Institutional Foundations of Public Finance is not only a fitting tribute to David Bradford, but it is also a book that should be of interest to economists studying any of the topics that it covers.

Congress and the stock exchanges rapidly answered the cry to act in the wake of corporate scandals.

Efforts to encourage investor confidence are fundamentally misguided. A skeptical disposition is much better for investors and for the proper functioning of the economy as a whole.

Banks have been heavily regulated, ostensibly for stability. Yet in thecurrent crisis, banks are suffering and unregulated hedge funds are doing fine.

Despite assurances by the government that the action against Menatep and YUKOS is nothing more than a routine investigation, the choice of the prosecution belie such claims.