Issue Brief

A fonte aberta não é necessariamente a melhor forma de desenvolvimento de software. Embora possa ter um papel útil em ambientes de computação especializada, não tem aplicação no mercado de massa de software. Os proponentes da fonte aberta, obedecendo interesses próprios, substituíram a realidade pelo mito. Os responsáveis pelo estabelecimento de políticas não devem assumir de modo errôneo que esse processo, essencialmente derivado, possa ser um substituto da inovação.

Open source is not necessarily the best way to develop software. While it may fill a useful role in specialized computing environments, open source does not translate to the mass market for software. Proponents of open source are vested interests who have substituted myth for reality. Policy makers should not mistakenly assume that this essentially derivative process is any substitute for innovation.

El código de fuente abierta no es necesariamente la mejor forma de desarrollar software. Aunque puede tener una función muy importante en los ambientes especializados de computación, no aplica al mercado masivo de software. Los proponentes del código de fuente abierta son derechos adquiridos que han sustituido el mito por la realidad. Las personas que dictan la política no deberían asumir de una manera equivocada que este proceso esencialmente derivado es un sustituto para la innovación.

Some suggest that proposals for Social Security reform should be judged by the degree to which they require general revenue financing. But this flawed yardstick is biased against personal account plans, because it doesn't accurately measure transition costs, and doesn't account for the dramatically increased benefits of personal accounts. The only way to evaluate reform plans is to weigh all of the costs against all of the benefits.

Which changes in tax policy will have the strongest economic benefit per revenue dollar? Reducing tax rates on capital, such as cutting the capital gains tax rate or shortening depreciation lives, would have the biggest economic payoff. Repealing the alternative minimum tax (AMT) would also be potent, though other proposals such as payroll tax cuts would have much less “bang for the buck.”

In 2000 Congress ended the Social Security retirement earnings test for retirees 65 years and older, but the earnings test remains for early retirees ages 62-64. This Issue Brief lays out the case for eliminating the retirement earnings test for all retirees.

It is important to grasp precisely what the proponents of the 1993 tax increase thought they were accomplishing, the logic behind their plan as well as what actually happened.

At stake in this election is, among other things, the fate of almost $4.6 trillion in federal budget surpluses that the government expects to collect over the next ten years.

This Issue Brief compares the tax and spending plans of Al Gore and George Bush, and provides both static and dynamic forecasting of the economic effects of the candidates' proposals.

For over two years, the federal government has been pursuing antitrust action against Microsoft. Much heated debate has surrounded the case, most of it revolving around legal issues. But the broader ramifications for risk assessment, investor confidence and the general economy have been largely ignored.

The cloud hanging over Microsoft has already done serious damage to the economy. This IPI Issue Brief attempts to quantify the extent of the economic damage already done to the economy by the government's action against Microsoft.

A discussion of all the major elements of the bill, static and dynamic revenue estimates, an estimate of the economic effects of the bill, and a "bang for the buck" analysis of the major provisions.