June 2009

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Michael Moore on the General Motors Bankruptcy

America's General Motors filed for bankruptcy on 1 June 2009, and will be bailed out by the federal government, making the government a 60% shareholder in the company. The bailout is valued at US$30bn. The company is to be remodeled and emerge as a "new GM," which will be smaller. Thousands of GM jobs are on the line. Somewhat disappointingly, President Obama announced that "the federal government will refrain from exercising its rights as a shareholder in all but the most...

How to Make Sure We Don't Mangle the Pursuit of Good Industrial Policy and National Interest

Picture: World Bank Saliem Fakir - No sooner had Zuma confirmed his cabinet and a select few in the whining caucus already started complaining that industrial policy is best left to the private sector to sort out.  All government needs to do is dish out the incentives, lower the taxes for exporters and ensure wage expectations are kept to the minimum.  So long as government does this, the private sector will do its level best to pick the winners. Such cynicism against government intervention must be met with...