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A Geographer Who Navigated the Globe
Many people ask, “What do geographers do?” I would suggest that Marvin Creamer’s life story is all you need to know about the practical application of geography, even though most of us will never be...
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Thoughts on Chicago’s Tech Scene
I’ve said before that I don’t think Chicago is well positioned to become some type of dominant tech hub, but should only seek to get its “fair share” of tech. However, as the third largest city in...
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A Planet of People: Angel's Planet of Cities
Professor Shlomo Angel's new book, Planet of Cities, seems likely to command a place on the authoritative bookshelf of urbanization between Tertius Chandler's Four Thousand Years of Urban Growthand Sir...
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CERF's Economic Policy Plan
Here at California Lutheran University's Center for Economic Research and Forecasting, we think that each presidential candidate does have an economic plan. But it is a bit difficult to discern the...
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The Land Premium That's Punishing Property
High land prices have all but killed the Australian housing industry. Lower housing starts has led to lower GST revenues (house construction attracts full GST) and lower stamp duty receipts are...
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Demographic Dead End? Barack Obama's Single Nation
President Obama brought up Planned Parenthood three separate times at Tuesday’s town hall debate. It was an appeal aimed directly at a key part of his base: If he is reelected, it will be because of...
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It’s Mormon in America
Whether or not Mitt Romney makes it to the White House, his candidacy signals that Mormons have arrived in American political life. Just as President Obama’s nomination and election marked a sea change...
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Is College Worth It?
Is college worth it? The question almost seems ludicrous on its face. The unemployment rate for people with a college degree is only 4.2% versus 9.1% for people with a college degree and 13.0% for...
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The Swaps of Damocles
"Privileged people don't march and protest; their world is safe and clean and governed by laws designed to keep them happy...." Michael Brock in John Grisham's The Street Lawyer (Doubleday, 1998)....
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Decline Of The Asian Family: Drop In Births Threatens Economic Ascendancy
In the last half century, East Asia emerged as the uber-performer on the global economic stage. The various countries in the region found success with substantially different systems: state-led...
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The Rise of the Great Plains: Regional Opportunity in the 21st Century
This is the introduction to a new report on the future of the American Great Plains released today by Texas Tech University (TTU). The report was authored by Joel Kotkin, Praxis Strategy Group, and...
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Local Government in Ohio: More Accessible and More Efficient
There is general agreement that smaller units of government are more responsive and accountable to their electorates. However, proponents of larger governments often claim that this advantage also...
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Postwar Prefabs: Britain's Factory-Made Palaces
After the financial crisis of 2008, much of Great Britain's construction industry capacity was wiped out. Now, in 2012, there is much fear that the “traditional” construction industry is too weak to...
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Deep in the Heart of Texas: Private Donors Build a Medical Complex the Size...
When Americans think of oil executives, they tend to conjure up the image of J. R. Ewing: slick smile, sharp suits, cowboy boots, and a 10-gallon hat packed with bluster, vanity, and greed. According...
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The GOP’s Hispanic Political Malpractice
One of the more curious developments in American politics over the last two decades is the political malpractice of Republicans in dealing with Hispanic-Americans. Indeed, it now appears that the 2012...
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Obama’s Base and Politics of Disappointment
There may be no better illustration of President Barack Obama’s appeal than his ability to hold onto voters — minorities, single moms and young people — who have fared the worst under his presidency....
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Superstorm Sandy & The Beachfront Bailout
Deadline reporters, especially in weather broadcasts from the surf line, have been wailing about “this enormous storm” or “the unfolding tragedy.” What they might also say is that hurricanes are a...
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Cities Flying Too Close to the Sun
I was honored to speak at a conference in Milwaukee over the summer called Milwaukee’s Future in the Chicago Mega-City. Chicago and Milwaukee are about 90 miles apart on I-94. There’s an Amtrak link...
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Despite the Great Recession, Obama’s New Coalition of Elites Has Thrived
The middle class, we’re frequently told, decides elections. But the 2012 race has in many ways been a contest between two elites, with the plutocratic corporate class lining up behind Mitt Romney to...
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The Suburbs Could Save President Obama From Defeat
President Obama’s disdain for suburban America has been well-documented. Yet, ironically, the current revival in housing, largely in those same suburbs, might be the one thing that could rescue his...
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