Gender Wage Gap May Be Much Smaller Than Most Think

http://www.stlouisfed.org/publications/re/articles/?id=2160&utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=SM&utm_campaign=Facebook

Daniel J. Smith
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Separation of School and State | Values & Capitalism

http://valuesandcapitalism.com/dialogue/society/separation-school-and-state?fb_action_ids=10152022774380389&fb_action_types=og.likes&fb_source=other_multiline&action_object_map=%7B%2210152022774380389%22%3A10151343905719829%7D&action_type_map=%7B%2210152022774380389%22%3A%22og.likes%22%7D&action_ref_map=%5B%5D

Daniel J. Smith
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Charles Koch: Why We Fight for Economic Freedom

http://www.newsmax.com/Headline/charles-koch-economy-freedom/2012/08/15/id/448700

Daniel J. Smith
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Will Nothing Slay the Ethanol Dragon?

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Will Nothing Slay the Ethanol Dragon?

Apparently the beast cannot be
starved to death. As the drought kills off corn by the stalk,
animal feed costs are rising, and this has a big impact on
livestock management. It’s causing ranchers to slaughter their
animals earlier than usual, increasing the supply temporarily and
actually pushing down meat prices.

Yesterday, President Barack Obama announced a plan for the
government to buy $170 million of this meat in order to keep
farmers happy by keeping the prices up. This is a terrible idea, as
the
Washington Examiner explains:

“Prices are low, farmers and ranchers need help, so it makes
sense,” Obama explained. “It makes sense for farmers who get to
sell more of their product, and it makes sense for taxpayers who
will save money because we’re getting food we would have bought
anyway at a better price.”

None of this makes sense. In fact, Obama’s move only harms
American consumers while protecting a corrupt federal program.

A drought is currently driving down corn production. The
shortage of feed is forcing livestock producers to slaughter
animals early, putting downward pressure on meat prices in the
short run and guaranteeing shortages and higher prices next year.
But nature is not the biggest factor in this crisis — the
government is. Specifically, the federal government’s ethanol
mandate, which requires that 13.2 billion gallons of corn-based
ethanol be produced in 2012.

Thanks to the ethanol mandate, more than 40 percent of the
nation’s corn crop now goes into the production of a useless fuel
that hardly anyone would buy if the government didn’t require it.
That’s up from just 17 percent in 2005, before the mandate went
into effect. Only 36 percent of the corn crop now goes for feed,
and 24 percent goes for food.

Obama could solve this problem instantly by suspending the
federal ethanol mandate — something his EPA actually can do
unilaterally and legally. Instead, Obama will buy up meat — a move
that meat producers say won’t help them much anyway. “It doesn’t
solve the problem of having enough affordable corn next summer,”
industry analyst Steve Meyer told Reuters. “Without changing the
ethanol program, nothing can be done,” he said.

Right, so the artificial purchase of the meat will keep prices
high, not low. And then next year when ranchers really start having
to pay through the nose for this year’s p…

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FSAs may Drop the “Use-it-or-Lose-It” Rule

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FSAs may Drop the “Use-it-or-Lose-It” Rule

The Treasury Department is seeking comments on whether it should eliminate or modify a rule that requires U.S. residents to use all the money in their tax-free health flexible spending accounts or forfeit the balance to their employer, National Journal reports.

Don’t tarry. Deadline is Friday. There is no reason workers should be forced to spend their Flexible Spending Account (FSA) funds in December on unnecessary purchases like prescription sunglasses rather than forfeit the money. With a tax free rollover, 35 million people would be added to the 27 million or so who already have a “use-it-or-save-it account” (Health Savings Accounts and Health Reimbursement Arrangements). So this could have a huge impact on health care markets.

Two unresolved problems: Would people be able to withdraw unused funds, pay taxes and spend the money non-health consumption? They should. Another restriction that needs to go is the rule that an unused balance in an employer FSA account precludes obtaining a Health Savings Account (HSA) because HSAs cannot coexist with other types of coverage that provide for first-dollar benefits.

HT: American Healthline.

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How Bad Are For-Profit Colleges? | The John William Pope Center for Higher Education Policy

http://www.popecenter.org/commentaries/article.html?id=2724

Daniel J. Smith
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