This Week From AAI

Eeyores, Red Herrings, & The Liberal Legal Bubble

The Arkansas Project

David Kinkade proposes a toast to liberalizing liquor laws. And did you know that  Arkansas has a much later Tax Freedom day than most states? Just be glad you don't live in New York or New Jersey, where folks are working for the tax man till nearly May. Read more from The Arkansas Project.

Reducing Federal Aid Key to College Affordability

As the federal government seeks to address the skyrocketing tuition rates of postsecondary institutions, one consideration has been to expand bankruptcy eligibility so that students can escape crushing loan debt.  However, as Neal McCluskey, associate director of the Center for Educational Freedom at the Cato Institute, explains, a better solution would be for the federal government to lower aid levels.

Obamacare & the Liberal Legal Bubble

How could members of the Supreme Court possibly seriously consider the argument that ObamaCare's individual mandate to purchase health insurance is unprecedented and unconstitutional? The quality of the arguments? The presence of a genuine legal debate? No, if you ask the law's liberal cheerleaders, there can only be one answer: pure partisan politics.  Peter Suderman explains at Reason.

The Highest Taxes in the World

As of yesterday, the U.S. corporate tax rate of 39.2 percent claimed the world's top spot, edging out Japan which recently lowered its rate from 39.5 percent to 36.8 percent. (The U.S. rate includes the 35 percent federal rate plus the average rate the states add on.) That's well above the 25 percent average of other developed nations. Heritage's Curtis Dubay explains the impact on companies based in the United States.

Government Spending & Private Activity

A new paper from the National Bureau of Economic Research asks whether increases in government spending stimulate private activity.  More from the National Center for Policy Analysis.

Why Income Inequality is a Red Herring

America has done a remarkable job of closing the only gap that matters: the personal well-being gap. The difference between the basic goods available to average Americans and mega-rich folks such as Bill Gates has steadily decreased, writes Shikha Dalmia at Reason.

Ten Things We've Learned from the Trayvon Martin Tragedy

Victor David Hanson provides some insight into this tragic event at National Review.

The GOP's Healthcare Eeyores

Conservatives are meant to be optimists, yet by the mutterings attending this week's Supreme Court drama, more than a few have been eating thistles with one depressive, gray donkey. To listen to this troop, the worst thing that might happen in this election season is for the court to . . . wait for it...kill ObamaCare. Kimberly Strassel expounds at The Wall Street Journal.

Some Questions on Obamacare's Compassion for Bleeding-Heart Liberals

Slate's Dahlia Lithwick, usually a solid advocate of civil liberties against government intrusions, can't for the life of her understand what all the fuss about the loss of economic liberties due to ObamaCare is all about. Shikha Dalmia has some questions at Reason.

Sally Pipes on the Future of Health-Care Reform in America

Kathryn Jean Lopez of National Review sat down with Sally Pipes, president of the Pacific Research Institute, to discuss the future of health-care in America.

The Power of Capitalism to Eliminate Poverty

Most people paid no attention in 2000 when the United Nations proclaimed the goal of halving the number of earth's inhabitants living in extreme poverty by 2015, compared to 1990. But way ahead of schedule, writes Steve Chapman at Reason, the target has already been hit. We have capitalism to thank for that. 

The Travyon Martin Tragedies

The shooting death of Trayvon Martin in Florida has sparked national outrage, with civil rights leaders from San Francisco to Baltimore leading protests calling for a new investigation and the arrest of the shooter. But what about all the other young black murder victims? Juan Williams asks tough questions at The Wall Street Journal.

It's Not About Stand Your Ground

President Obama, Jesse Jackson, and others have chosen to personalize the shooting of Trayvon Martin in Sanford, Fla., highlighting the racial issues by expressing concern for people who look like they do or live where "blacks are under attack." Many conservatives and liberals have also already concluded that the shooter committed a crime. All of these reactions are premature. John R. Lott Jr. explains at National Review Online.