Giving more autonomy to hospitals may give them the freedom to outbid each other, pushing costs up.

ECONOMIST: Browned off with Blair?

It hasn't quite turned out that way, and, as the American money evaporated, the banks that once outbid each other for scarce staff are left with huge costs and massive overcapacity.

ECONOMIST: Financial services

Or will president and Congress settle for posturing each aiming to outbid the other ahead of this autumn's Congressional elections, proposing ever more outlandish punishments, until the process collapses without yielding new legislation?

ECONOMIST: Land of the smoke-free