BOHANON & CUROTT: Don’t blame your cell phone for law of creative destruction
The cell phone replaced all its malefactors by giving consumers a better way of satisfying their wants. Good for consumers, but bad for the producers of outdated products.
Economic Analysis
Articles
Expert: Economy inching closer to downturn as workforce constrains growth
Jeff Korzenik, chief investment officer for Fifth Third Bank, told the audience at IBJ’s 2020 Economic Forecast that employers need to investigate nontraditional sources of workers to offset the weak labor market.
BONANON & CUROTT: The dollar’s dominance has a downside
Cheap debt encourages fiscal irresponsibility—among teenage boys and politicians.
Economic growth to slow in state, Indy area in 2020, IU forecast says
The Indianapolis metro area’s growth is expected to be slightly better than statewide averages, but both local and state growth will be lower than the 2% expected nationally, the forecast says.
BOHANON & CUROTT: Republicans once again preside over big jumps in debt, deficit
On Oct. 26, the Treasury Department announced the deficit for fiscal 2019 was $984 billion, a seven-year high and a 28% increase over 2018.
BOHANON & CUROTT: Voters’ rational ignorance holds peril for all of us
In a national election, the odds of any one individual’s vote changing the outcome is close to nil.
BOHANON & CUROTT: Wealth-tax rates can be misleading
The distinction between stocks and flows is important in economic and business analysis.
New study: Opioid crisis cost U.S. economy $631B over 4 years
The biggest driver of the cost over the four-year period is unrealized lifetime earnings of those who died from the drugs, followed by health care costs.
BOHANON & CUROTT: Normal economic principles don’t jibe with NCAA rules
If a legally sanctioned private arrangement consistently relegates some “workers” to receive compensation that is much less than their marginal revenue product, expect major conflict.
BOHANON & CUROTT: The risk Bohanon would take to double his retirement
What if Bohanon had been allowed to invest his Social Security payments in common stocks?
BOHANON & CUROTT: Nordic countries aren’t actually socialist after all
The defining characteristic of socialism is collective ownership of property, particularly in productive resources of land, labor and capital.
BOHANON & CUROTT: To serve shareholders, companies must also look out for stakeholders
Shareholders vs. stakeholders? A distinction without a difference?
BOHANON & CUROTT: A region where immigrants fulfill an economic need
Even the most horrendous human tragedies can have a silver lining—that is, if government policies don’t get in the way.
BOHANON & CUROTT: Trade-war cease fire would help economy—and Trump
Could President Trump’s decision to escalate trade tensions with China cost him re-election? If history is any guide, it probably will.
BOHANON AND CUROTT: Recession can’t be predicted by single indicator
Since at least the time of John Maynard Keynes, if not earlier, economic pundits have been looking for a “golden” economic signal that predicts economic downturns.
BOHANON & CUROTT: Trade wars are not waged on level playing field
Any tariff the United States imposes on foreign imports can be offset by interventions in the currency market.
BOHANON & CUROTT: Our spiraling debt will lead to crisis
The budget deal signed into law by President Trump spotlights the federal government’s fiscal irresponsibility.
Economic diversity index puts Pennsylvania first, Indiana next to last
Bloomberg analyzed the contribution to gross domestic product by industry and government in all 50 states to create the diversity index. Indiana’s GDP is most dependent on manufacturing and least dependent on government.
BOHANON & CUROTT: Remember that increasing government benefits has a cost
Pick your poison: dysfunctional incentives for those who receive benefits or massive budget-busting programs.
BOHANON & CUROTT: Income-redistribution schemes make for dubious public policy
With more than 20 candidates for president and perhaps more in the offing, lots of wacky policy proposals to redistribute income are bound to emerge.