This important post discusses the link between climate change and increased plastics production via the creation of a Plastics Belt in the former Rust Belt, using natural gas derived from fracking.
Monday, June 16, 2025
Brexit: Even More Noise in the Signal
Rumors of Brexit progress seem to be greatly exaggerated.
Mortality Risk, Valuing Lives, and the Impact on Health Care
The way economists think about the value of lives influences health care policy, and some of their ideas may be producing bad outcomes.
Reader Query: Date for November Birmingham Meetup; Possible Fort Lauderdale Meetup in December
Seeking reader input on some meetup possibilities.
Plastic Watch: Five Flaws in the EU’s Single-Use Plastics Plan
Plastic Watch: The European Parliament recently approved a plan that will ban outright certain single-use plastics. Alas, these measures fall far short of what’s necessary, both in timing and scope, to address the burgeoning plastic crisis. And they would only apply to the EU.
Market Failure in Kidney Exchange
Within the US, the majority of kidney exchanges continue to be performed within hospitals, suggesting a fragmented market that comes at a large efficiency cost. National platforms may need to be redesigned to encourage full participation, with reimbursement reform.
What General Electric Is Doing to Dodge the Question: “When Will GE File for Bankruptcy?”
A detailed look at GE’s fall from financial grace.
Erasing Economics and Economic Policy from Politics: The Race and Xenophobia Sideshow
More and more economic studies find that inequality hurts growth. Adolph Reed discusses why politicians focus on divisive messaging rather than broad-based economic policies.
2:00PM Water Cooler 11/2/2018
Today’s Water Cooler: Trade deficits, China and IP, Trump, Warren, mid-terms handicapping, GA governor, employment, manufacturing, Goldman Sachs and 1MDB, Medicaid expansion, the local press, Google protest, UPS strike, resetting clocks
Publishing and Promotion in Economics: The Tyranny of the Top Five
One of the reasons little has changed in economics despite the financial criss showing it to be deeply flawed is the power of the “top five” journals, which show both inbreeding and clientelism.
Big Money—Not Political Tribalism—Drives US Elections
Conventional wisdom asserts that American politics is becoming more and more tribal. But the chiefs of the tribes share a lot in common: dependence on big money.
Quick Thoughts on the Google Walkout
What the Google walkout says about the company’s management and the Silicon Valley view of employee rights.
