In his last hurrah as U.S. Secretary of Commerce, Don Evans is off to China this week to talk about, among other things, protecting intellectual property. That's an important journey because securing intellectual property rights fosters innovation, creativity and invention, which in turn push economic development and growth forward.

With his victory at the ballot box on November 2, President George W. Bush has a real opportunity to leave a substantive and positive mark on history.

Back in 1958, Congress created Subchapter S Corporations. Unfortunately, at the dawn of the twenty-first century, several states have not yet caught on to this sound business structure.

I have various telecommunications options for my home office. 

As the old saying goes, time sure flies when you're having fun. 

It's 2004, and just in case you hadn't noticed, that means we're officially in the presidential campaign season. The Iowa caucuses are just around the corner on January 19, then comes the New Hampshire primary, followed by contests in other states to determine which Democrat will square off against President George W. Bush (R) in November.

Nobody has a better product delivery system than Santa Claus.  Unfortunately, though, Santa's not about to write a `How To` book for the rest of us to follow.  Besides, in order to get gifts to all good little girls and boys around the world in one night requires a motivated team of elves, reindeer that can fly, a special sled, and apparently other supernatural or time traveling abilities.

So why does Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell and some other state politicians abhor the activity of small business?

Why exactly do various politicians - many Democrats along with some Republicans - want to wreak havoc on an industry dedicated to making sick people better? It's a bit of a mystery to me.

What ever happened to reforming Social Security?

Political analysts examine the results of elections primarily to assess how the two major parties fared. They seek to answer a straightforward question: Who won - the Democrats or the Republicans? That's expected.

I've never been a car guy.  I don't change my own oil.  In fact, when looking under the hood, I'm completely lost.  However, since the purchase of a family vehicle a few years ago, I've become rather passionate.  I am head-over-heels in love with my SUV. 

Politicians love things that sound good, no matter what the real world consequences might be.  Perhaps it's a function of making much of their livelihoods through sound bites, 30-second TV ads, and bumper stickers.

Conventional wisdom tells us that since health care has changed so dramatically since Medicare was set up in 1965, then Medicare must change as well. Specifically, the assertion is that prescription drugs played less of a role in treating patients some forty years ago, so therefore Medicare must be adjusted and expanded to cover prescription drugs today.

I'm a mail guy.  That is, I love getting mail and packages delivered to the house.  E-mail is fine too, but there's something far more enjoyable about receiving the tangible -- whether it be books, CDs or DVDs from Amazon.com, for example, a thoughtful birthday or Christmas card, or periodicals and catalogues to thumb through and read. 

The health care debate in this country has long been focused on increasing the role of government. The idea has been that the more government gets involved, then more people will have access to care.

Do the taxpayers have to get beaned for big bucks in order to make the home team a winner? 

Those of us who call ourselves conservatives obviously agree on a wide range of political, economic, cultural and philosophical issues. If we didn't, conservatism would be meaningless. However, this doesn't mean we agree on everything.

Health care costs continue to careen out of control. Are politicians and government policies contributing to this mess? You bet they are - big time.

I used to think that Republicans were interested in restraining - indeed, even reducing -- the size of government.  How naïve could I be?

For the past week and a half, I've been on the road with the family for a working vacation.  Leaving New York and Washington, D.C. behind, we've been driving to a few cities in America's heartland. 

On Monday morning (July 28), I was saddened to hear that Bob Hope had died the previous evening.  But who could complain about the 100-year run that Hope had as a multifaceted entertainer, sportsman, American patriot and successful businessman. 

As an economist and writer, I always find some interesting fiscal, political or economics lessons to ponder and discuss while traveling - much to my wife's chagrin. That certainly was the case on a trip to Boston this past weekend.

Sometimes it appears that economists don't agree on very much. 

Can importing other nations' destructive and dangerous regulatory schemes be called `free trade`? Of course not, but some members of Congress nonetheless seem to think so.

Living in a prosperous, market economy offers countless benefits.  In the U.S., that most certainly includes widespread ownership of automobiles.

Late June offered a major test of principle for members of Congress, as a new, costly entitlement was being voted on - prescription drug coverage under Medicare.

Next year, Toyota drives onto NASCAR's Craftsman Truck series.  This is the race circuit featuring pickup trucks.

It's always struck me as disconcerting how members from both major political parties, Democrats and Republicans, can climb on board an issue clearly headed in the wrong -- even a dangerous -- direction.  That's the case with the current rush to create a new entitlement, i.e., Medicare prescription drug coverage.

On Tuesday, June 10, Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan testified before Congress on Capitol Hill.  Nothing unusual, right? 

During a scene in "The Sound of Music," Max, the talent agent, is enjoying himself at Captain von Trapp's estate, and declares with some satisfaction: "I like rich people.  I like the way they live.  I like the way I live when I'm with them."

Tax relief almost always is a big plus for the economy. However, tax cuts can be structured in a way that the economy does not get the full benefits. That was the case with the 2001 tax cut, and may be the case again as the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate work out differences between their two tax cut plans.

Politicians have a knack for ignoring the costs of their legislative actions. They will tell anyone who might possibly listen about the potential benefits of their latest ideas for new programs or regulations, while ignoring the very real costs tied to such initiatives.

Why have so many state and local governments across the nation been staring at large budget deficits recently?

The U.S. economy thrives due to courageous individuals willing to take economic risks.  Unfortunately, economic growth has suffered since the middle of 2000 - almost three years now - due to a distinct lack of risk taking.

On Tuesday, April 15, I went to the dentist - excuse me, the oral surgeon - to have two teeth removed.  As if this were not painful enough, these extractions occurred on Tax Day.

In recent times, there have been countless examples of our legal system careening out of control. 

The U.S. economy has been in a funk for almost three years now - under-performing since the middle of 2000, including of course, a recession in 2001. 

Sometimes one can forget how far apart the worlds of business and academia can be. But then a dramatic event - like war - reminds us.

State legislators in Maryland are considering a variety of tax increases that would hurt consumers, small businesses and the state's economy.  Unfortunately, recently elected Republican Governor Robert Ehrlich has joined in the process.

Last year, almost half the states - 21 to be exact - increased tobacco taxes. With governments continuing to confront whopping budget deficits this year, more excise tax increases are being considered. Unfortunately, these tax increases hurt the economy, and fail to redress the real problem, i.e., too much government spending.

Those of us who often disagree with labor unions sometimes refer to "big labor" in the same derogatory sense as the political left talks about "big business."  It's all part of the give and take in the public square in which smacking labels on your opponents can be quite handy, not to mention good fun.

The Sierra Club is urging the IRS to "aggressively audit" certain small businesses. What's the environmental organization's beef?

Geo-political risks - in particular, risks of war and terrorism -- are helping to weigh down the stock market and the economy in general.  And small businesses are feeling the pinch.  However, it also must be understood that our nation's security and our freedoms are at stake.

In the software universe, something similar to the Borg from "Star Trek" seems to be at work.  It's called open source software distributed under an agreement known as General Public License (GPL).

Whenever someone asks me if I want to hear the good news or the bad news first, I always pick the bad news.  Get the bad news out of the way, and then maybe the good news will make me feel better.

California has a huge budget problem.  A major part of the answer recently proposed by Democratic Governor Gray Davis was a massive tax increase.  That's not just bad news for California, but potentially for the entire nation.

In July of last year, surgeons at the University of Nevada Medical Center quit, and the hospital's trauma center in Las Vegas had to be closed for ten days.  On New Year's Day 2003, surgeons at various West Virginia hospitals walked off the job.  Two weeks later, doctors in New Jersey announced that for about a week starting on February 3 they'll not see patients for routine checkups, elective surgery and other nonessential services.

At the Economic Club of Chicago on Tuesday, President George W. Bush unveiled a new set of policy proposals meant to give the economy a boost. Clearly, this President Bush understands something his father didn't - tax increases hurt the economy, while tax cuts serve the economy well.

When he was first elected governor of Connecticut in 1994, Republican John Rowland ran as a tax cutter. Today, confronted by budget woes, Governor Rowland is pushing for large tax increases. If the new Rowland gets his way, Connecticut entrepreneurs, businesses, workers and consumers will suffer.

All tax cuts are not created equal.  That is something the White House and the incoming 108th Congress need to keep in mind as talks once again heat up as to what can be done on the policy front to give the economy a boost.

With the arrival of Thanksgiving also comes the Christmas season.  So, the timing hardly could have been better for a recent three-day conference (from November 14-16) at Hofstra University carrying the title "Bing! Crosby and American Culture."

At first, it sounds like a wild accusation from one of those international conspiracy theorists, or the plot of a new James Bond film. However, a scenario is playing out where the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the United Nations (UN), the European Union (EU), and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) are all working in the same direction when it comes to limiting or wiping out tax competition between nations.

The number of asbestos lawsuits continues to grow at a rapid pace.  That`s not only bad news for U.S. businesses, their employees and the economy, but also for those individuals who are gravely ill due to asbestos exposure.

If you have young children, as I do, then perhaps you've heard of "VeggieTales." If not, this computer-animated success story is well worth noting. It is about building a small business, while not just maintaining, but advancing your values.

There is a distinct lack of clarity and leadership on the economy emanating from our nation's capital city these days.  And that was perhaps most tellingly illustrated in a speech given on October 15 by U.S. Rep. Richard Gephardt (D), the Minority Leader in the U.S. House of Representatives. 

Federal government regulators once again have infringed upon the domain of consumers and the private marketplace.

In the fantasyland known as politics, too many elected officials try to wish away the laws of economics. Indeed, replacing economic facts with political fiction is a favorite tactic when it comes to health care policymaking.

A grand delusion recently cloaked our nation's capital city.  Many people perceived that politicians in the District of Columbia were acting responsibly over the past few years when it came to the city's budget. 

The economy is trying to fight back from a recession, and having a tough time doing so.  Business investment basically has been declining for two years.  From its peak in February 2001 to August 2002, non-farm private-sector employment declined by more than 2.1 million jobs.

Upon taking office as mayor of New York City, businessman Michael Bloomberg declared in his inaugural address on January 1: "We cannot drive people and business out of New York. We cannot raise taxes. We will find another way."

Some will paint their faces and shout warlike screams. Others will don the jerseys of their favorite teams. Money will be waged in office pools. The National Football League (NFL) 2002 season is upon us.

If you're in the housing industry, the economy looks pretty good.  Outside housing, though, the economic picture is, at best, hazy, at worst, downright gloomy.

The California state budget battle continues in Sacramento. And counterproductive tax increases are still on the table.

What the heck is going on in California lately?  Specifically, do the state's elected officials have some kind of economic death wish?

Hanging in my office is a famous print titled "The Bulls and Bears in the Market."  It features a raucous battle between bulls and bears outside the New York Stock Exchange. It stirs my capitalist spirit.

Last week (on July 11), I had the opportunity to testify in the U.S. House of Representatives before the Subcommittee on Regulatory Reform and Oversight in the Committee on Small Business. The issue addressed was the impact that various government regulations and reforms have had on the small business health care market.

Prescription drug coverage under Medicare once again has become the hot topic in our nation's capital. Unfortunately, consumers, small businesses and the pharmaceutical industry will lose no matter who wins this latest battle between Republicans and Democrats.

Golf offers a variety of life lessons, as we just saw at the 2002 U.S. Open played on the Black Course at Bethpage State Park in New York. 

A proposed merger of the nation's top satellite television providers could provide all sorts of benefits for consumers-from the couch-potato sports fan to the small business owner in need of news, data and information.  With a passion for sports and my own political and economic analysis business, I just happen to fall into both of these categories.

On April 18, the U.S. House of Representatives began the process of completing what was started early last year.  That is, by a margin of 229-198, the House voted to make last year's tax relief package permanent.  That's good news, but many hurdles remain.

In our nation's capital, there are moves afoot to re-impose taxes that once helped finance the federal government's program for cleaning up waste sites, known as Superfund. The taxes were allowed to expire at the end of 1995.

Work hard, come up with a new or improved product or service, figure out how to market it, keep consumers happy, and you can succeed in this great country.  A mighty task, to say the least. 

Maryland is not exactly known as a state with a light touch when it comes to taxes.  Unfortunately, matters could become even more taxing if some politicians have their way.

The re-make of "Ocean's 11" recently hit movie theaters.  Both the original film, which was released in 1960, and the latest "Ocean's 11" amount to little more than escapist eye candy seeking to epitomize "cool."

The current economic downturn has been tough on a lot of individuals and businesses.  I know I've felt the effects.  And so apparently has retail giant Kmart.

It seems that most people I know in the policy, political and business worlds are particularly ready for a Christmas break this year.  I know I am.

In our nation's capital, the debate over an "economic stimulus" package looms.  Among the points of disagreement are what kind of tax cuts are needed, and how large should they be.  While one should debate what kind of tax relief makes the most sense, it seems clear to most members of Congress that at least some kind of tax cut is appropriate while the economy languishes in recession, and few, if any, are speaking of tax increases.

While Congress debates whether to grant President Bush trade promotion authority (TPA)-formerly known as fast-track authority-it is critical to understand that international trade is not the exclusive domain of large, multinational businesses. In reality, trade benefits the entire economy, including the small business sector.

On Election Day, voters in the state of Washington will have the opportunity to make their voices heard on two tax issues. Given our current economic slowdown; an ongoing, unrelenting expansion of government; and the very real, negative impact taxes have on the economy, these votes are most important.

Earlier this week, the Commerce Department cut its estimate of real U.S. economic growth for the second quarter of this year from a dismal 0.7% to an even more dismal 0.2%.  This turned out to be the weakest quarterly performance in about eight years. 

As the U.S. economy sputters along right now, it pays to take a moment to consider a major source of economic growth-international trade.

Cutting income tax rates is smart economics. However, saying that the economy will benefit from such tax relief long before the cuts actually are implemented not only is bad economics but bad politics.

On Saturday, May 19, Kentucky Derby winner Monarchos will go for the second leg of the Triple Crown--the Preakness Stakes-at Pimlico racetrack in Baltimore. Only 11 horses have managed to take the Kentucky Derby, Preakness, and Belmont Stakes over the previous 126 years.

This actually is the first National Small Business Week (May 6-12) of the new century (contrary to widespread opinion, the 21st century did not actually start until 2001).  The most appropriate way for politicians to show that Small Business Week is not simply a public relations bone thrown to America's entrepreneurs is to push boldly ahead with a substantive small business policy agenda.  That most certainly includes board-based tax relief.

While federal officials ponder how to create a new federal entitlement for prescription drugs, many states already have ventured down this ill-advised path.

On Monday, April 9, President George W. Bush released the details of his proposed budget for fiscal year 2002. In contrast to former President Clinton's budget plans, the Bush proposal serves up some good news for small businesses.

Last week, President George W. Bush declared that he had no intention of implementing the global warming treaty agreed to by the Clinton Administration in December 1997, but never ratified by the U.S. Senate. The President deserves enormous credit for dropping this misguided and costly proposal, especially since it was quite evident that he would face a firestorm of criticism from the environmental left and its countless allies. This step by Bush warrants a true "profile in courage" award.

While the economy slows to "near zero" percent growth, as Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan recently declared, rather than working quickly to pass a pro-growth tax cut, the U.S. Senate is in the midst of dancing to the campaign finance tune being played by Senator John McCain (R-AZ).

With the Academy Awards being handed out this coming Sunday night, it crossed our minds at the Small Business Survival Committee (SBSC) that there have not been many movies over the years offering positive takes on business owners, or business in general.  In fact, it seems that business executives and owners tend to be portrayed as cheating, greedy, and immoral on the silver screen.

In his budget speech before Congress earlier this week, President George W. Bush was clear in his support for tax relief.  Of note, he pointed out that cutting personal income tax rates across the board would benefit the entrepreneurial sector of America's economy. 

I've been feeling rather creative lately. In fact, this gig as chief economist for a small business organization has become far too constraining. The artistic forces within me demand to be liberated.

Late Thursday night in a banquet hall just outside our nation's capital city, the lights were low, candles flickered on tabletops, and the Difficult Run Jazz Band belted out some classic Big Band tunes.  This marvelous group seemingly turned back the clock, transporting the entire room some six decades prior in time.  Perhaps, this was what a few evenings were like in Washington during World War II. 

Reading and hearing about rolling electricity blackouts across the state, it occurs to me that California these days more closely resembles the old Soviet Union than the largest state in the world's leading capitalist economy. 

The U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments on Wednesday, January 17, in the case of Casey Martin v. PGA Tour Inc. Disabled golfer Casey Martin, of course, brought this lawsuit under the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act to force the PGA Tour to allow him to ride in a golf cart during golf tournaments. SBSC thought it appropriate to republish the following article. An earlier version originally appeared in the November 2000 issue of Ideas on Liberty, a monthly magazine published by the Foundation for Economic Education (FEE). For more information about FEE, see www.fee.org.

Earlier this week, the Boston Globe reported that the convention center being built in South Boston faces cost overruns of some $100 million above the already allotted $750 million. The Massachusetts Convention Center Authority (MCCA) is constructing the facility.

Early Wednesday (January 3) afternoon, Alan Greenspan's Federal Reserve caused jubilation on Wall Street, in the halls of Congress, on Main Street, and in the camp of President-elect George W. Bush with a surprise half-point cut in the federal funds rate.  Having long held the position that the Fed's interest rate hikes of late 1999 and 2000 were bad mistakes, I also was pleased to see Greenspan reverse course on interest rates.  However, big questions linger.

While the nation waits to see who will be the next President of the United States, President Clinton's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) earlier this week launched an assault on U.S. businesses by announcing its final ergonomics rules. Unfortunately, these new measures represent another case of the federal government imposing costly regulations based on, at best, vague, incomplete science-even pseudo-science--and very real political pressure.

It is simply fascinating to watch the incredible twists and turns of this ongoing presidential election.  As ugly as it may be, this is history in the making that will be recalled and noted for the life of this great republic.  Of course, that is why we must act prudently and in accordance with our laws and the U.S. Constitution.

Out on the campaign trail, Vice President Al Gore, his running mate, Senator Joe Lieberman, and other Democrats have been kicking around the state of Texas.  This, of course, is fair game when running against the governor of Texas, Republican George W. Bush. 

In this tight presidential election, there is one issue that seems to be almost universally accepted: Vice President Al Gore is the smart candidate, and Texas Governor George W. Bush is the rather dim fellow.  Indeed, when it comes to holding this view of the two candidates, political affiliation or philosophy-Republican, Democrat, liberal or conservative-does not seem to matter all that much.

Surprise, surprise!  A front-page story in The New York Times on Friday, October 27, pointed out that the White House and Congress are hard at work spending a big part of projected budget surpluses.

In my new book-U.S. by the Numbers: Figuring What's Left, Right, and Wrong With America State by State (Capital Books, 2000)-I not only examine taxing and government spending for each state, but for the federal government as well.

Zany economic thinking just never seems to stop with those crazy bureaucrats at the U.S. Justice Department's antitrust division. 

If I have to hear more of Vice President Al Gore's scare tactics launched against "big oil," "big drug companies," "big insurance companies," or "big tobacco" once more, I think I'll scream.

When it comes to starting up, running, investing in, and expanding a business, make no mistake, state and local government policies matter.  If life, limb and property are protected, while keeping costs-in particular, taxes--to a minimum, then government is fulfilling its essential duty.  If not, then risk taking, job creation and economic growth will suffer.  Indeed, it is a rather simple formula.  Nonetheless, politicians across the nation regularly get it wrong.

Earlier this week (on September 20), the Department of Justice's antitrust chief Joel Klein announced he would be leaving the Clinton Administration at the end of this month.  For those of us who believe in free enterprise, a strong temptation exists to throw a party. 

With all the talk about education on the presidential and congressional campaign trails, one could get the impression that instead of running for federal office, these folks are vying for an open seat on the local school board.

What is the most subsidized industry in all of America?  Arguably, it is an industry dominated by small and mid-sized businesses.  I would say that the kings of the subsidies game are the four major league sports-the National Football League (NFL), Major League Baseball (MLB), National Basketball Association (NBA) and the National Hockey League (NHL)-along with minor league baseball and hockey.

Since the close of the Democratic Convention a couple of weeks ago, Vice President Al Gore has continued his class-warfare attack on Texas Governor George Bush's tax relief proposal.  At one campaign stop, Gore reportedly declared: "They would focus the benefits of a giant tax cut on the wealthy at the expense of everyone else."

In his acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention last night, Vice President Al Gore mentioned support for some kind of limited death tax relief. Otherwise, Gore's speech was pretty much bad news for businesses of all types and sizes.

If one was looking for substance; if one was looking for a vision; if one was looking for some serious direction on policy; then Senator Joe Lieberman's speech at the Democratic Convention last night was not for you.

As noted in my new book "U.S. by the Numbers: Figuring What's Left, Right, and Wrong With America State by State" (Capital Books, 2000), the United States' labor market is far less encumbered by labor unions than other industrialized nations. 

Last night was Dick Cheney's opportunity to shine, and he certainly gave a fine, authoritative political speech. 

While I cannot say that the "Republican Party Platform 2000: Renewing America's Purpose. Together" is a gripping page-turner, it is a rather strong pro-small business, pro-entrepreneur statement.

This past weekend (July 22 and 23) was nail-biting time. A big decision had to be made. What would factor into the equation? What would be the comfort level in working together? What role would loyalty play?

My wife will tell you that I am not exactly handy around the house.  Last year, I managed to properly space and align a set of six pictures on a wall, and to this day I treat it like an historic accomplishment worthy of regaling friends and family.

For as long as most of us can remember, politicians and policy wonks of practically every political stripe and philosophy have longed for balanced federal budgets.  As the old saying goes, be careful what you wish for, you might just get it.  Now, we have budget surpluses projected as far as the eye can see, but only minor talk about giving those surpluses back to the taxpayers.

Last Friday (June 16), the final regulatory hurdle was cleared for the merger between Bell Atlantic Corp. and GTE Corp.  The $65-billion deal was originally announced in 1998, but the need for regulatory approvals dragged out the process.

The forces working for socialized medicine are a relentless bunch.  They not only push for more mandates, regulations and government spending at the federal level, but state by state as well.  Whether guided by economic ignorance, blind emotion, shameless self-interest or some combination thereof, these people seem bound and determined to wreck what's left of the finest health care system in the world.

Congress is scheduled to vote on the elimination of federal death taxes late this week.  Killing estate, gift and generation-skipping taxes would be a monumental accomplishment in favor of entrepreneurship, family businesses and their employees, economic growth and job creation, and general fairness.

A front-page headline in the May 30 New York Times proclaimed "Despite Defeat on China Bill, Labor Is on Rise."  In reality, though, big labor is in free fall, and the entrepreneur is on the rise.

A little more than a quarter of the way through this year's baseball season and at least one thing is pretty clear: the Baltimore Orioles stink. Namely, they're pitching is horrendous, with a team ERA of 5.90 at last count. But quite frankly, the Orioles deserve crummy pitching.

I have too much to say on too many topics to limit this week's column to one issue.  So here goes on China, Africa and the Caribbean, Greenspan, the Department of Justice, SUVs, and a new book on Clinton vs. Starr.

The TV shows and movies cranked out by Hollywood rarely have anything nice to say about free enterprise and the business world.  Indeed, the business owner often gets portrayed as a ruthless killer, an unfeeling, greedy bastard, or a dim bulb in most sitcoms, dramas and films. 

Government's antitrust enforcers are running amok, and being defended by a conservative jurist.  What the heck is going on here?

Over the past century, congressional Democrats have illustrated little aptitude for grasping basic economics.  In turn, this has led them to the mistaken belief that government can fix just about anything, with little or no accompanying costs.  The Democrats' favorite "crisis"  to be fixed by omniscient government bureaucrats over the past decade or so has been health care.

This coming Saturday (April 22) is the thirtieth anniversary of Earth Day.  This is the day where radical greens are able to work off some liberal guilt by making grand declarations or undertaking exhibitionist activities that show how much they love the earth.  For good measure, they get another opportunity to bash business and capitalism.

Watching government grow bigger and bigger every year-more programs, more regulations, more taxes-I sometimes wonder if a majority of taxpayers really love government. 

Have you ever watched a movie sequel even though the first film was just atrocious?  That's how I felt this week while reading Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson's conclusions of law in the Microsoft antitrust case.

Earlier this week (March 27-28), Hofstra University on Long Island held a two-day conference on Margaret Thatcher and her period as prime minister of Great Britain from 1979 to 1990.  At the same time, a discussion emerged back in Britain as to whether or not current Prime Minister Tony Blair should take paternity leave when his wife has a baby.

We pro-free-market, pro-small-government, pro-entrepreneur types often are accused of going overboard when we criticize government for being too big, too invasive, and too pervasive.

The people of Taiwan will go to the polls this Saturday in the country's second direct presidential election.  All lovers of democracy and liberty around the globe should celebrate.  Needless to say, mainland communist China is not thrilled with the first successful democracy in the long history of China and Taiwan.

While OPEC (the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries) has been putting the squeeze on oil markets, President Clinton actually has proposed a petroleum tax hike in his new budget.

Minimum intelligence allows one to see that the minimum wage is bad public policy.  So why do so many politicians support an increase in the minimum wage?  (That was a rhetorical question, by the way.)

On February 18th, the Communications Workers of America joined an eclectic group opposing the proposed merger between MCI-Worldcom and Sprint.  The big question, of course, is: What will federal regulators say about this marriage?

Much of the focus right now is on George W. Bush and John McCain in political circles.  From a free-enterprise perspective, however, it's worth taking a moment to tip one's hat to publisher Steve Forbes, who recently withdrew from the GOP presidential primary battle.

Despite being plagued by potholes and detour signs along the way, the United States has been traveling down the road of government-run health care for decades now.  That certainly is where much of the debate is pointed today, as illustrated by President Clinton's proposal to expand Medicare coverage to prescription drugs.

As I wrote this column using Microsoft Word on my G4 Power Mac computer, running on its newly installed Mac OS9 operating system, I had to chuckle.

A couple of years ago, a high school buddy told me that an old classmate of ours had become a millionaire.  Being the pro-entrepreneur, free-market, capitalist kind of guy that I am, I was intrigued and wanted to know what business he succeeded in or what life-improving invention he brought to consumers.

As a fan of the Minnesota Vikings, I am not one to linger over the failings of other NFL teams.  After all, with an 0-4 Super Bowl record and a heartbreaking missed field goal keeping the Vikes out of last year's big game, we Vikings fans tend to be a humble bunch.  (Hope springs eternal though with our win over the Cowboys on Sunday.)

Question: Have regulators always lacked basic common sense, or is this something they lose only after going on the government payroll?

Business owners have not exactly been portrayed in a kind light on television and in the movies in recent times. They usually get painted as greedy, treacherous, even murderous types.

It is being called the "Battle in Seattle." As delegates from 135 nations gather for a meeting of the World Trade Organization (WTO) to talk about lowering barriers to trade, some 500 hundred groups and tens of thousands of individuals have descended upon Seattle this week in protest.

Ergonomics--it's one of those words that sounds nice when you first hear it. And then you wonder what the heck it's all about?

After reading Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson's massive, often sleep-inducing "Findings of Fact" in the Microsoft antitrust case, one has to wonder: Why is Jackson wasting his time in the federal courts? After all, this is a man who audaciously believes he can see the future of the most dynamic industry ever known to man.

On a coming Friday evening at 6:30 p.m. ET - perhaps this Friday - U.S. District Court Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson will issue his factual findings in the antitrust case brought by the U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) and 19 states against Microsoft Corp.

Wednesday, October 13th, 1999, will forever register as an important date in the annals of supply-side economics. On that day, it was announced that Columbia University professor Robert Mundell won the 1999 Nobel Prize in Economics.

As the author of this weekly cybercolumn, it should be no surprise that I am an unabashed advocate for doing business and commuting in cyberspace.

Pat Buchanan upset the political apple cart on "Meet the Press" this past Sunday (September 12) when he accused the Republican Party of being a mere "Xerox copy" of the Democratic Party. Buchanan made clear that he is about to bolt the GOP to try to become the Reform Party presidential candidate in 2000.

Pat Buchanan upset the political apple cart on "Meet the Press" this past Sunday (September 12) when he accused the Republican Party of being a mere "Xerox copy" of the Democratic Party. Buchanan made clear that he is about to bolt the GOP to try to become the Reform Party presidential candidate in 2000.

Who would think that a speech by a former Big Band musician in a place called Jackson Hole, Wyoming, would carry global significance? Well, when that former musician is currently chairman of the U.S. Federal Reserve Board and the subject is "New Challenges for Monetary Policy," it's important.

Watching television recently, I saw a report that actress Glenda Jackson might take on novelist and former British MP Jeffrey Archer to become mayor of London.

The United States kicked off the twentieth century without a capital gains tax. With the sun about to rise on the twenty-first century, politicians would be smart to replicate such enlightened tax policy.

Just in case you had any lingering doubts about death taxes being based on nothing more than class warfare and envy, along came a piece earlier this week on "The New York Times" op-ed page to seal the case.

No matter how many times I come across someone saying "Trust me, I'm from the government," I have to laugh-albeit it is a melancholy chuckle. Some might call it cynicism, but I deem it a rational response to political reality.

The "Hundred Years War" periodically raged between France and England from 1337 to 1453. At times, it seems like today's battle over health care in Washington, D.C. is the public policy version of the "Hundred Years War." One wonders if it will ever end.

The headline on the first page of the July 14 New York Times business section read: "Would Tax Cuts Prove a Bit Too Stimulating?" Oh brother, here we go again!

The harsh economic effects of death taxes are quite troubling. However, the woes do not end with economics. Though neglected for over 75 years, a serious constitutional question arises regarding the federal estate tax as well.

Economists who write well -- with clarity, purpose and understanding -- are rare commodities. As illustrated in his new book The End of Money: And the Struggle for Financial Privacy, Dr. Richard Rahn is just such an economist.

Just in time for summer, Fed watching is heating up again.   Economists, media analysts and TV talking heads are sorting through mounds of data trying to figure out if the Federal Reserve Board might boost short-term interest rates in late June or August.  Even in the low-inflation Greenspan era, Fed watching is still a popular sport.

From the first time I set eyes on "Star Wars" Darth Vader and Emperor Palpetine, I knew these guys were not only bad, but favored big government as well.  I could just imagine them raising taxes to build the Death Star, while disingenuously claiming it would spur economic development and create jobs.   Talk about evil.

There was a flurry of activity in our nation's capital this week regarding small business.  Thankfully and unusually, this wasn't bad news.  

In recent years, the Clinton Administration has revealed itself to be little more than a perpetual spin machine. No matter what's going on-the latest Clinton sex scandal, the latest Clinton/Albright bumbling on foreign policy, or updated news about an economy that just keeps chugging along-all somehow can be spun by the White House to favor President Clinton.However, a downside exists to claiming the role of spin-master, i.e., trust is lost. After all, more spin translates into less truth.

I remember a time not long ago when conservatives were mislabeled as "reactionary."  (Such derision was earned for principled stands in favor of free enterprise, family and moral absolutes-how outrageous!).  At the close of the 1990s, however, real reactionaries do exist, and they reside on the political left.

Upon arrival at my hotel in Philadelphia on Thursday, April 22, I was approached by an employee who informed me that I would be staying in "one of the most environmentally sensitive hotels in the world."  In that "we care" kind of tone, she went on to tell me of recycled floor tiles and bamboo wall paneling.  Taken off guard by such in-your-face environmentalism in a big city hotel, I struggled to spot my wife and son, and plot an escape route to the elevators.

Television channels have multiplied faster than Clinton scandals over the past two decades. Viewers now have a multitude of choices, including networks focused on global news, local news, sports, sports news, entertainment news, food, gardening, science fiction, comedy, religion, home shopping, cartoons, country music, rock music, classic movies, not-so-classic movies, black entertainment, women's entertainment, arts and entertainment, not to mention your standard networks offering lots of sitcoms and dramas.

I am writing this week's cybercolumn in the midst of doing my taxes, so you will have to forgive the not-so-latent, overburdened-taxpayer anger.

Is it possible to have a healthy respect for markets and the law, and also be a federal government regulator? 

On Monday, the bulls of Wall Street celebrated the Dow Jones Industrial Average closing above the 10,000 mark for the first time.  While the number 10,000 is no more or less significant than 9,999 or 10,122, Wall Street tends to mark events and trends in big round numbers.  No doubt, 10,000 is big and round.

It sounds like a James Bond 007 movie for the new millennium.   Criminals, spies and terrorists communicating over the Internet, with their shadowy plots being unreadable due to the use of the most sophisticated encryption programs.

This coming Sunday night, March 21, Hollywood and much of the rest of the world will tune in to the Academy Awards show.  As a movie buff, I always enjoy the Oscars. 

Writing weekly columns for both "Newsday" in New York and the Small Business Survival Committee's web site, www.sbsc.org, I can sympathize when a columnist is criticized on the letter's page or elsewhere through nothing more than name calling.   Therefore, after reading John C. Dvorak's February 9 column "Nationalize Microsoft" in "PC Magazine," I will refrain from calling this article bizarre and silly.

President George Bush broke his "no new taxes" pledge by pushing through a massive tax increase in 1990, including a hike in income tax rates.  The economy and Bush's own 1992 re-election effort subsequently faltered. 

In the ongoing war of ideas, some conservatives would like to think we've won the economics battle, i.e., that free-market thinking has triumphed and all we need to focus on going forward are cultural issues. Supposedly, we are all free marketeers now.

This week serves up an interesting contrast.  On the one hand, the impeachment trial of President Clinton is over, and policy issues might actually trump scandal in our nation's capital (well, at least for a little while).  On the other hand, pitchers and catchers report to camps in Florida and Arizona, as baseball's spring training gets under way.

The cover of the February 15 issue of "Time" magazine sports Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan, Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin, and Deputy Treasury Secretary Larry Summers.  It carries the less-than-humble title "The Committee To Save the World." 

To stave off a hard-charging competitor, you face a slick, sharp-breaking, downhill putt of just three-and-a-half feet.  The palms sweat, the hands grip the putter a bit too tightly, and you pray earnestly that you don't develop a case of the "yips."  That's golf.

Last week, Washington, D.C. witnessed another gathering of, what First Lady Hillary Clinton calls, the "vast right wing conspiracy." In reality, of course, the 26th annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) was a very open, public affair. 

In his State of the Union speech, President Clinton boasted of the longest peacetime economic expansion, millions of new jobs, rising wages, and smaller welfare rolls.   He also took pride in federal budget surpluses projected as far as the eye can see.

Today, Wednesday, January 13, marks a turning point in the Justice Department's antitrust case against Microsoft.  The government is scheduled to finish its presentation to Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson, after which Microsoft will take up its defense.

This past Monday, January 4, Jesse "The Body" Ventura-former Navy SEAL, former pro wrestler, former actor, and former radio talk show host-was sworn in as governor of Minnesota.  To mark this unlikely event, that night I decided to watch the movie Ventura is best known for-"Predator"-which starred his buddy Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Twenty-five years ago on December 28, 1973, President Richard Nixon signed the Endangered Species Act (ESA) into law, after it had passed the U.S. Senate by a vote of 92-0 and the House by 355-4.  The subsequent havoc wrought by the ESA not only illustrates, once again, that Richard Nixon was the most liberal Republican ever elected president, but that bipartisanship in our nation's capital should, more often than not, be feared rather than celebrated. Indeed, the ESA stands as another glaring, yet predictable, example of a law sold as a limited measure being transformed into a   launching pad for activist government and an assault on private property rights.

When he was headed toward the speakership of the House of Representatives, Congressman Bob Livingston (R-LA) made it known that federal budget honesty would be his top priority in 1999.  In particular, Livingston wanted the first bit of business for the 106th Congress to be taking Social Security "off-budget."  

It wasn't all that long ago when U.S. doom-and-gloomers wept for our nation's economy, and urged us to become more like Japan.  Funny how you don't hear such wailing any more.  Of course, dry eyes in the U.S. might be explained by the fact that Japan's economy has been in the dumper since 1991.

The Christmas season is upon us, and hopefully, the spirit of giving is alive and well.  Our focus turns to gifts for family and friends, as well as charitable endeavors.

From the halls of Congress to state capitals and town halls across the nation, tall tales are told about how the economy will be bolstered by government handouts, subsidies, loan guarantees or tax breaks for particular businesses and/or industries.  The story tellers in such instances are usually employed by organizations claiming to be working in the best interests of the business community and the economy in general.  When shilling for corporate welfare, however, that most assuredly is not the case.

A legal war is being engaged.  It's government versus the manufacturers, sellers and consumers of politically incorrect products.

Some people think that President Clinton needs help for sexual addiction. That may prove to be the case, but right now it's mere speculation.  What we can confidently diagnose today is that Clinton desperately needs therapy to break his obsession with bad public policy. 

Environmental bureaucrats from around the globe have been spewing hot air for the past several days in Buenos Aires, Argentina.  They've been trying to figure out how the proposed Global Warming Treaty cobbled together in Kyoto, Japan, last December might actually work. 

On Election Day a decade ago, a brief, enlightened era of pro-growth, supply- side economics under the leadership of President Ronald "the Gipper" Reagan came to a close. At the federal level, the Gipper handed the supply-side ball off to President George "No New Taxes" Bush, who in turn fumbled badly. Subsequently, President Bill "Middle-Class Tax Cut" Clinton showed no real interest in gathering up the supply-side pigskin.

As hard as it is to believe during the height of campaign season, every once in a while, a poll comes along that actually reveals some substantive information on an important policy issue. 

Late last week provided some clues as to who in our nation's capital may be getting it, and who still doesn't when it comes to the economy. The Greenspan Federal Reserve may be getting it, while the Clinton White House and the Republican-led Congress remain oblivious to the economic warnings swirling around them.

What's the deal with Senator Ted Kennedy's (D-MA) unrelenting assault on workers, small businesses, and the economy? 

Let me get this straight. When the federal government was running budget deficits, and estimating ever-mounting debt for as far as the eye could see, politicians said we couldn't afford to cut taxes. Now, with a projected $70-billion budget surplus for fiscal year 1998, and more surpluses projected out to the horizon, politicians say we can't afford to cut taxes.

This year's record-setting home run contest between Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa brought many fans back to baseball. And now we look forward to an exciting playoff season and World Series.

Writing a humorous book about economics is about as easy as portraying Bill Clinton's life story as a model of fidelity. Nonetheless, P.J. O'Rourke has managed just such a feat with his new book "Eat the Rich: A Treatise on Economics."

As President Bill Clinton's perverted sexcapades, perjury, obstruction of justice, witness tampering and abuse of power are debated on television, radio and in print, his defenders continue to chant the mantra that "it's just about sex."

A CNN producer called recently to inquire if stock market woes since mid-July impact your average small business? It was the old question: Does Main Street care about Wall Street?

While we have the best health-care system in the world, problems persist regarding costs and therefore access. The sources of these woes over the past three-plus decades are clear: new and expanded government health-care programs, and increased regulation.

There once was a time in New York City when anything and everything seemed possible. New Yorkers clearly epitomized the American "can do" spirit. During the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, when such energies and optimism were channeled through the private sector, New York City became a powerhouse of entrepreneurial capitalism.

One of the last vestiges of monopoly remaining as our economy approaches the twenty-first century is in local telephone service. And make no mistake, these monopolists are fighting to keep their stranglehold over consumers-from families to small businesses-for as long as possible. As with all long-lasting monopolies, government had a major hand in creating the telephone monopoly early in this century. The long-distance market was opened considerably in the early 1980s, and as a result choices have multiplied and prices plummeted by better than 70 percent in real terms.

Few can complain about the recent performance of Federal Reserve Bank monetary policy under Chairman Alan Greenspan's leadership. Inflation registered just 1.7 percent in 1997, and may come in a bit lower in 1998. The question remains: Has Greenspan been good, lucky, or both? Steven K. Beckner, a financial reporter for Market News Service, attempted to answer this question in his 1996 book "Back from the Brink: The Greenspan Years." Beckner takes the reader on a detailed journey through the making of monetary policy during a good portion of Greenspan's reign as chairman of the Federal Reserve. If it tells the full story, this is a scary book because it confirms the worst fears held by many of us-namely, that the Fed really does not know what it is doing in making monetary policy.

"Keep Cool with Coolidge" went one slogan during Calvin Coolidge's successful 1924 presidential campaign. With August 3 marking the 75th anniversary of Vice President Coolidge being sworn in as President of the United States upon Warren G. Harding's death, a commensurate outbreak of Coolidge activities leads one to ask: Is Cal cool again?

High taxes weigh in as the biggest burden on small businesses. At start up and when looking to expand, taxes on investment hinder the entrepreneur's pursuit of capital. Day-to-day business operations are impacted by income, payroll, sales, property and other taxes and fees. And even at death, the government looks for more through estate taxes.

Golf's British Open was played this past weekend. Back here "across the pond," we Americans should rightfully thank our friends in Europe for exporting the great game of golf to the states over a century ago.

The White House announced on June 8 that the first five months of 1998 registered the highest average surface temperature of the Earth since such measurements were begun in the mid-nineteenth century. Naturally, this generated an expulsion of hot air from those pushing for U.S. Senate approval of a global warming treaty agreed to by the Clinton Administration in Kyoto, Japan this past December.

Despite the suggested boycott by Southern Baptists, I threw caution to the wind and recently took my family on a trip to Disney World. After all, I rationalized, leaving my home in lefty, big government New York for more entrepreneur-friendly Florida had to be an improvement.

While folks on both the left and right have grown frustrated on occasion with Congress since Republicans took majority control, dismay among the conservative, free-market crowd festers due to little evidence suggesting commitment to principle. While many Republicans promised a conservative revolution, surrender has been evident on far too many fronts.

While President Clinton's Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission harass successful entrepreneurial enterprises-such as WorldCom, MCI, Intel and Microsoft-the Republican Congress is pushing ahead with a bankruptcy reform measure which includes provisions that could help push some teetering small businesses over the edge of failure.

Perhaps you didn't notice, but the first week of this month-May 31 through June 6-was National Small Business Week. Don't feel too bad if you missed it, apparently few of our elected officials took serious note either.

Coalition for Patient Choice Chairman Karen Kerrigan said today the new Census figures showing the number of uninsured Americans increasing to 43.6 million will only fuel momentum in Congress to make Archer Medical Savings Accounts available to all Americans.  The latest Internal Revenue Service figures show that, in 2001, three out of four MSA health policy purchasers - 73% -- were uninsured.  

March 1997 - World leaders, led by U.S. policy-makers, are negotiating an international treaty that would require nations to make reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, particularly carbon dioxide.

Most analysts agree that reviving tax cuts is a political nonstarter this year. Congress approved a balanced-budget package coupled with tax cuts for small business, but it stopped short at President Clinton's desk.
With April 15 fast approaching millions of small business owners and taxpayers look at the annual ritual with anger and frustration. But certain members of Congress are banding together to make sure that raising taxes will be just as difficult as cutting them.

What's the ‘tax gap'? The answer to this question might depend on who is asked.

President Bush deserves credit for steering federal policy in a positive direction in a variety of areas, including most notably, taxes.  However, a glaring failure has occurred on the spending front.  That is, until the release of his proposed budget this week for fiscal year 2006-07.