billion in cash and $10 billion in loan guarantees.
Now, airlines are back asking for more relief, but critics
In the wake of last spring’s U.S. Supreme Court decision that schools could conduct drug tests on students involved in extracurricular activities, the matter has become a hot issue around America.
Prior to the court’s decision, about 5 percent of public school districts conducted drug tests of student athletes
In his Chairman’s Address to the Free Market Foundation AGM in August, Michael O’Dowd deplored in the strongest terms ‘the increasing practice of Parliament of passing legislation which gives unfettered discretion to ministers or officials, thereby delegating the legislative function from Parliament to the Executive.’ He continued: ‘There can be
Nations that impose tariff or trade restrictions on entry into their markets engage in protectionism. In the past, many economists contended that the costs of protectionism were a small portion of gross national product (GNP). However, critics have argued for decades that the price of protectionism is significant.
Water shortages are common in arid countries like South Africa. The usual solution is for the government to institute some sort of rationing and engage in production of fresh water. Some experts believe, however, this is impractical.
They contend that government is the primary cause of water
In recent weeks, a number of analysts have started drawing comparisons between the economic situation under U.S. President George H. W. Bush (Bush 41) and the current U.S. President, George W. Bush (Bush 43). Not all of them are happy ones
Both Bushes:
Became totally preoccupied with Iraq
In response to rising crime rates, California instituted strike-out laws. Under these laws, the second or third felony offence is met with more severe punishment than a typical sentence. Opponents claim that these strike-out laws are expensive and do not deter crime. However, a new study argues
Critics say that energy markets in Britain are rigged against nuclear power for political reasons. Proponents of nuclear power in the British energy ministry argue that nuclear energy is the easiest way to cut green house gas emissions. However, nuclear power opponents want to dismantle the industry instead.
