Publications -- Government

Apr 15, 2002

BA #393 – 401(k) Reform: Doing It the Right Way

401(k) retirement savings plans have been popular over the past three decades. However, the Enron debacle and the recent stock market slump are spurring Congress and the Bush administration to propose changes in the law. Wise reform could lead to higher returns and safer portfolios for the vast majority of workers. On the other hand, unwise reforms could induce employers to drop these plans altogether.

Apr 12, 2002

BA #392 – The Wage Gap Myth

Tuesday, April 16, 2002, is Equal Pay Day - the day on which many organizations protest wage discrimination between men and women. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median income for all women is about three-quarters that of men, although the results vary significantly among demographic groups. Feminist organizations and some politicians point to these statistics as evidence of the United States as a patriarchal society that discriminates against women. But a closer examination leads to a different conclusion.

Mar 29, 2002

BA #391 – Privatizing Defense: Britain Leads the Way

The military campaign in Afghanistan demonstrated that, among NATO countries, only Great Britain - with its small but professional military - has the capability to deploy advanced military assets to far-flung theaters of operation in support of U.S. forces. However, the British spend less on defense every year than France and about the same amount as Germany.

Mar 21, 2002

BA #390 – Breathe Easier on Asthma-Air Pollution Link

Some past studies have shown that air pollution can aggravate pre-existing lung ailments. But pollution-control advocates are mistakenly citing a study published in the February 2nd issue of The Lancet, a prestigious British medical journal, to justify ever more intrusive air pollution regulations. The study, which focused on children in southern California, reports that frequent, strenuous, outdoor exercise, combined with high levels of ozone air pollution, can more than triple children's risk of developing asthma. It is also the first work of its kind to conclude that air pollution might actually cause asthma, not just aggravate it.

Feb 19, 2002

BA #389 – Two Cheers For Bush Health Plan

Ever since Hillary Rodham Clinton's failed attempt to restructure the nation's health care system, members of Congress have been reluctant to propose any major health care reforms, sticking instead to reform by small steps.

Feb 13, 2002

BA #388 – CAFE's Three Strikes - It Should be Out

The federal Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standard was enacted during the 1975 energy crisis. It required auto manufacturers to meet certain mileage standards, measured in Miles Per Gallon (mpg), across a manufacturer's entire fleet of vehicles. CAFE was originally proposed as a means of reducing America's dependence on foreign oil.

Dec 18, 2001

BA #383 – Cleveland, School Choice and the Constitution

Since 1996, the Cleveland Scholarship and Tutoring Program has provided tax-funded vouchers that allow children from low-income families to opt out of the city's failing public schools. Teachers' unions and the education establishment have challenged the program in court, arguing that it violates the First Amendment because many voucher students attend religious schools. In 2002, the U.S. Supreme Court will rule on the Cleveland case, a decision that is expected to clarify whether it is constitutional for children to use tax-funded vouchers to attend religious schools.

Dec 18, 2001

BA #386 – S. 556: A Backdoor Attempt to Implement the Kyoto Protocol

The Clean Power Act of 2001 (S. 556) is sponsored by Sens. Jim Jeffords, Joseph Lieberman and John McCain. Its supporters say it will reduce emissions of air pollutants from the nation's power plants. However, the inclusion of carbon dioxide (CO2) as one of the "pollutants" to be reduced raises questions concerning the true goal of the bill. Regardless of any other merits of or problems with S. 556, many analysts view the inclusion of CO2 as a regulated pollutant as an attempt to placate environmental lobbyists and certain international allies and to embarrass the president by implementing the Kyoto Protocol without Senate ratification.

Dec 18, 2001

BA #387 – Two Cheers for the Commission to Strengthen Social Security

President Bush created the Commission to Strengthen Social Security in May 2001 to develop a plan to reform the nation's retirement system. The commission's final report to the White House includes three broad frameworks for reform and leaves it up to Congress and the administration to develop the details.

Dec 12, 2001

BA #384 – Tuition Tax Credits: A Model for School Choice

Parents seeking educational opportunities for their children are now finding more options available to them. Inspired largely by the success of Arizona's Tuition Tax Credit Program, a number of states are establishing tax credits to support scholarships that families may use to send their children to both public and private schools.