Tag Archives: Perverse Incentives

Why It’s So Hard For Scientists To Study Medical Marijuana

Posted on by

“Both the American Medical Association and the American College of Physicians have called for more research into the therapeutic uses of marijuana and for the U.S. government to reconsider its classification as a Schedule I substance.  The University of Mississippi grows and harvests cannabis for studies funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, yet because NIDA’s congressionally mandated mission is to research the harmful effects of controlled substances and stop drug abuse, the institute isn’t interested in helping establish marijuana as a medicine.”

http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2013-04/why-its-so-hard-scientists-study-pot?single-page-view=true

Scan to Donate Bitcoin to Freedomwat.ch Staff
Did you like this?
Tip Freedomwat.ch Staff with Bitcoin
Donate via Installed Wallet

The Role Disability Insurance is Playing in Discouraging Young Adults from Working

Posted on by

“Of the nearly nine million former workers receiving federal disability payments, more than 2.5 million are in their 20s, 30s and 40s.  ‘It is difficult to overstate the role that the SSDI program plays in discouraging’ employment among these young people, Messrs. Autor and Duggan said in one of their research papers, urging reform.”

http://www.economicpolicyjournal.com/2013/04/the-role-disability-insurance-is.html

Scan to Donate Bitcoin to Freedomwat.ch Staff
Did you like this?
Tip Freedomwat.ch Staff with Bitcoin
Donate via Installed Wallet

Terrible Costs of a ‘Modern Economy’

Posted on by

the-daily-bell-top-logo52

“When large democracies create state mandates they will inevitably be exploited. Now it appears that nearly a million in Britain were taking advantage of sickness-related benefits that they were not eligible for.  This figure is arrived at via reports that 878,300 ‘decided not to have an official assessment of whether they were fit for work.’ The Telegraph informs us this was more than a third of the total number of people claiming sickness-related benefits. ‘As well as the 878,300 who chose to drop their claims, another 837,000 who did take the a medical test were found to be fit to work immediately, while a further 367,300 were judged able to some level of work.'”

http://www.thedailybell.com/28918/Terrible-Costs-of-a-Modern-Economy

Scan to Donate Bitcoin to Freedomwat.ch Staff
Did you like this?
Tip Freedomwat.ch Staff with Bitcoin
Donate via Installed Wallet

Fed Could End Up Paying Banks $77 Billion Annually on Excess Reserves

Posted on by

“The Federal Reserve could pay more than $77 billion a year in interest on the excess cash reserves it holds for commercial banks if rates follow the highest path forecast by Fed policy makers.   The central bank already has paid more than $13 billion since 2008 when Congress authorized interest on reserve balances as part of financial-rescue legislation.  The Fed earns interest income on its bond holdings and, after covering its operating expenses, returns the profit to the U.S. Treasury. Last year, the Fed remitted $88.4 billion. As the interest payments on reserves rise, this profit could shrink or disappear.”

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-04-15/fed-seen-paying-banks-77-billion-on-reserves-chart-of-the-day.html

Scan to Donate Bitcoin to Freedomwat.ch Staff
Did you like this?
Tip Freedomwat.ch Staff with Bitcoin
Donate via Installed Wallet

Look Out Below, The Obamacare Chaos Is Coming

Posted on by

“The harsh reality of Obamacare is that tens of millions will lose their employer provided insurance because of the perverse incentives under the program.  Even the establishment CBO admits that at least 7 million, and as many as 20 million, will lose their employer coverage.  Workers who do not receive employer provided coverage are eligible to purchase their health insurance on the state Exchanges with extensive taxpayer subsidies to help cover the cost.  Employers can terminate their employee coverage, give their workers a raise with part of the savings, and let the taxpayers bear the cost of subsidizing their coverage in the Exchanges.”

http://www.forbes.com/sites/peterferrara/2013/04/07/look-out-below-the-obamacare-chaos-is-coming/

Scan to Donate Bitcoin to Freedomwat.ch Staff
Did you like this?
Tip Freedomwat.ch Staff with Bitcoin
Donate via Installed Wallet

Obamacare Cost Me Full-Time Work

Posted on by
EPJ13
“I work in television production as a freelance worker. While freelance, I do work for one major media company that uses me quite a lot and accounts for probably 85% of my work. I regularly work 3-4 days per week with them and often more depending on the time of year.Today we were told that freelancers would soon have to work under 30 hours per week. Since shifts are 8 hours, this means nobody will be able to work here as a freelancer for more than 3 days per week (24 hours total).  I’ve calculated that the maximum I can make in a year with them is now about 30% less than I have made with this company in each of the past 2 years.”

http://www.economicpolicyjournal.com/2013/04/obamacare-cost-me-work.html

Scan to Donate Bitcoin to Freedomwat.ch Staff
Did you like this?
Tip Freedomwat.ch Staff with Bitcoin
Donate via Installed Wallet

Americans fall out of favour with Swiss banks

Posted on by

“Already battle-scarred from the hard lessons of recent years, Swiss banks are taking a very cautious approach when it comes to the introduction of FATCA. The US law requires banks around the world to report information on American account holders to Uncle Sam.  There are also concerns that FATCA’s collateral damage could extend beyond the home front into the business world. If an American owns more than 10 percent of a company, it is reportable to the IRS. The worry is that this rule may make it harder for US entrepreneurs to find business and banking partners, shutting them out of attractive investment opportunities.”

http://www.thelocal.ch/page/view/american-expats-fall-out-of-favour-with-swiss-banks

Scan to Donate Bitcoin to Freedomwat.ch Staff
Did you like this?
Tip Freedomwat.ch Staff with Bitcoin
Donate via Installed Wallet

No proof that helmets prevent concussion: experts

Posted on by

“Helmets and mouthguards can prevent serious head and facial injuries, but there is no evidence they specifically stave off concussion, top authorities in sports medicine say.  Paradoxically, wearing this protection may lead to injuries because a player is tempted to take greater risks, they say. ‘Biomechanical studies have shown a reduction in impact forces to the brain with the use of head gear and helmets, but these findings have not been translated to show a reduction in concussion incidence.’  There can also be a ‘paradoxical increase in injury rates’ when players, kitted out in protective gear, adopt more dangerous tactics.”

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/03/11/no-proof-that-helmets-prevent-concussion-experts/

Scan to Donate Bitcoin to Freedomwat.ch Staff
Did you like this?
Tip Freedomwat.ch Staff with Bitcoin
Donate via Installed Wallet

Mounting Evidence: Obamacare Insurance Plans Will Be Bare Bones — and Expensive

Posted on by

EPJ13

“Health plans […] health plans want to reduce uncertainty around how all the risk-sharing provisions in Obamacare will eventually play out. The legislation puts in place mechanisms that forces Washington to share with health plans some of the cost of the covering the sickest beneficiaries. But the regulations outlining these parameters were only released last Friday. Nobody yet trusts how they’ll work.To mitigate uncertainty, plans will price their products high. Insurers know that any excess profits they earn will have to be paid back to the government, anyway.  Health plans are better off aiming high, and owing money back, then getting underwater.”

http://www.economicpolicyjournal.com/2013/03/mounting-evidence-obamacare-insurance.html

Scan to Donate Bitcoin to Freedomwat.ch Staff
Did you like this?
Tip Freedomwat.ch Staff with Bitcoin
Donate via Installed Wallet

Obamacare Hammers Upper Middle Class in California: 30% Premium Hikes

Posted on by

“If you are a lower income person in California, your ship has come in. If you make over $70,000, your ship has pulled out. You are about to be run over by a freight train.  How many people are in each camp? The losers number 1.3 million. The winners are 3.6 million.  This is democracy. ‘Thou shalt not steal, except by majority vote.’  If you are not married, and make over $46,000 a year, you’re toast. If your family income is above $94,000, you’re toast.  If you have insurance from your employer, you survive. Your employers may decide to fire you. You just got way more expensive. Do the words ‘independent contractor’ sound familiar?”

http://teapartyeconomist.com/2013/03/29/obamacare-hammers-upper-middle-class-in-california-30-premium-hikes/

Scan to Donate Bitcoin to Freedomwat.ch Staff
Did you like this?
Tip Freedomwat.ch Staff with Bitcoin
Donate via Installed Wallet