BPF researches and shares educational information encouraging Mississippi’s Economic Freedom while discouraging Crony Capitalism to increase Mississippi’s Economic Growth. BPF focuses on Constitutional Foundations, Education, Energy, Environment, Health Care, Federal Government & Agencies, Mississippi State Government & Agencies and Regulatory Abuses & Reforms.
Recent Commentary
How Are Hospitals and Electric Utilities Alike?
Both are regulated monopolies. Government monopolies. Patients and customers are denied the benefits of competition. Patients have fewer choices and get government medicine. Customers get more expensive and less reliable electricity.
Do You Want Your Electricity On or Green?
Solar’s intermittency is a problem for the grid that connects plants that generate electricity and customers that use it. The grid doesn’t store electricity. So the customer’s demand for electricity must be in balance with the supply of electricity from the plants that generate it. Otherwise, the grid destabilizes and bad things happen (e.g., rolling brownouts, blackouts, and even grid failure).
PERS: Fiscal Challenges
As lawmakers evaluate the state retirement plan, it is important to understand historical context, the origins of PERS, and its current benefit structure. The lawmakers who developed the system anticipated that members – those who benefit from the plan – would cover most plan liabilities, not taxpayers.
Mississippi PERS: An Overview
The Mississippi Public Employees’ Retirement System (PERS) faces significant financial and structural challenges – and Mississippians deserve to know more about this complex issue. After all, changes to the system directly affect our citizens’ pocketbooks.
BPF Book Review of “Chip War” by Chris Miller
In “Chip War – The Fight for the World’s Most Critical Technology,” author Chris Miller masterfully recounts the epic journey of the transistor from rudimentary invention in the early 50s to today’s system-on-a-chip with billions of transistors that are, as the book’s subtitle suggests “the world’s most critical technology.” “Chip War” is a technology history book that also provides keen insight into the rising economic confrontation between America and China.
Should Entergy’s Customers Pay More for Less?
Entergy Mississippi is an electric utility. It has a legal monopoly in 45 counties with almost 400,000 residential customers (households). It is regulated by the Mississippi Public Service Commission (PSC). The PSC has allowed Entergy to increase rates for these customers 32% over the last three years. Why? Should customers pay even more for less?
