A National Conversation About Unconventional Ideas For Development Aug 22, 2009
Not only will these centers open up opportunities for our youth to learn trades to be self-reliant instead of looking up to the government's sector for jobs, but also they can have other unintended positive externalities on the development of the localities where they are set up. Let us charge all District Chief Executives to come up with their plans for technology centers for their districts. (Ghana Web, Ghana)
M Bhusnurmath: House ownership Aug 16, 2009
To the extent the new code promises a bonanza for taxpayers by raising the slabs for taxable income, it is only appropriate that government should axe all but the most justified exemptions, typically those that are warranted from the point of equity or have any positive externalities. Tax breaks on interest on housing loans fit the bill on both counts. (India Times)
Good News on Malaria Control [Extended version] Aug 13, 2009
The second is that there are important spillover benefits (or positive externalities ) when a person uses a bed net, because the net not only gives personal protection to the user but also helps to block transmission of the disease within the community. We should therefore encourage very high levels of bed net use, just as we do with immunizations. (Scientific American)
Did Obama Mess Up Health Care Politics? Aug 7, 2009
The only reason why the Fed Gov't subsidizes education is because the positive externalities (spillovers) associated with an educated population are TREMENDOUS. I can imagine a country where healthcare is only had by 50% of the population; but can you imagine a country where 50% of the people cannot read/write/do math/communicate/think for themselves. This is something you CANNOT put a price on; it needs to be gov't controlled but as we can see, its FAR from perfect. (CBS News)
The Threatmonger's Handbook May 5, 2009
Leaders or citizens may object if they think such a policy might entail real costs or require genuine tradeoffs, so skilled threatmongers often argue that increased military spending will be cost-free (for example, by claiming it will and create jobs), or by suggesting that military action in one arena will produce lots of positive externalities elsewhere (see Rule #2). At the same time, they will downplay the possibility that military action lead to a costly quagmire or make it impossible to... (Slate)
