HICKS: College diplomas are worthless, but education priceless
This week, students are arriving at my university and others. I believe this is a good time to say something both provocative and nuanced: A college diploma is virtually worthless.
Economic Analysis
Articles
U.S. economic recovery weakest since World War II
The recession that ended three years ago this summer has been followed by the feeblest economic recovery since the Great Depression. Growth has never been weaker in a postwar recovery. Consumer spending has never been so slack. Only once has job growth been slower.
HICKS: All this clucking over chicken reveals fallacies
The hullabaloo over gay marriage and Chick-fil-A exposes three astonishing falsehoods of modern political economy that distract us from weightier issues.
HICKS: Reflecting on a half century of economic growth
This summer marks the 50th year of Walmart, America’s manned space exploration and—youthful appearances notwithstanding—your columnist.
HICKS: Short-term fixes unlikely to ease downturn
Almost all the economic forecasts that appear monthly or quarterly have been revised downward, some for the third time. And the smallest tidbit of good news dominates the news cycles without moving financial markets
HICKS: Job creation, destruction not mutually exclusive
I am always saddened and more than a bit disappointed when I hear politicians promise to create jobs.
HICKS: To tax or spend? That is the question for government
There is a great (and vituperative) disagreement on government’s role in stabilizing a recession.
HICKS: Smart cuts won’t hit all government workers
Few governments, and none in Indiana, can now afford to continue doing things the private sector does.
HICKS: EU crisis makes bad U.S. job market look good
Make no mistake: 150,000 new jobs ain’t good news.
HICKS: Here’s hoping for taxes for all Americans in 2013
I believe we ought to raise taxes to finally end the soothing falsehoods that surround our tax policy—especially what are called the Bush tax cuts.
HICKS: Fathers influence the personal discount rate
It is quite easy to do things when young and inexperienced that severely limit one’s long-run options.
HICKS: Failure of public unions is good for country
This week’s recall vote in Wisconsin has been heralded by many observers as a forecast of the presidential election. I think they are wrong. It is far more consequential.
HICKS: UL model could fix financial regulation morass
We need a compromise that preserves innovation and mitigates the tendency for the sort of moral hazard that fueled the last recession.
HICKS: Lasting meaningful change requires patience, fortitude
This new birth of freedom is the largest in human history, and only a handful of truly totalitarian states still linger today.
HICKS: Policy choice boils down to austerity or austerity
The plain reality is clear: Austerity is coming to Europe, either as a planned and thoughtful exercise or through fiscal ruin.
HICKS: European recession likely to affect U.S. economy, too
As disparate facts, the economic conditions in Europe and the United States are disconcerting. Taken together, they are frightening.
HICKS: Debate rages on about role of Federal Reserve
The Employment Act of 1946 essentially required the Federal Reserve to do two mutually exclusive things: promote full employment and keep inflation low.
HICKS: Finding freedom through ‘The Hunger Games’
What has kept me in a three-week state of shock is the message about values our kids are getting from this work.
HICKS: Spending, debt influence long-run growth
But it is only during the depths of this type of recession (perhaps two in a lifetime) that the disagreement among economists is so sharp.
HICKS: Accounting mistakes and local government reform
The $206 million in late payments is about half the total tax revenue our state’s woefully mismanaged townships kept sitting in the bank over the past several years.