Over the past 24 years, the U.S. rate of personal bankruptcies jumped nearly 350 percent. The rate varies greatly among states. Tennessee's rate last year-the highest in the nation-was more than 10 filings per 1,000 people, nearly four times the rate in Massachusetts.

College tuition has increased dramatically over the past decade, yet few think the quality of graduates has kept up. Decentralizing the administration and privatizing such things as housing and food service would boost productivity, as would ditching tenure and improving teaching.

Census data show that the income of the rich is growing faster than the income of the poor. But such common measures exaggerate the degree of income inequality. In addition, income inequality is the result of, and not a detriment to, a well-functioning economy.

Natural disasters can be opportunities for politicians. In deciding who gets what aid, they weigh what they can get back in terms of political support, contributions and votes.