Outside the Beltway

As gas and oil prices rise, the pressure is increasing to tap into the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. It’s a dumb idea.

How to shave 40 percent off your grocery bill: Buy less meat!

Much like the buds starting to appear on the Cherry Blossom trees in Washington, D.C., February’s jobs report offers some signs of new life for the labor market.

At what point does the legitimate right to demonstrate cross the line into infringing on the rights of others?

Speaking before Congress yesterday, Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke debunked the assertion that the GOP’s relatively modest $61 billion spending cut package would significantly harm economic growth.

It’s not the size of your government that counts — it’s what you do with it that matters.

The privitization of Federal helium reserves is a textbook example of the damage to the nation that can be caused by imprudent budget cutting.

The most likely cuts in federal spending are likely to actually increase the deficit over time.

Moodys warns the the Republican plan to cut spending could cost the economy 700,000 jobs.

Whites make more money than non-whites throughout our food distribution system.

Google erects some much-needed defenses in the optimization arms race.

The Social Security “trust fund” may actually be worse than worthless.

The U.S. housing market is a long way from the glory days of the housing bubble, and that’s a good thing.

The continuing chaos in Libya could have a serious impact on the U.S. economy, especially if it spreads to other oil producing nations.

Federal laws designed to protect unions add yet another wrinkle to the Wisconsin standoff.

The Affordable Care Act has been ruled Constitutional in Holder v. Mead.

Since Barack Obama took office, federal taxes have been lower for pretty much everyone.

Should public schoolteachers make more money than the people paying their salaries?

Contrary to some assertions, Wisconsin public servants are not better compensated than their private sector counterparts.

Global poverty has plummeted in recent years.

Should employers be allowed to ask for your Facebook login as a condition of employment?

There really isn’t a lot of redistribution happening in the United States.

In the Middle East, protesters are marching for democracy. In the Midwest, they’re protesting against it.

Being unemployed, especially in the long term, makes it less likely to get hired.

Is the Chinese economy headed for a correction?

President Obama is telling business they have a social responsibility to invest in America. He’s wrong.

The January jobs report is, in a word, disappointing.

European subsidies have given Airbus a competitive advantage over America’s Boeing in commercial aircraft salesboein. The reverse is true on military aircraft.

How rich is the United States? Our poor are richer than the richest in India.

The post-Sputnik innovation wave was sparked by government investment, not the entrepreneurial spirit.

After years of flying people for less than it cost and trying to make it up with volume, the airlines have changed course.

The home mortgage interest deduction benefits Democrat-voting states most! Is the fix in?