HICKS: To spend or cut taxes, that is the question
The stimulus and array of bailouts have thus far done little to boost the economy. Neither is there good evidence they kept
things from getting worse.
Economic Analysis
Articles
HICKS: A modest proposal: The SUN tax of 2010
The problem is that the tanning tax fails every single criterion of effective tax policy. It is narrow, easily avoided, suffers
high administrative costs, and distorts consumer and producer behavior.
HICKS: Town squares reflect forefathers’ optimism
In my line of work, I travel to many small towns. One eccentricity I indulge in on these trips is to drive around town
squares.
HICKS: Roots of recession found in homes, stocks
When the Business Cycle Dating Committee of the National Bureau of Economic Research meets later this year or next, I believe
they’ll say the recession hit bottom in June or July of 2009. Recessions end when the economy bottoms out.
HICKS: Four recommendations for your reading list
Though I am no slave to fashion, summertime is a long occasion for the reading of good books.
HICKS: Derivatives don’t deserve their scary reputation
One major part of the legislation will target derivatives. This is an arena where the financial services industry does itself
no good from a public relations sense.
HICKS: State both good, bad in human-capital game
Suppose we lived in a perfectly flat world that is a vast, featureless plain of identical square counties.
HICKS: Memorial Day puts economics in perspective
the things that determine our ultimate prosperity and happiness are not the vacillations of markets.
HICKS: State lucky to have community foundations
A good community foundation knows when there is an unmet need. After faith-based organizations, nobody is closer to understanding immediate needs better than a strong community foundation.
HICKS: Learn from Greece and live within your means
Greece will enter a generation of austerity in which its best and brightest young people will leave for Europe or America.
HICKS: Fear, not economics, drives immigration debate
Mexico is in the throes of a violent lawlessness that is spilling over into the United States. Dealing with this is neither
racist nor unconstitutional.
HICKS: Unemployment situation brings up questions
Perhaps the biggest problem is in estimating who is in and not in the formal work force. Even in good times, a surprising number of workers labor in the shadow economy, invisible to government statisticians.
HICKS: Good local governance will support schools
Reorganizing school districts is difficult, but we Hoosiers have done so before.
HICKS: Educated athletes add value to the magic
The greater truth is that what we learn from athletics might be just as important as what we learn in the classroom.
HICKS: President chooses wisely with recent donation
Why not treat charitable deductions the same way we treat most retirement savingsâ??extend the deadline until April 15?
HICKS: Health care battle won, but what about war?
The potential flaws in this bill are so enormous that to opponents of the bill it looks like planned failure, designed to usher in a national health service.
HICKS: Taxation not top factor in attracting business
Businesses care about taxes to be sure, but the availability of a pool of well-trained workers is at the forefront of most business-location decisions.
HICKS: Recession slows with costly job creation
While economists share broad agreement on a surprisingly large number of issues, the most visible discord lies in how two
groups view the causes of recession.
HICKS: Courage will be necessary to curb inflation
Inflation causes lenders to raise interest rates. Businesses slow their borrowing, produce less and require fewer workers. Within a year or so, inflation becomes everyoneâ??s problem.
HICKS: Cash-strapped cities paying for prior choices
We are making budget cuts today that could well have been slowly phased-in for a generation. What are the implications?