MedWorm provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest medical blog items that have been tagged with 'downsizing'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 02:33:37 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5159915&cid=t_272770_180_f&fid=38604&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fmakeitgreat%2F%7E3%2FJwvsb50URNk%2F In these crazy times, many businesses are having to downsize their business in order to survive. While that’s necessary, you also likely want to do it the right way. In an article over at Business on Main, there are 6 big mistakes businesses make when they do the downsizing. 1) Underestimating the severity and length of an economic downturn 2) Implementing across-the-board cuts 3) Communicating too infrequently 4) Failing to handle layoffs with caring 5) Hoarding inventory 6) Failing to demonstrate how cost-cutting hurts you more than it does your employees Want a $50 Amazon gift card? Read the article at Business on Main, then come back here and share YOUR biggest downsizing mistake a business can make. It could be something your business did, or something you’ve heard about, or so... Phil Gerbyshak blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5159915 Mon, 22 Aug 2011 16:01:57 +0100 5159915 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5139695&cid=t_272770_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FOehssZVSty8%2F By Tad DeHavenThe Washington Post’s editorial board issued a challenge to the president and his Republican opponents: “show us your plans” for deficit reduction. In fact, the Post says it would be “delighted” to receive plans from its readers. However, the Post isn’t interested in “meaningless promises” to cut “waste, fraud, and abuse”—it wants specifics: Here’s what we’re not looking for: pablum about eliminating unnecessary spending without identifying where. Gauzy rhetoric about making hard choices without making them. Meaningless promises about eliminating waste, fraud and abuse. Broad assertions about where to find the money — “Medicare savings,” “tax reform” — without specifics. Arbitrary spending caps without accompanying details about how those... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5139695 Tue, 16 Aug 2011 21:16:31 +0100 5139695 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5077654&cid=t_272770_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FGVNLZMp-uPk%2F By Tad DeHavenOver at Downsizing the Federal Government, we focused on the following issues this past week: If it is true that a failure to increase the debt limit on August 2nd has the potential to bring about economic Armageddon, shouldn’t we be asking ourselves if it’s a good idea to allow the political class in Washington to continue to collectively play God with our lives? The ratchet effect: agriculture edition. Chris Edwards testifies to the Senate Finance Committee on federal spending and debt. These are the times that try budget analysts’ souls—especially budget analysts who’d like to see Washington dramatically cut spending. House Speaker John Boehner’s first budget plan wouldn’t have cut spending. His new plan won’t cut spending either. Chris Edwards... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5077654 Fri, 29 Jul 2011 18:51:00 +0100 5077654 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5057713&cid=t_272770_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2Fh5njg4-TRIw%2F If it is true that a failure to increase the debt limit on August 2nd has the potential to bring about economic Armageddon, shouldn’t we be asking ourselves if it’s a good idea to allow the political class in Washington to continue collectively play God with our lives? After all, these people are fallible human beings. In a similar vein, Sheldon Richman reminds us of what government really is in a new column on the issue of federal debt. I like Richman’s statement because one need not be a hardcore libertarian to appreciate the message: Government is not some higher super-competent entity like the man pretending to be the Wizard of Oz wanted the people to think he was. It’s a coercive organization of limited, flawed, and essentially ignorant men and women who, having been anointed ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5057713 Fri, 22 Jul 2011 19:03:16 +0100 5057713 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5036219&cid=t_272770_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F-sTuIxycJF0%2F By Tad DeHavenOver at Downsizing the Federal Government, we focused on the following issues this past week: People here in Washington are now considering military spending cuts that they thought strategically unwise and politically impossible just a few years ago. And conservatives are joining in. Federally funded spaceflight is the quintessential neoconservative project: a giant, wasteful crusade designed to fill Americans’ supposedly empty lives with meaning. The Obama administration wants to send bureaucrats from federal agencies that are notorious for wasting other people’s money to help local bureaucrats do a more “efficient” job of spending other people’s money. President Obama’s Fiscal Commission handed Republicans ready-made spending cuts on a silver platter — R... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5036219 Fri, 15 Jul 2011 20:06:46 +0100 5036219 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4975846&cid=t_272770_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FI7c-rTbplTw%2F By Chris EdwardsIn the Washington Post Friday, Ezra Klein partly confirmed what I fear the Republican strategy is for the debt-limit bill—get to the $2 trillion in cuts promised through accounting gimmicks. As I have also noted, Klein says that there is about $1 trillion in budget “savings” ($1.4 trillion with interest) to be found simply in the inflated Congressional Budget Office baseline for Iraq and Afghanistan. Klein says, “I’m told that a big chunk of these savings were included in the debt-ceiling deal” that Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA) and Sen. Jon Kyl (D-AZ) are negotiating with the Democrats. Republican leaders have promised that spending cuts in the debt-limit deal must be at least as large as the debt-limit increase, which means $2 trillion if the debt-limit is extended ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4975846 Mon, 27 Jun 2011 12:52:43 +0100 4975846 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4921386&cid=t_272770_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FcLLTPo1HjH8%2F By Tad DeHavenOver at Downsizing the Federal Government, we focused on the following issues this week: If we are ever to get our budgetary house in order by limiting the size and scope of government, central planning bureaucracies like the Economic Development Administration have to (finally) go. Firefighting is a purely local concern and should be funded by those who benefit from a local fire department’s services — not federal taxpayers. House Republicans say that they will not support a debt increase unless the Democrats agree to equal-sized spending cuts. The crucial question is: Will the proposed budget savings be real cuts or smoke-and-mirrors “cuts”? The U.S. Postal Service’s problems: the response thus far from Congress couldn’t be more typical: a c... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4921386 Fri, 10 Jun 2011 17:31:20 +0100 4921386 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4921393&cid=t_272770_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FPTxrRugA624%2F By Tad DeHavenThe Department of Labor has been added to Cato’s Downsizing Government website. Proposed spending cuts are $143 billion. The following essays examine the department’s activities: Failures of Unemployment Insurance. The UI system is costly to taxpayers and creates numerous economic distortions. Federal involvement should be ended and the states left free to design their own systems. Employment and Training Programs. Federal programs for unemployed workers have never worked very well, are relatively little used, and are unneeded in today’s economy because private markets provide many alternatives. Reforming Labor Union Laws. Federal union laws that mandate exclusive representation, union security, and prevailing wages are costly to the economy and restrict indivi... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4921393 Thu, 09 Jun 2011 17:17:19 +0100 4921393 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4893394&cid=t_272770_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FXw54OiQpX0Y%2F By Tad DeHavenA fierce storm from Mother Nature killed my Internet connection last Friday (I didn’t see any black helicopters, so I’m assuming it was her). Therefore, the following are issues we focused on over the last two weeks at Downsizing the Federal Government: Federal employees enjoy benefits that aren’t available to most private sector workers. A bottom-up approach to transportation policy would save taxpayers money and increase mobility. Trims to discretionary agriculture programs leads one congressman to channel his inner Harold Camping. Education policy: the Obama administration wants a race to the cradle. Only six other Republicans voted for Sen. Rand Paul’s plan to balance the budget in five years through spending cuts. Two key House Republicans want to ha... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4893394 Fri, 03 Jun 2011 16:09:45 +0100 4893394 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4820814&cid=t_272770_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FkYFsphM7KXE%2F By Jim HarperAn insert that ran in the Washington Times this week didn’t say directly that the Federal Trade Commission’s budget should be cut. But a few short steps get you there. The FTC-produced insert—a 16-page, color brochure appearing in a number of papers—is titled: “Living Life Online.” It’s aimed at teaching children how to use the Internet, with articles titled: “Sharing Well With Others” and “Minding Your Manners.” An ad on the back points kids to an FTC Web site about advertising called Admongo.gov, and little smart-phone insets contain factoids like: DID YOU KNOW? Teens text 50 messages a day on average, five times more than the typical adult (who sends or receives 10 text messages a day). Well, I have some fact... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4820814 Fri, 13 May 2011 18:05:41 +0100 4820814 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4813252&cid=t_272770_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2Fsz2DdYdus4o%2F By Chris EdwardsHouse Speaker John Boehner has promised to tie substantial spending cuts to upcoming debt-limit legislation. He said spending cuts will have to be at least as large as the dollar value of the allowed debt increase. Thus, if the legislation increased the legal debt limit by $2 trillion, then Congress would have to cut spending over time by at least $2 trillion. How can we be sure that spending cuts are real? There are only two types of solid and tough-to-reverse spending cuts—legislated changes to reduce entitlement benefit levels and complete termination of discretionary programs. Republicans will have to define what time period they are talking about, but let’s assume it’s the standard 10-year budget window. Entitlements: The legislation, for example, could change t... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4813252 Wed, 11 May 2011 14:38:49 +0100 4813252 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4794841&cid=t_272770_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2Fa-mo2hugaVM%2F By Chris EdwardsTad DeHaven has gone fishing with his dad, so I’ve got weekly wrap-up duties. We focused on the following issues at Downsizing the Federal Government this week: Randal O’Toole talks high-speed trains. Tad says that he’s “hot and bothered” by politics on Capitol Hill. Tad compares budgeting in 1995 and 2011. Dan Griswold describes the idiocy of federal sugar policies. I discuss fiscal policy and royal weddings. Obama is talking corporate tax cuts and Republicans are talking spending cuts. I’ve got a great idea for a bipartisan deal! To close out, Tad would usually say something tech-savvy such as ”follow Downsizing the Federal Government on Twitter (@DownsizeTheFeds) and connect with us on Facebook.” This Week in Gov... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4794841 Fri, 06 May 2011 21:03:05 +0100 4794841 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4343114&cid=t_272770_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F0ud79KYaN3E%2F By Tad DeHavenRep. Kevin Brady (R-TX) has introduced the Cut Unsustainable and Top-heavy Spending Act, which would cut spending by $44 billion annually.  Brady’s effort moves in the right direction but it is a very modest fiscal reform effort. The legislation, which Brady calls a “down payment on getting America’s financial books in order,” chooses targets that have already been proposed by the Obama administration or the president’s Fiscal Commission. Therefore, the proposal should have bipartisan appeal. For example, Brady’s bill would cut Pentagon spending and eliminate subsidies to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Many of the targets represent “house cleaning cuts” that would reduce spending on bureaucratic activities such as printing and federal travel. Th... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4343114 Thu, 13 Jan 2011 14:59:32 +0100 4343114 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4302114&cid=t_272770_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FO1kunrj7FdM%2F By Tad DeHavenOver at Downsizing Government, we focused on the following issues this week: A high priority for the new Congress should be to privatize the Federal Aviation Administration. It seems clear that allowing the private sector to play a greater role in space is ideal, especially given NASA’s history of fiscal mismanagement. Earmarking is a symptom of the problem. The problem is the existence of programs that enable the federal government to spend money on parochial activities. The Beltway class will be starting the New Year off in better shape than the rest of the country. Thank you to everyone who has helped make the Downsizing Government website a success this year. Now it’s time to get cocked, locked, and ready to rock with the new Congress. This Week in Government Fa... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4302114 Fri, 31 Dec 2010 17:00:06 +0100 4302114 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4277821&cid=t_272770_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FDsGNvjhhtfs%2F By Chris EdwardsWho said: “A government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we’ll ever see on this earth.”? As political junkies know, that was Ronald Reagan at the 1964 Republican convention. The Internet attributes other similar quips to Reagan. Reagan apparently borrowed the idea from Senator James F. Byrnes, who stated on the floor of the Senate in 1933: “The nearest earthly approach to immortality is a bureau of the federal government.” My source is “Reorganization of Federal Administrative Agencies,” Congressional Quarterly, September 17, 1933. The article is a reminder that concerns about government waste, duplication, overlap, and inefficiency certainly did not start with Reagan. Government failure has been around a long time. T... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4277821 Tue, 21 Dec 2010 15:58:11 +0100 4277821 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4265674&cid=t_272770_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2Fng2h55ZAf2I%2F By Tad DeHavenOver at Downsizing Government, we focused on the following issues this week: Downsizing Government was featured on C-SPAN. Unfortunately, because government has come to dominate road construction, most citizens probably don’t stop to consider that the private sector can provide superior alternatives. Evidence that higher education subsidies are counterproductive handouts. The omnibus abomination makes it easy to understand why Congress’s approval rating is at a new low. The United States is #1!  We now have the highest corporate tax rate among the 34 wealthy nations of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. This Week in Government Failure is a post from Cato @ Liberty - Cato Institute Blog (Source: Cato-at-liberty) Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4265674 Fri, 17 Dec 2010 21:16:44 +0100 4265674 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4219729&cid=t_272770_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F2s4Lbn3TW1Q%2F By Chris EdwardsPresident Obama’s Fiscal Commission has produced a serious and sobering analysis of the government’s budget mess, and it provides some of the needed solutions. Three of the report’s main themes are on target: the need to make government leaner, the need to cut business taxes to generate economic growth, and the need to impose tighter budget rules to discipline spending. The report rejects the view of many Democratic leaders that the welfare state built over the last 80 years must be defended against any and all budget cuts. “Every aspect of the discretionary budget must be scrutinized, no agency can be off limits, and no program that spends too much or achieves too little can be spared. The federal government can and must adapt to the 21st century by transforming it... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4219729 Wed, 01 Dec 2010 17:03:31 +0100 4219729 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4219734&cid=t_272770_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FiA6aPbmuWSk%2F By Tad DeHavenAn indicator of the incoming House Republican majority’s seriousness about cutting spending will be which members the party selects to head the various committees. Many of the members in line to chair committees leave a lot to be desired from a limited government perspective (see here and here). In particular, the top candidates in line to chair the critical House Appropriations Committee, Reps. Jerry Lewis (R-Calif.) and Hal Rogers (R-Ky.), are about as inspiring as re-heated meatloaf when it comes to their potential for pushing serious spending reforms. According to the Wall Street Journal, appropriator Jack Kingston (R-Ga.), is eyeing the chairman’s gavel even though he’s only fifth in line in terms of seniority. Kingston has put together a spending restraint plan in... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4219734 Wed, 01 Dec 2010 15:35:10 +0100 4219734 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4197029&cid=t_272770_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FGalXpr4ytMs%2F By Caleb O. BrownThe U.S. military has an important purpose, protecting Americans, but that purpose has been distorted over the years. Here are five military spending cuts Congress and the President can make today while they undertake the harder task of rethinking the true purpose of the military and then restraining its use. These recommendations are derived from the report, “Budgetary Savings from Military Restraint.” Five Ways to Cut Military Spending Today is a post from Cato @ Liberty - Cato Institute Blog (Source: Cato-at-liberty) Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4197029 Tue, 23 Nov 2010 22:38:27 +0100 4197029 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4183278&cid=t_272770_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FVMUqw1ytzXI%2F By Tad DeHavenOver at Downsizing Government, we focused on the following issues this week: For its final report, Obama’s fiscal commission’s staff might look to Clinton’s budgets for guidance. The U.S. Postal Service announces a net loss of $8.5 billion for fiscal 2010. A new Cato policy analysis eviscerates the “one industry [that] has unquestionably been socialistic for decades: urban transit.” Benjamin Franklin wrote that “in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” Were he alive today, Franklin might add to the list corruption in federal housing programs. The president who has brought us regime uncertainty, more regulations, more government intrusion into the economy, more debt, and is proposing to raise taxes on productive businesses ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4183278 Fri, 19 Nov 2010 21:11:12 +0100 4183278 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3946436&cid=t_272770_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F8wHrhHm0tF4%2F By Tad DeHavenThat’s the question I ask today over at Downsizing Government. President Obama wants to take the country $50 billion deeper into debt in order to finance more public infrastructure projects. I argue that policymakers should instead give the private sector a chance to satisfy our transportation needs. (Source: Cato-at-liberty) Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3946436 Wed, 08 Sep 2010 18:50:55 +0100 3946436 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3929456&cid=t_272770_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F42zlgBn4aiI%2F After a summer filled with demonstrations and threats from employees to stage walkouts, Merck has decided to postpon the planned closure of some of its operations in the Netherlands while talks are held with on potential alternatives, including a sale of the R&D site, Reuters reports. The last-minute deal avoids a court hearing scheduled fo today at which employees hoped to block the closures. The downsizing, which involved closing three sites employing more than 2,100 people, was actually part of the large layoffs planned by Merck after purchasing Schering-Plough, which had previously acquired Organon (see this). Last month, Organon employees announced that, every day at noon, five workers at the R&D facility in Oss would leave their desks and labs, and walk to Oss town hall to ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3929456 Thu, 02 Sep 2010 12:32:04 +0100 3929456 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3911682&cid=t_272770_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2Fgegt-QZ3Lak%2F By Tad DeHavenOver at Downsizing Government, we focused on the following issues this week: If federal policymakers won’t reverse course on high-speed rail, let’s hope state policymakers step up to squelch this budding boondoggle before it’s too late. Joe Biden demonstrates the arrogance of the political class, which at its core believes that free individuals are incapable of making the “right” decision without the guiding hand of the state. Short-term measures implemented by policymakers to “fix” the economy have also introduced unwelcome economic distortions. The Interior Department’s Minerals Management Service was “captured” by the industry it regulated. Not the first example of regulatory capture; won’t be the last. Alaska’s Manufacturing Extens... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3911682 Fri, 27 Aug 2010 18:18:20 +0100 3911682 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3862191&cid=t_272770_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FKK5yNTLczZI%2F Here’s a novel way to protest layoffs. Every day at noon, five employees at the Organon R&D facility in Oss, which is in The Netherlands, leave their desks and labs, and walk to Oss town hall to complain about the planned elimination of 2,175 jobs. The downsizing is actually part of the large layoffs planned by Merck, which bought Schering-Plough, which had acquired Organon (see here). The Organon employees call this a relay demonstration, according to The Dutch News. So far 250 employees have volunteered and the protest is expected to continue for months. Do the math and you can understand why it will take that long. The move follows a recent public march by employees, during which economist Arnold Heertje described the layoffs as “a horrible excrescence of finance capita... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3862191 Thu, 12 Aug 2010 12:08:26 +0100 3862191 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3831338&cid=t_272770_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FXS85cOiCa8A%2F By Tad DeHavenOver at Downsizing Government, we focused on the following issues this week: You know that California city that recently made national headlines because local government officials were collecting massive six-figure salaries?  It turns out that the city has received millions of dollars in federal subsidies over the past five years. Money-losing Amtrak plans to purchase 130 rail cars for its money-losing trains. Ah, government rail. Voters who are expecting a new Republican congressional majority to downsize government might not want to hold their breath. Federal highway financing and control should be devolved to the states and, even better, the private sector. The latest federal bailout isn’t about “America’s children” as White House demagogues claim... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3831338 Fri, 06 Aug 2010 21:34:43 +0100 3831338 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3740568&cid=t_272770_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fminimalist-living-could-you-live-like-this%2F photo via Treehugger It’d be handy to tote around all your belongings wherever you went, but could you downsize everything you own to fit into this small canvas tent? That’s what Lehman B, a self-proclaimed “do-tank,” has done with his miniature camper called Supertramp. His home is attached to a bike, so he can change locations, and it includes a bed and a wood-burning stove. Ignoring the obvious fire hazard, would you be able to live like this? Let us know by taking our poll, below. #MicroPollDiv_264943 { width: 250px; margin: 0px auto; } via Treehugger Post from: BlissTree Minimalist Living: Could You Live Like This? (Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3) Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3740568 Fri, 09 Jul 2010 20:03:23 +0100 3740568 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3714159&cid=t_272770_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FDblRtrFfGiQ%2F By Chris EdwardsI testified to President Obama’s National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform today on Capitol Hill. The Commission is tasked with creating a package of specific budget reforms by December to be considered by the House and Senate. I suggested that the Commission propose cuts to Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, farm subsidies, transportation subsidies, education subsidies, aid to the states, and many other activities. Fiscal responsibility is pretty easy really–you just need to cut programs. I advised Commission members to study the recommendations on www.downsizinggovernment.org. And I said that other countries have ditched farm subsidies and privatized Social Security, so why the heck can’t we? My written testimony is here. The hearing... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3714159 Wed, 30 Jun 2010 20:15:29 +0100 3714159 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3699473&cid=t_272770_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F3qZyaEAf5VQ%2F By Tad DeHavenOver at Downsizing Government, we focused on the following issues this week: Why a taxpayer gift to a wealthy Indian tribe in Connecticut isn’t any more egregious than the billions of dollars of other subsidies handed out by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Protectionism at the Department of Commerce is helping 200 workers at an ironing board manufacturing plant in Indiana. However, it’s hurting millions of U.S. consumers by forcing them to pay higher prices for ironing boards. Pigs still can’t fly: More concerns for the Federal Aviation Administration’s next-generation air traffic control system. The evidence is more than anecdotal: Businesses are reluctant to invest or hire because they’re concerned that the president’s big government agenda ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3699473 Fri, 25 Jun 2010 19:57:11 +0100 3699473 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3501516&cid=t_272770_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FTIXNer0Qox8%2F By Chris EdwardsThe Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis recently held a conference on state and local government finances. I presented a paper discussing four reforms for state and local governments to consider: abolishing corporate income taxes, privatizing government activities, cutting public-sector compensation, and reforming public-sector labor laws. Those may seem like disparate policy ideas, but the common theme is that governments need to be smaller, more efficient, and more flexible if America is to prosper in an age of intense global competition. (Source: Cato-at-liberty) Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3501516 Fri, 23 Apr 2010 21:32:10 +0100 3501516 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3501518&cid=t_272770_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2Fz2wlV-hUZQM%2F By Tad DeHavenOver at Downsizing Government, we focused on the following issues this week: You wouldn’t know it based on comments from members of Congress, but the U.S. Postal Service has a serious union problem. Food stamp cost and usage are at record highs. And no, it’s not good for the economy. When it comes to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, President Obama has amnesia. The federal government has more food subsidy programs than Tiger Woods had girlfriends. There’s not much difference between Sen. Kent Conrad’s budget proposal and the president’s. Both would continue the massive spending, deficits, and debt that are bankrupting the country. (Source: Cato-at-liberty) Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3501518 Fri, 23 Apr 2010 17:51:35 +0100 3501518 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3385342&cid=t_272770_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FPxFN6kLKF44%2F By Chris EdwardsAs an opponent of government growth, I’m interested in what we can learn from history to help us reverse the trend going forward. We need to understand the mechanisms of government growth if we are to combat the disease. In a new Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis article, Thomas Garrett and coauthors provide a useful overview of explanations for the federal government’s historical growth. They note that while the economic depression of the 1930s helped boost the size of the government, the severe recession of the 1890s did not do so. What was the difference between the 1890s and the 1930s? The authors identify a number of factors that paved the way for sustained federal growth beginning in the 1930s: Path Dependency. Governments have inertia such that once a program i... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3385342 Fri, 19 Mar 2010 19:14:20 +0100 3385342 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3382794&cid=t_272770_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F_NvvN2Hrm1U%2F By Tad DeHavenOver at Downsizing Government, we focused on the following issues this week: Another day, another cost overrun at the Pentagon. This time it’s the Joint Strike Fighter. Office of Personnel Management director John Berry has a hissy fit over Cato shining a light on excessive wages and benefits for government employees at a time when the private sector is bleeding jobs. Nationalizing federal higher education subsidies is still a loser for taxpayers.  The best solution is to get rid of them altogether. Sugar subsidies aren’t so sweet for consumers and manufacturers who use it in their products. The only way to stop ACORN from getting taxpayer money is to kill the programs that fund it. Greece is turning to privatization to help solve its debt problems. The U.S. sho... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3382794 Fri, 19 Mar 2010 17:32:55 +0100 3382794 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3331275&cid=t_272770_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2Fu3lFBBg7i2M%2F By Chris Edwards1. Additional federal spending transfers resources from the more productive private sector to the less productive public sector of the economy. The bulk of federal spending goes toward subsidies and benefit payments, which generally do not enhance economic productivity. With lower productivity, average American incomes will fall. 2. As federal spending rises, it creates pressure to raise taxes now and in the future. Higher taxes reduce incentives for productive activities such as working, saving, investing, and starting businesses. Higher taxes also increase incentives to engage in unproductive activities such as tax avoidance. 3. Much federal spending is wasteful and many federal programs are mismanaged. Cost overruns, fraud and abuse, and other bureaucratic failures are e... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3331275 Wed, 03 Mar 2010 19:34:12 +0100 3331275 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3314618&cid=t_272770_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FbgAGm061cqg%2F By Tad DeHavenOver at Downsizing Government, we focused on the following issues this week: The two most recent first quarter deficits have been about $100 billion higher than the average annual deficits run from 2002 to 2008. Utah legislators call for fiscal federalism. Small businesses are citing government as the problem, but the media ignores the story. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac should be put in the budget, and then privatized. The Economic Development Administration, National Association of Development Organizations, and the Appropriations Committees aren’t exactly taxpayer-friendly. (Source: Cato-at-liberty) Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3314618 Fri, 26 Feb 2010 19:05:46 +0100 3314618 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2992654&cid=t_272770_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FSbYiyF-YLk4%2F Over at Downsizing Government, we focused on failures in the following departments and agencies this week: Export-Import Bank: Call it the “Boeing Bank” HUD: Federal Housing Administration woes continue and housing subsidies for the dead Transportation: High-speed rail lobbyists squabble over taxpayer loot Also, in addition to losing more money, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac lose their inspector general. (Source: Cato-at-liberty) Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2992654 Fri, 13 Nov 2009 20:28:19 +0100 2992654 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2943764&cid=t_272770_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2Fc_AVM17vP68%2F The bad news this morning on the impact of both the federal stimulus and the Cash for Clunkers program should not come as a surprise to anyone who has paid attention to the history of government intervention in the economy. New data that the jobs created by the stimulus have been overstated by thousands is compelling, but it’s really a secondary issue. The primary issue is that the government cannot “create” anything without hurting something else. To “create” jobs, the government must first extract wealth from the economy via taxation, or raise the money by issuing debt. Regardless of whether the burden is borne by present or future taxpayers, the result is the same: job creation and economic growth are inhibited. At the same time the government is taking und... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2943764 Thu, 29 Oct 2009 19:05:37 +0100 2943764 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2865648&cid=t_272770_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FOU8VBlIASEw%2F Did you know that the average American family spends $1,000 each year on the U.S. Department of Agriculture, whether or not it consumes that agency’s services?  Or that the federal government annually spends $1,500 per household on net interest costs alone? In an ongoing effort to shed light on runaway government spending and expose wasteful government programs, Cato launched a new Web site today that examines the federal budget department-by-department to see which agencies can be reformed or terminated. DownsizingGovernment.org describes which programs are wasteful, damaging and obsolete in an era of trillion-dollar deficits. The research exposes that many public outlays—though vigorously defended by the politicians who created them and the constituencies they purport to help... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2865648 Mon, 05 Oct 2009 18:59:26 +0100 2865648 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2634698&cid=t_272770_180_f&fid=38610&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.productivity501.com%2Fdont-depend-on-your-job%2F4873%2F I see a lot of people who become overly dependent upon their job. This isn’t surprising and it’s very easy to do–particularly with highly motivated performance oriented individuals. However, if your entire identity, self-worth and financial resources are tied up in your job, you are setting yourself up for catastrophe. I’m not saying you shouldn’t be proud of your work or enjoy your job, but I am saying that you shouldn’t let yourself get blinded to all these economic realities. No matter how good you think you are, you can be replaced. This is true now more than ever. In fact, if you are an extremely high performer and are being paid commensurate with your capabilities, your salary may be viewed as a large expense and make you an even more likely candi... Productivity501 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2634698 Thu, 23 Jul 2009 20:00:16 +0100 2634698 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2414899&cid=t_272770_111_f&fid=36048&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAHeartyLife%2F%7E3%2FcclAKrw4rtI%2F As if losing your job isn’t bad enough, new research says serious illness can often follow. The stress of unemployment can bring on heart disease, stroke, and even diabetes. According to one source, “Among those who lost their job through no fault of their own because their workplace relocated or folded altogether, the odds of their reporting “fair or poor” health after their job loss increased by 54 per cent.” Even if an employee was in good health before their job loss, they were still likely to develop a chronic condition afterward. The study suggests that job loss involves so much more than loss of income. Things like self-esteem are also affected. Image: sxc.hu. Share and Enjoy: Post from: Blisstree Bad Health Follows Job Loss (Source: A ... A Hearty Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2414899 Sat, 16 May 2009 11:22:52 +0100 2414899