Buried within Xcel Energy’s latest resource planning documents lies a dire warning about the rapidly growing presence of wind and solar energy sources on Minnesota’s electrical grid. [Appendix J of the document].…
Covid-19 and the policy responses to it tanked economies all over the world. Sen. Kamala Harris doesn't think her 'liberal' constituents know that.
There are generally two types of environmentalists, those who are pro-growth, and those who think economic growth is the problem. Pro-growth environmentalists seek to improve the lives of people living…
Despite being framed as a public health intervention, school closures are unlikely to be an effective countermeasure to COVID-19. And the consequences of continued school closures are high: long-term health,…
Regulations are necessary, but overly burdensome rules impose huge costs on the economy. In 2019 the total cost from Federal regulation on the economy was nearly $2 Trillion.
The economic downturn has exposed the shaky financial underpinnings of several Duluth city-subsidized facilities whose existence depends heavily on tourism taxes. Not only to meet payroll, but also to make…
Pro-mining DLFers in Minnesota lost an ally yesterday, as State Senator Erik Simonson lost his primary race to anti-mining political newcomer, Jen McEwen. The results of this primary, along with…
I noted previously how Minnesotans started returning to their normal lives in advance of Gov. Walz giving them his permission. It seems that it was also true that Americans started…
Generally, millennials are less wealthy compared to previous generations at their age and the shutdown has compiled on their economic hardships. For other young people (especially those just entering the…
The last time cheerleaders for the Northstar commuter train made a move to extend the massively subsidized line beyond Big Lake to St. Cloud, the 2008 Great Recession doomed their…
Last week I wrote about how converting Minnesota’s electrical grid to a combination of nearly 100 percent wind, solar, and battery storage would consume enormous quantities of copper, nickel, cobalt,…
Whether it is the ambiguity of what learning model will be used or the district's decision to begin the year without any in-person instruction, families are realizing the top-down education…
Lockdowns may have health benefits. These may, in turn, bring economic benefits. But it would be neglectful to make policy only by looking at the benefits of a measure. We…
It’s no secret the teachers’ union is a political organization using teachers’ dues to fund a decidedly leftist agenda. But the union’s political priorities are not reflective of all its…
The initial lockdown made sense as long as good use was made of the time to analyze data and formulate an effective policy. Now, though, the raw numbers do not…
Presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden has declared his opposition to the proposed Pebble Mine in Alaska, which would mine copper, molybdenum, gold, and critical rare earths elements. Biden announced his administration…
A round-up of the last week’s economic news stories in Minnesota.
Economically speaking, there is no good reason for states to keep and even expand already existing onerous occupation licenses. Multiple jobs are lost annually due to licensing laws. And this…
Covid-19 is not equally dangerous to everybody. Some are more likely to be infected than others. Of those who are, some are more likely to be hospitalized, need ICU care,…
Yesterday the Minneapolis Star Tribune featured an article discussing how Minnesota Power, an investor owned electric utility in northern Minnesota, was relieved that the state’s iron ore mines were starting…
Providers have been able to ward off the risk of permanent closure by cutting their own pay or digging into their own savings. The government handouts provided later during the…
This week the Eagan Police Department invited residents of the Twin Cities suburb to an open forum on policing. It was an effort to reach out to those with concerns…
Heather Mac Donald's fact-filled presentation on crime, race and policing was live-streamed on YouTube, but the tech giant was quick to remove the speech off its servers for "violating" the…
If Minnesota is to get on top of its Covid-19 crisis, reducing transmission between care homes by reducing shared staff seems to be an important part of the strategy.