On Wednesday August 29th, Rep, Jason Lewis hosted a round table event to discuss increasing the accountability of the Met Council. The context for the meeting was that Rep. Lewis…
Comparisons of Minnesota's and Wisconsin's economies are interesting but shouldn't be pushed too far. The states have similarities, but they have many differences, too. As yet, neither state is beating…
"I'm a billionaire. Please raise my taxes" So wrote Tom Steyer, president of the left wing advocacy organization NextGen America in an op-ed for the LA Times last year. But the U.S. Treasury…
A majority of Minnesotans from around the state appear ready to embrace the prospect of developing Minnesota's massive copper, nickel, gold, platinum, and titanium resources through expanded mining. Support for…
In the year since Sunday liquor sales were legalized in Minnesota, alcohol tax revenue has increased at an above average rate. Is this another example of how regulations can impact…
NextEra Energy is seeking to build 71 wind turbines in Dodge County, Minnesota. The turbines would have a maximum capacity of up to 170 megawatts. Each turbine will be up…
New Mexico has stopped deducting dues from union members in cases where the state is not sure if an employee has agreed to dues deduction. The state required new membership…
One Minnesotan got to know the late Senator John McCain the hard way, over more than five years of mutual confinement as fellow POWs during the Vietnam War. Naval flight…
Because of causes I can safely guess, national polling last year showed weaker support for various types of school choice than had been the case. This included charter schools (which…
This weekend the Fergus Falls Daily Journal carried an opinion piece by its editorial board titled ‘Minimum wage increase good for economy’. Sadly, both economic theory and the empirical evidence…
Minnesota’s workforce shortages are encouraging employers to reach out to a previously often-overlooked group—people with disabilities. A recent MinnPost article highlights the success of Minnesota Diversified Industries (MDI), a nonprofit…
The Duluth News Tribune ran an interesting story explaining that the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has denied a petition for another environmental review which was sought by the environmental advocacy group…
It has been nearly two months to the day since the U.S. Supreme Court decided to give all public employees a voice and choice when it comes to union membership.…
American Experiment’s newly released report on the statewide benefits of environmentally responsible mining of Minnesota’s world-class mineral resources continues to attract media attention. Over the weekend, Forum Communications newspapers all…
Two members of the Harvard Business School faculty, Joseph B. Fuller and Manjari Raman, write about a four-year degree inflation problem in a 2017 report, "Dismissed by Degrees: How Degree…
Before our legislature or local governments try anything new, or tap more taxpayers dollars, they should first analyze how state and local regulations drive the costs of building and maintaining…
Wind power capacity in the United States continued to experience strong growth in 2017. Recent and near-term additions are supported by the industry’s primary federal incentive—the production tax credit (PTC)—as…
A round-up of the last week’s economic news stories in Minnesota.
Mining opponents often talk about tourism as a "sustainable" form of economic activity. However, based on the fact that the population of Upper Michigan continues to decline, the so-called "sustainable…
Fifty years ago this week the Soviet Union invaded Czechoslovakia to crush a pro-democracy political movement. Five days later, protesters gathered in Chicago to demonstrate at the Democratic convention there.…
Both Minnesota and Michigan have rich traditions of mining. Iron mines operate in both states, and both have significant reserves of copper and nickel. However, Michigan is mining these resources,…
Good jobs in the skilled trades are going begging because students are almost universally being steered towards bachelor’s degrees. So what is going on here? Why are kids stepping over…
The election of six outsiders to the Minneapolis Park Board last fall was supposed to change everything. MinnPost summed it up this way when the new commissioners took office this year.…
Let the record show I’m as excited as anyone free of all musical training that this coming Saturday (August 25) is the centennial of Leonard Bernstein’s birth. Classical MPR, especially,…