June 8, 2013
Mike HicksI am often asked to explain why more and better local amenities matter to job creation. It is a simple concept, really. Families
make choices about where to live based upon a variety of factors, including playgrounds, safe and attractive neighborhoods,
and recreational activities. They will sacrifice to obtain these things, commute long distances and even forgo higher wages.
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June 1, 2013
Mike HicksThe Congressional Budget Office’s most recent assessment of the cost of the Troubled Asset Relief Program, in late May,
occasioned far less thoughtful discussion of the role of government than it should have.
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May 25, 2013
Mike HicksAmong economists of all stripes, it is well understood that international trade increases wealth, reduces poverty and generally
makes everyone better off in the long run. The only real question is whether the total economic benefits are immediately realized
or take just a few years to mature.
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May 18, 2013
Mike HicksA recent study by the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, sheds a great deal of light on the sausage mill of policy
research, and the courage and integrity of the process of policy research altogether.
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May 11, 2013
Mike HicksAt the beginning of the Great Recession, in December 2007, there were more than 26 full-time workers for each part-time employee
looking for full-time work. By June 2009, that number had shrunk to less than 15 full-time workers for each part-timer. There
it has remained.
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May 4, 2013
Mike HicksBrain drain is a genuine problem in Indiana. But instead of slowing this trend, our higher education financing policies accelerate
this problem by pushing more students into majors that are in demand elsewhere.
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April 27, 2013
Mike HicksIndiana enjoys what economists call a “structural surplus” in state tax revenue. This means the several-hundred-million-dollar
surplus is a permanent affair when viewed against current expenditures. It would be astonishing if this did not lead to calls
for a tax cut, and so it has.
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April 20, 2013
Mike HicksAlong with the sadness and anger that accompanies the Boston bomb explosions should come the realization that this could well
be our lot for decades to come. We should expect and prepare for the worst.
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April 13, 2013
Mike HicksA most remarkable book, “Bourgeois Dignity: Why Economics Can’t Explain the Modern World,”, says all the
explanations of the explosion of economic growth that occurred about 300 years ago are inadequate.
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April 6, 2013
Mike HicksPerhaps difficult economic times unleash the power of long-discredited ideas into general circulation, because three bad intellectual
influences merit noting—one from the political right, one bipartisan folly and one from the left.
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March 30, 2013
Mike HicksA public fight has emerged among economists over the past few weeks, which likely spells major policy changes over the coming
years.
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March 23, 2013
Mike HicksThe 10th anniversary of the start of the second Iraq war is an opportunity to reflect upon the economics of the conflict.
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March 16, 2013
Mike HicksMost government statistics are preliminary releases, intended to be revised, so they provide a poor picture even to someone
with clear context on their meaning.
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March 9, 2013
Mike HicksThe dramatic reintroduction of payroll taxes makes this year’s tax increase most injurious to the working poor and the
lower-to-middle-income families.
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March 2, 2013
Mike HicksI am often asked some version of the question, “Can we really survive becoming a service economy—won’t our
loss of manufacturing jobs spell doom for our country?” The answer is, “No.”
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February 23, 2013
Mike HicksHidden within the unserious politics of the minimum-wage debate lies an important discussion of why many workers have not
seen their wages grow over the past generation. It simply takes some digging.
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February 16, 2013
Mike HicksAs the president noted, no one should doubt that raising a family while earning minimum wage is a hard business; perhaps that
is why almost nobody does it.
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February 9, 2013
Mike HicksThe stock market highs over the past few months have many folks confused.
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February 2, 2013
Mike HicksSometimes the worst part of the economic forecasting I do is the sinking feeling that my predictions will be right.
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January 26, 2013
Mike HicksThe United States has always had something like a middle class, but for most of our history it has been a distinction not
necessarily dependent on income or wealth.
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January 19, 2013
Mike HicksWe appear to be headed for a government shutdown as our leaders in Washington, D.C., find themselves at an impasse on the
largest question facing the nation: how to cut spending.
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January 12, 2013
Mike HicksThe Great Recession wasn’t caused by a housing market collapse; it was more than that. Our economic unwinding required
lots of failures.
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January 5, 2013
Mike HicksIt was clear the poison pill of the fiscal cliff required too much courage for our “leaders” in Washington. So,
we will have what, at first blush, appears to be the worst possible compromise.
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December 29, 2012
Mike HicksNo matter your politics, you must admit that Mitch Daniels has been the most consequential Hoosier governor in more than a
lifetime.
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The Fringe! Plus, the simple fact that there are so many local faves in such close proximity to each other.
I remenber, watching the toll road, being built, through South Bend, when I was 10 years old. I believe, back then that it was estimated, that the toll road, would be paid for in 20 years and then it would be free. I am now 71, what happened? Since the power is in the people, by that, I mean that, we the people are in total control of everything. I, suggest that no one ever use the toll road again, let it go broke. We the people can control the price of everything, from groceries to gas, if we would just do it. If we don't pay the asking price, the sellers will lower the price and if we wait awhile, they will lower the price to what we accept as reasonable. I would like to know why a highway like interstate 94, is so well maintained, a much better highway, than the toll road, but has no tolls. I would also like to know why, a sitting governor, with a term limit, maximum of eight years, can lease, public property, for 75 years. Even though I have transponders in both of my trucks and will not be affected by the increase, I have been and will contine to avoid using the toll road. I make many trips from northern Indiana to Chicago, every year, and I prefer the better highway, I94!
Coming from her background,she should be used to those kinds of advances! Menard probably figured it was ok to tuck a buck!
I'm still waiting for the list of available, high quality apartments in the Village.
This criminal masquerading as a lawyer obviously has serious issues. He’s been proven by his own testimony to be a pathological liar and probably has a personality disorder as he seems to be constructing a reality around himself. He places no value on truth, honesty or loyalty as evidenced by what he has done to his clients and his own family. And by the demands and lies he has made in court, it is evident he feels entitled to do and say whatever suits his purpose and everyone else is expected to nod obediently and believe him because he is, after all, Bill Super Lawyer; or BS lawyer for short. This millionaire wanna-be no longer owns anything of value; he squandered it and put everything he had into foreclosure. He has no money, house, car, boat or vacation home left to show for what he earned or what he stole. He’s just another loser without morals who will be doing time. I’m certain all of his courtroom shenanigans are antagonizing his poor victims. As Lamar said, his behavior and claims in court have been outrageous. The judge needs to be more than concerned; he needs to be judicial and end this nonsense.