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    Obama Administration Plans to Spend $150 Million for Green Energy Projects (Because It’s Worked So Well Before)

    Just what America needs: More taxpayer-funded green energy projects. The Department of Energy (DOE) and the U.S. Internal Revenue Service released plans to re-allocate more than $150 million in remaining manufacturing tax credits for “green” energy projects originally authorized by the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (the stimulus bill), … More

    St. Louis Fed Report Finds Imports, Not Exports, the Lifeblood of U.S. Manufacturing

    A new report published in the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis Review provides strong evidence that the Administration’s obsessive focus on boosting exports as a way to help U.S. manufacturers is just plain wrong. The study debunks the idea that changes in either imports or exports affect growth in … More

    Japan’s Economy – What Really Matters

    Japanese gross domestic product (GDP) fell for the third straight quarter (October–December) and was essentially flat for 2012 as a whole. This continues two decades of stagnation in annual output—Japan’s annual GDP in 2012 is essentially the same as 20 years ago. Stagnation is part of what motivated new Prime … More

    Free Trade Twist: China No Longer Cheapest Labor

    As wages in China rise with economic growth, some companies are beginning to look elsewhere for what was once China’s selling point: cheap labor. It just highlights the power that free trade provides—growing economies and raising living standards. Consider that wages in China are five times greater than they were … More

    Capitalism: Making Tires Safer and Most Things Better

    Humans have been using tires since the dawn of the automotive age. But today’s tires aren’t much like their predecessors. Instead of being made with natural rubber, for example, they’re fashioned from layers of materials, including textiles and steel. This is a perfect example of what economist Joseph Schumpeter meant … More

    Morning Bell: Unions Losing in Their Last Stronghold

    This is the week that Michigan’s workers will finally be freed from forced unionization. After decades of United Auto Workers control over the struggling American auto industry, the Michigan legislature’s passing of a right-to-work law is historic. Governor Rick Snyder (R) is expected to sign the law as early as … More

    Shocker of the Year: Michigan a Right-to-Work State?

    All signs now point toward Michigan becoming America’s 24th right-to-work state by year’s end. This is good news for Michigan’s union members and unemployed. Michigan has suffered more than most states in the recession. The state still has an unemployment rate one-and-a-half percentage points above the national average. The state … More

    Commerce Department Scrutinized for Alleged Whistleblower Retaliation

    House investigators are probing allegations that a Commerce Department agency has retaliated against numerous whistleblowers who spoke out against financial mismanagement by agency officials, Scribe has learned. The allegations involve the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Manufacturing Extension Partnership (NIST MEP) program. In a September letter to Commerce’s inspector … More

    Debate 2012: Seven New Claims—True or False Quiz

    The second presidential debate was full of claims about the economy, taxes, and regulation. Many of the top 10 true and false claims made during the first debate were repeated during the second. But there were also new claims warranting a closer look. We’ve selected seven new claims in this … More

    Electric Car Batteries Going Nowhere

    Another green-energy-related company built on government subsidies is having trouble keeping its head above water. This time, the scandal surrounds Compact Power, a subsidiary of LG Chem.* In 2010, the Obama Administration proudly gave Compact Power a $150 million grant to build a vehicle battery manufacturing facility in Michigan. These … More