Can you imagine what the lockdown would have been like without Amazon? That is the essence of free market capitalism: you make a profit by providing a good or service…
Minnesota currently has 1,019 ICU beds out of 1,222 in use with a capacity of 2,182 at 72 hours notice. The emergency phase of the Covid-19 pandemic in Minnesota, for…
“Buckle it up for a few more weeks,” Gov. Walz said, nearly 22 weeks ago. But somewhere along the line we went from 'Two weeks to flatten the curve' to…
Both ICU and non-ICU hospitalizations for Covid-19 have been flat since the start of August.
In 2015, Target's location zipcodes averaged a median income of $78,964 and Walmart Supercenters $63,488. The differing performances of the two chains illustrates the differing economic experiences of better-off and less-well-off…
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…
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…
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,…
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.
When Wisconsin's Supreme Court struck down Gov. Tony Evers’ “Safer at Home” order on May 13th, we in Minnesota were told that Sconnies would suffer. In fact, since then, Minnesota…
In the run up to the imposition of the mask mandate, much was made of how widespread support for it was, including from the business community. Is it any wonder,…
When Gov. Walz announced his five point plan to tackle the Covid-19 crisis in Minnesota's care homes, they accounted for 80% of the state's deaths from the disease. Of the…
New research from the CDC suggests that Covid-19 could have an Infection Fatality Rate in Minnesota of 0.3%.
Just because doing something is a good idea, it doesn't necessarily follow that it is a good idea for government to force people to do it. Ask yourself how, in…
Minnesota has had more Covid-19 deaths in its care homes - 1,172 - than 30 states have had in total. If we strip out care home deaths, our state is…
This op ed appeared in the Duluth News Tribune on July 18th, 2020 In May, Kris Schiffler, owner of Shady’s Hometown Tavern in Albany, Minnesota, announced he was going to…
Minnesota's graduates face a bleak economic outlook through no fault of theirs. What they need is as strong an economic recovery as possible.
Covid-19 deaths and hospitalizations are down in Minnesota, not that you'd know it from some of the state's leading media outlets.
'One Minnesota' is a smart slogan. That is all it is.
While we need to remain vigilant in the fight against this disease, the data offers no reason to either impose new measures, like a statewide mask mandate, or continue some…
Minnesota's economy weathered the first three months of 2020 better than the US as a whole, but worse than its neighbors to the south and west.
A mask mandate is likely to be widely ignored, partially enforced, and dramatically increase civilian/police interactions for minor offences just when we don't need them.
The state's much vaunted Covid-19 model has failed and we have every reason to junk it and many of the measures it has justified. This includes Gov. Walz’ emergency powers.
If current trends hold and Covid-19 ICU usage is in the region of 250-300 on July 13th when the model forecasts 3,700, we will have every reason to junk it…