Wasting Away by David Morris Institute for Local Self-Reliance March 23, 1999 – published in St. Paul Pioneer Press The government pushed nuclear power on the nation, assured utilities their liability would be limited, prevented states from imposing safety restrictions and promised communities they wouldn’t have to keep the decay. Well, then, who is responsible? Twenty … Read More
Bill of Rights vs. Concentrated Power by David Morris Institute for Local Self-Reliance March 2, 1999 – published in St. Paul Pioneer Press One of the White House’s priorities is to enact a Patients Bill of Rights that, among other elements, requires Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) to develop grievance and appeals procedures. Meanwhile, Senators Ron Wyden … Read More
Populism Circa 1999 by David Morris Institute for Local Self-Reliance February 9, 1999 – published in St. Paul Pioneer Press The election of Jesse Ventura set off a flurry of punditry about the meaning of the word “populist”. Governor Ventura certainly fits to a “v” the first part of Webster’s New World Dictionary’s definition of a … Read More
State of Union Address that Could’ve Been by David Morris Institute for Local Self-Reliance January 26, 1999 – published in St. Paul Pioneer Press Something I’d liked to have heard in President Clinton’s State of the Union Address Distinguished Members of Congress, Three years ago I stood in this spot and declared “the era of big … Read More
State Should Seize Chance to Exploit an Asset – its Wind by David Morris Institute for Local Self-Reliance January 12, 1999 – published in St. Paul Pioneer Press Dear Jesse, In the next few days a decision will be made by the executive branch in your name, or more precisely in the name of the people … Read More
Inthe next two years, New Yorkers will spend nearly $50 million dollars to build two stadiums for minor league teams in order to lure away short-season, class A ball clubs from other communities. And in ten years? New Yorkers may well have to consider building bigger stadiums for those same teams so they don’t threaten to move as the Yankees are now doing. A better idea: For the same amount of taxpayer money, New Yorkers can create–and own–a minor league comprised of several good ball clubs and still have money left over to put toward stadiums. And New Yorkers can–for years to come–root for teams that are truly rooted in their own community.
This Novemeber 1998 report by David Morris and John Bailey examines the impact of a proposed $1.5 billion ecological tax shift proposal on Minnesota’s agricultural sector. Overall, the net impact is beneficial for Minnesota farmers that are growing crops. On a statewide level, the carbon tax raises costs to farmers by about $59.1 million while the property tax reduction lowers costs by $92 million. The benefit varies by crop and by farm size. Soybean farmers do better than corn farmers, large farmers do better than small farmers.… Read More
Thisspeech by David Morris was originally presented at a conference of the Environmental Grantmakers Association 1998 Retreat in Houston, Texas, on October 28, 1998. Letme begin with what I hope is a relatively uncontroversial proposition. Rules Matter. Some of you may have a visceral reaction to the word"rules", for it conjures up notions of meddling and government bureaucracies. But the reality is that human societies always have and always will make rules that channel scientific genius, and investment capital and entrepreneurial energy in certain directions. We make the rules, and to a large extent, the rules make us.… Read More
The Curse of Bigness by David Morris Institute for Local Self-Reliance October 6, 1998 – published in St. Paul Pioneer Press At the beginning of this century, American leaders railed against what Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis called the “curse of bigness”. Presidents, Senators, commentators all decried the pernicious effects concentrated economic power has on small … Read More
