Who gets fruits of public R&D? by David Morris Originally published in the Minneapolis Star Tribune, November 28, 2004 In 1980, Congress allowed universities to own federally supported research and grant exclusive licenses to businesses to commercialize that research. Since then, the landscape of America’s research universities has changed dramatically. Before 1980, U.S. universities applied for … Read More
Here Come the Low-Mileage Hybrids by David Morris Originally published in Alternet, September 1, 2004 Equating a hybrid with a high-efficiency car was sufficient so long as a hybrid was a high-efficiency car. Enter the Ford Escape – it ain’t no Prius. The introduction by Ford this month of a hybrid SUV marks the end of … Read More
Business Forum: Teaching People to Think – Badly by David Morris Originally published in the Minneapolis Star Tribune, July 25, 2004 In 1998, with much fanfare, the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis formally launched its “Economic Literacy” initiative. As President Gary Stern explained: “Economic literacy is crucial because it is a measure of whether people understand … Read More
Devil in the Details by David Morris Originally published in Alternet, June 30, 2004 In mid June, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) weighed in on the growing controversy about whether bishops should deny Communion, one of the Church’s holiest rites, to politicians. “The question has been raised as to whether the denial of Holy … Read More
Q. I’m thinking of not voting in the next election except maybe for a third-party candidate. After all, there’s not a dime’s worth of difference between the Republican and Democratic Parties. Is there? Answer: Your opinion is shared by millions and is reinforced daily by David Letterman, Jay Leno, patronizing political ads and banal 20 second … Read More
Q. More than 100 million people are going to cast ballots this November. Can one vote make a difference? Answer: You betcha. American history is littered with examples of close elections, some of which changed the nation’s future. If Richard Nixon had gained 1 more vote per precinct in Illinois in 1960 he would have defeated … Read More
Q. All this talk about the elections makes me eager to vote. I know I have to register but I don’t know how or when to do so. Can I register the day of the general election? Answer: I applaud your budding sense of citizenship. I wish I could tell you that all it takes to … Read More
Q. I know we don’t elect a president directly. But I don’t know why. And what the heck is the Electoral College? Does it lessen the value of my vote? Answer: The 2000 election demonstrated quite clearly that we don’t directly elect our presidents. Al Gore won the popular vote but George Bush won the electoral … Read More
Q. Republicans insist that during George W. Bush’s first three years in office several hundred thousand jobs have been created. Democrats maintain that during this same time period several million jobs have been lost! Both are relying on government data. How can that be? Who is right? Answer: They’re both right, although one may be righter … Read More
