Michael Reitz

Congress contemplates second stimulus bill

By Michael Reitz | 07/16/08

When did public welfare get renamed "economic stimulus?" The Wall Street Journal reports today that House Democrats are considering a second stimulus bill -- this time they want to inject another $50 billion into the economy in another round of checks to middle-income folks. The article says the bill will not enjoy the bi-partisan support the first stimulus package had. Okay, I have a confession. I received a stimulus check earlier this... read more »

Who Do You Love?

By Michael Reitz | 07/14/08

About a year ago I was visiting a Northwest winery with friends, and we stopped to listen to a small folk band performing in the tasting room. Between songs the lead vocalist observed, "We love our country, but we distrust our government."That observation could have been the theme for Washington's Constitutional Convention. Washington's history reveals a strong distrust of legislative power and an intent to restrict it. On July 4, 1889,... read more »

The Sonics: Terrible Loss or Good Riddance?

By Michael Reitz | 07/09/08

The News Tribune's Peter Callaghan has a great column about the politics and economics of the publicly-funded sports franchise. At trial, Seattle argued it would suffer economically if the Sonics left, while the team's consultants insist there's no boost to the region. That's beside the point, says Callaghan. ...if governments and taxpayers are ever going to regain an equal footing with pro sports, they have to say no once in a while. And if... read more »

One more sign of the (economic) times

By Michael Reitz | 07/03/08

The Seattle Times has reported that Starbucks will close as many as 600 stores nationwide. Which should make this guy's project a little easier. In fact, I recall standing on a busy NYC street corner a few years ago and counting as many as five or six Starbucks stores at one time. (One of my favorite Onion stories was about the Starbucks opening inside a Starbucks bathroom.) So maybe a little desaturation isn't a bad thing. But with record... read more »

Celebrity Boxing: The Simpsons vs. The Founding Fathers

By Michael Reitz | 07/01/08

Quick -- can you list the five rights named in the First Amendment? If not, you have company. A 2006 survey found that only twenty-five percent of Americans can name more than one. Twenty percent of those polled actually thought the right to own a pet was protected. Yet more than half of these adults could name at least two characters from The Simpsons, a popular television cartoon. (By the way, the First Amendment protects the freedom of... read more »

Supreme Court Shoots Down Handgun Ban

By Michael Reitz | 06/27/08

On Thursday the U.S. Supreme Court released an opinion in the most significant Second Amendment case since the right to bear arms was enshrined in the constitution. In  a 5-4 decision authored by Justice Antonin Scalia, the Court ruled that the Second Amendment protects an individual's right to bear arms, and the Court struck down the District of Columbia's draconian handgun ban. Many U.S. citizens may be surprised to learn that for... read more »