An experiment to test the hypothesis: "the medium by which information is presented to a subject has a direct effect on the number of ideas verbalized by the subject and the way the ideas are verbalized"

Thesis (M.S.)--Boston Universit

Strategies of the Political Opposition

I consider the strategies that an opposition party can use against an incumbent party which controls the government. The focus is on strategies when citizens vote retrospectively (so that the incumbent's chance of winning re-election increases with his performance), and when citizens compare the estimated abilities of the candidates. In both cases, the equilibrium may have the opposition vote against all policies the government proposes.Political opposition; Reputation; Retrospective voting; Policy implementation

Predicting Committee Action

Success of a policy often requires both that a good policy be adopted, and that the public or firms correctly anticipate what policy government will adopt. This paper models a relation between committee size and the effectiveness of policy, with a focus on how the accuracy of the public’s expectations varies with the size of the governmental committee setting policy. The paper also argues that the demand for access by special interest groups may arise not from a desire to influence policy, but from a desire to learn about government’s likely actions.

Crowding Out Wasteful Activities by Wasteful Activities

A seller can benefit from information about the valuation a potential buyer places on the good. Under some circumstances, improved information raises social welfare. But under other circumstances, the information has private value but no social value, so that agents may spend too much on collecting information. A government which collects and disseminates some information about valuations can limit spending by private agents on data collection, thereby increasing social welfare. That is, governmental provision of information may be useful not because information is socially useful, but because it limits the amount private agents spend on collecting information.Information; Rent seeking

Reducing Current Taxes to Raise Future Revenue

A government which raises taxes in the current period may induce workers to invest in finding ways to reduce their tax payments, and so may reduce the government's ability to raise revenue in the future. Therefore, a government that fears it may have to raise much revenue in the future may set taxes in the current period at a lower level than that which would maximize revenue, or that would maximize social welfare in that period.Tax evasion; Intertemporal taxation

Michigan's Transition to a Knowledge-Based Economy: Second Annual Progress Report

Based on updated data from metropolitan areas nationwide, highlights the need for Michigan to develop its knowledge-based, high-wage industries. Reiterates an agenda to attract and retain talent through public investment, education reform, and leadership