This is it for me, at least for this chapter. I am off to join some people who don’t much appreciate voices singing out of key, and while they might be able to get over my public disdain for coaches who punt in opposing territory, it would be rather awkward to continue to point out [...]
Archive for the ‘Industrial Policy’ Category
The End of the Internet
Posted in Corruption, Education, Energy Policy, Health Care, Housing Crisis, Housing Policy, Industrial Policy, Inspirational, Labor Policy, Meltdown, Middle East, Miscellaneous, NAFTA, Obama, War on Terror on December 15, 2009 | 29 Comments »
Change for the Sake of Change
Posted in Industrial Policy, Labor Policy, Middle East, Obama, South Asia, War on Terror, Weapons of Mass Destruction on December 2, 2009 | 3 Comments »
Still trying to process all of my objections to the current Afghan strategy into something moderately coherent, so I’ll start with a very different story: Fritz Henderson was rather suddenly and unceremoniously dismissed as CEO of GM. General Motors Co. Chief Executive Officer Fritz Henderson resigned after eight months on the job as directors concluded [...]
Picking Fights
Posted in Industrial Policy, Labor Policy, Miscellaneous on November 24, 2009 | 2 Comments »
I’m a little surprised to see this: Wal-Mart, the mightiest retail giant in history, may have met its own worthy adversary: Amazon.com. In what is emerging as one of the main story lines of the 2009 post-recession shopping season, the two heavyweight retailers are waging an online price war that is spreading through product areas [...]
MR. GO
Posted in Obama, John McCain, Labor Policy, Corruption, Industrial Policy, Transportation Policy on November 19, 2009 | 3 Comments »
Now here’s an interesting verdict that doesn’t seem to get much press: In a ruling that could leave the government open to billions of dollars in claims from Hurricane Katrina victims, a federal judge said late Wednesday that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers had displayed “gross negligence” in failing to maintain a navigation channel [...]
Couple of Blog Links
Posted in China, Corruption, Industrial Policy, Labor Policy, Meltdown, Obama on November 17, 2009 | 5 Comments »
Short post to follow up on two things that were on Baseline recently. First of all, take James’ advice and check out this Interfluidity post: An enduring truth about financial regulation is this: Given the discretion to do so, financial regulators will always do the wrong thing. Steve touches on several of the themes I [...]
Spare the Rod
Posted in Domestic Policy, George W. Bush, Housing Crisis, Housing Policy, Industrial Policy, Labor Policy, Obama on October 20, 2009 | 2 Comments »
Two Russians, Ivan and Peter, struggle to survive in farm country. Eventually Ivan gets a goat. His life improves; he has milk and help with the grasses. A genie comes to Peter and says “I can grant you your deepest wish.” Peter is shocked. “You’re going to kill Ivan’s goat?” That was always the gallows [...]
American Superalloy
Posted in Health Care, Immigration, Industrial Policy, Labor Policy, Mexico, Politics on October 13, 2009 | 8 Comments »
Luis Gutierrez is leading a rally in DC to argue for comprehensive immigration reform. We simply cannot wait any longer for a bill that keeps our families together, protects our workers and allows a pathway to legalization for those who have earned it…We need a bill that says if you come here to hurt our [...]
Private Label Cars
Posted in Industrial Policy, Labor Policy on September 21, 2009 | 5 Comments »
The auto industry is maddeningly difficult. Overcapacity, long product design cycles, extensive unionization, national champions, frustrating distribution rules, warranty and product liability obligations…it’s amazing anyone wants to do it. Yet – like the airline business – there is no shortage of people who want to take a crack at it. Roger Penske’s plan to take [...]
Reform Week: Health Care
Posted in Health Care, Industrial Policy, Joe Lieberman, Labor Policy, Obama on September 9, 2009 | 12 Comments »
The health care debate is fascinating. While the bailout and subsequent financial adventures entailed a language most Representatives could not even comprehend, most everyone with a pulse believes he understands the health care industry, and being wrong is no impediment. Reminds me of the old and undoubtedly apocryphal tale: Reporter goes to Appalachia in 1964 [...]
Fool’s Gold
Posted in China, Energy Policy, Health Care, Industrial Policy, Labor Policy, Obama on September 1, 2009 | 2 Comments »
Labor Day is as good an excuse as any to sit outside and have a few beers, even if we in America have to be different and observe it on the first Monday in September instead of the first day of May. If you are in Logan County, West Virginia that day, Don Blankenship wants [...]
