Bisson: The Coming ‘New Normal’
by Ken Bisson, M.D. As a retired physician I have been following the developments of the Novel Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic with interest. I think there will continue to be great disruptions to our economy for the short term. We are all becoming familiar with the obvious disruptions to our “old normal” routines. But I believe a “new normal” Read the full article…
Op-Ed: Holcomb to the Ramparts
WITH THE WUHAN VIRUS upon us we are gaining perspective on the Holcomb administration’s “leadership” style. It boils down to this: If there is the possibility of criticism, based on even the most narrow or isolated of anecdotal misfortunes, they throw principle out the window. The tenant-landlord relationship is an example. The administration, fearing an Read the full article…
The Outstater
MY FRIENDS KNOW THAT l tell these stories too often, especially in chaotic times. So I promise to keep them short on the chance they might guide those fashioning Indiana public policy today. First, the San Francisco earthquake of 1989 (also called the Loma Prieta earthquake, perhaps to avoid upsetting San Francisco realtors) caused 63 deaths, 3,800 injuries, Read the full article…
Schansberg: Virus to Test Education’s Worth
by Eric Schansberg, Ph.D. Economists talk about the “human capital” and “signaling-screening” aspects of education. The impact of the COVID-19 virus on schools and students allows us to consider these two ways in which schooling is useful for individuals and society. Human capital is the role of education in building general and specific skills. In elementary and Read the full article…
Backgrounder: The Flu and City Finance
by Jason Arp On Friday the 13th, I attended an emergency meeting of local government officials regarding the Wuhan Flu or novel coronavirus. A variety of city and county elected officials were convened for a briefing from the county health department. After an assortment of scary words, like “pandemic,” “quarantine” and “police power” were pronounced, Read the full article…
Morris: Stupidity Also Is Contagious
by Leo Morris If enough people do something utterly stupid, you have to do it, too. That’s an Immutable Law of the Indifferent Universe that I just made up at the supermarket the other day. Having completed my run at the coffee section and the bread and donut aisle, I was confronted by nearly empty Read the full article…
