Category Archives: US Politics

Is Obama Still for Merit Pay?

Posted on March 13, 2008 by

There’s a piece in the New Republic attempting to work out Obama’s views on education reform, and particularly whether he’s still for merit pay. It’s an important topic, but I find it a smidgin frustrating that the author spends so … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics of Education, US Politics | 1 Comment

The Politics of Hope

Posted on February 26, 2008 by

My AFR oped today is on Barack Obama and the politics of hope. Full text over the fold.

Posted in Australian Politics, US Politics | 10 Comments

Backgrounder on prediction markets

Posted on February 24, 2008 by

The latest issue of Scientific American has an article on prediction markets. Those who know the literature won’t learn that much from it, but it does have a neat history on the Iowa Electronic Markets. My favourite quote: When the … Continue reading →

Posted in US Politics | 1 Comment

Parochial, US?

Posted on February 7, 2008 by

When I first visited the US (at age 18), I was struck by how much the mainstream media focused on domestic events. ‘How parochial’, I thought. Not like Australia, where our media covers lots of things happening outside the country. … Continue reading →

Posted in Media, US Politics | 8 Comments

It's a coin toss on who'll face McCain

Posted on February 6, 2008 by

Hard to know whether exit polling numbers have leaked yet (it’s coming up to 4pm East Coast US time), but Intrade has McCain an 89% chance of being Republican nominee, and Clinton and Obama both on 50%. Nailbiting. (FWIW, I’m … Continue reading →

Posted in US Politics | 5 Comments

Who cares about inequality?

Posted on January 22, 2008 by

The Maxwell School has released its latest poll on Americans’ attitudes to inequality. As Norberto Bobbio once wrote, attitudes to inequality are the best way of gauging a person’s position on the left/right spectrum, and their poll strongly reinforces that.

Posted in Inequality, US Politics | 3 Comments

'08 Odds Updated

Posted on January 13, 2008 by

The ’08 race is changing so fast, I’m having trouble keeping up. Here’s the Iowa Electronic Markets’ estimates on the probability of various nominees on both sides. Democratic: Clinton 54%, Obama 45%, Edwards 2%, Rest 1% Republican: McCain 45%, Giuliani … Continue reading →

Posted in US Politics