Charles Baird

Senior Fellow

Charles W. Baird is Emeritus Professor of Economics at California State University, East Bay and a past Vice President and member of the Board of Directors of the Mont Pelerin.

He was Director of the Smith Center for Private Enterprise Studies at CSUEB from its founding in 1991 to his retirement in 2007.

His research specialty is in law and economics of labor relations.

Progressive Interest Rates?

"Whatever one thinks about a proportional income tax, the principle of declining marginal significance of income doesn’t justify progressive income tax rates. Neither does it justify progressive mortgage interest rates."…

Progressive Interest Rates?

Government Action and Private Unions

"The Supreme Court should directly address exclusive representation in both private and government employment. It may agree to hear such arguments in some appropriate future case." ~ Charles W. Baird

Government Action and Private Unions

Socialism Must Be Authoritarian

Bernie Sanders, a democratic socialist, asserts that he opposes authoritarianism. He says Fidel Castro’s literacy programs were good, but his authoritarianism was unfortunate. In Bernie’s mind socialism doesn’t have to…

Socialism Must Be Authoritarian

Reciprocity in Occupational Licensure Might Be a Bad Idea

On April 10, 2019 Arizona Governor Doug Ducey signed into law HB 2569, a bill to create “guaranteed recognition” of occupational licenses in other states. This was hailed as a…

Reciprocity in Occupational Licensure Might Be a Bad Idea

That Labor Union Poll Is Not Believable

Union leaders may rejoice that the public increasingly approves of what they do, but poll data do not support that conclusion. 

That Labor Union Poll Is Not Believable

Coercion in Government Employment

Unions love exclusive representation. They fought hard to secure it, and they will fight just as hard to preserve it.

Coercion in Government Employment