6.8.15
Forbes
Late this past May, Thomas and Ida Saxton brought suit against the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) in the Northern District of Iowa, and thus opened up a new front in the long-running litigation over the federal takeover of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, two Government Sponsored Enterprises, or GSEs, that had hybrid private and public […]
6.8.15
Defining Ideas
During the many officiating problems of the 2010 World Cup, Blatter said that “uncertainty and subjectivity boost the sport.” They actually do the exact opposite. Here are some of the most serious problems with soccer: First, soccer is an under-officiated game. A soccer field is larger than an American football field, yet on the field […]
6.1.15
Defining Ideas
Senator Bernie Sanders’ quixotic presidential campaign received some unexpected attention for an off-the-cuff comment he made in Iowa this past week. The sentence that has raised some eyebrows is short and to the point: “You don’t necessarily need a choice of 23 underarm spray deodorants or of 18 different pairs of sneakers when children are hungry in […]
5.25.15
Defining Ideas
This past week, by a narrow five-to-four decision, the Supreme Court decided the neglected but important case of Comptroller of the Treasury of Maryland v. Wynn. The question in Wynn was: may Maryland give only a partial tax credit to its citizens on out-of-state income that has been already taxed in the state where it […]
5.19.15
Defining Ideas
The critical political struggle of the 2016 presidential election may well be the redistribution of wealth. How that issue plays out is likely to depend on whether it is cast in terms of economic growth or income inequality. If the Republicans successfully push the growth agenda, then the Democrats will be on the defensive. If the Democrats […]
5.11.15
Defining Ideas
The New York Times recently published two wildly celebrated articles by journalist Sarah Maslin Nir. The first article, “The Price of Nice Nails,” describes in painful and accurate detail the trials and tribulations in the manicurist trade in New York City and elsewhere. The second article, “Perfect Nails, Poisoned Workers,” documents the health risks to which manicurists […]
5.4.15
Defining Ideas
The recent unrest in Baltimore has been dominating the headlines. But the real story is less about the particulars of the gruesome death of Freddie Gray and more about the set of policies that have increased the odds of such tragedies happening. These policies cover a broad range of issues, from police practices to public education. But […]
4.27.15
Defining Ideas
This past week in the Wall Street Journal, Kenneth Hill, the public utility regulator from Tennessee, joined Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell in advocating that states boycott the EPA’s Clean Coal Plan (CPP) under the Clean Air Act of 1990. The plan would require the state to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide emissions so that by 2030 […]
4.23.15
Forbes
Right now one of the major issues in labor law is the extent to which individual states will take advantage of the opportunity expressly recognized under Section 14(b) of the National Labor Relations Act to allow its workers to hold their jobs without becoming members of unions or paying union dues. That option, which the […]
4.20.15
Defining Ideas
This year, the New York City Landmark Preservation Commission is celebrating its fiftieth anniversary with, not surprisingly, a triumphant summation of its many achievements: fostering civic pride, protecting property values, attracting tourists, and strengthening New York’s economy.