Even if there is merit to the programs of the Partnership for a Healthy Mississippi, the Legislature is going too far in their effort to help them. (more…)
In some ways, this year continues to be a strange one at the State Capitol. But in other ways, sadly, it's becoming all too predictable. Bills are being taken up in committees, and sometimes on the floor of the House or Senate without members being allowed enough time to read the bills, much less understand their ramifications. Some are being approved that are so outlandish that the best we can hope for is that the membership didn't know what they were voting for. (more…)
Price gouging is like beauty - it's in the eye of the beholder. Let's say that before the hurricane, plywood was selling for a nationwide price of $8 dollars, and after the hurricane for $50.
Economics 101 teaches that if one person has plywood and is willing to part with it for $50.00, it's because he prefers having the money to having the plywood. If another person (the buyer) has $50.00 and is willing to pay that for the plywood, it's because he prefers the plywood to the $50.00.
Some would call that "price gouging," even though no one is forced to engage in this transaction, and it results in a mutual benefit. The broader benefit is that the $50.00 price motivates more people who have plywood to get it where it's needed. After the supply increases, the price declines. Many businesses charge less out of their concern for those in need. But should it be a crime - a felony, no less - to make an economic decision to sell on the Coast for $50 what they could only get $8 for elsewhere? If so, they'll ship the plywood somewhere with fewer obstacles, thus worsening the shortage in the area that needs it most.
Regulating prices almost always ends up harming consumers.
Last week, a Texas official told some state legislators about his performance reviews of Texas government. A performance review evaluates government agencies and programs, with the goal of saving money, increasing efficiency, and improving service. They often identify services that are better performed by the private sector. In Texas, billions of dollars have been saved over the past decade as a result of these reviews. (more…)
Annexation is a hot topic in some parts of the state - hot not only because it's current but because it often stirs the deepest emotions of the people who are involved. As many in our state know all too well, the people who live in areas proposed for annexation do not get the opportunity to vote on the matter. Even their elected representatives in county government are prevented from voting in their behalf. This is patently un-American.
Strange things have been happening at the Capitol this year. Party labels have been thrown out the window, and those with strong ideological leanings have been leaning the other way.
The massive damage done to coastal communities by Hurricane Katrina provides a unique opportunity to build a highway system that will provide for quicker evacuation during emergencies, but also quicker transporting of goods from our ports on the Gulf of Mexico.
What is the proper role of government in the process of rebuilding south Mississippi? Our organization has suggested, along with the governor and others, that private investment is the key to recovery. So what can the government do to attract private investment?
Now that Congress has appropriated money to help rebuild south Mississippi, it would be easy for those of us who live north of the areas most affected by the storm to think that nothing else is needed. That's always the problem with government programs; they lull people into thinking any problem is solved if the government is spending money on it. (more…)