The decision in each case should depend on the economic merits of a project rather than on the arbitrary will of central planners.

Whatever the economic merits of the currency board system, politics appears to have colored the debate in Jakarta.

But their leaders should do more to sell the economic merits of enlargement to their citizens.

In the end, though, Mr. Clinton's success in twisting arms had little to do with the bill's economic merits.

Let's leave aside, for a moment, the economic merits of those tax cuts.

"I was not certain of its economic merits," he wrote, "but quickly saw its political possibilities."

They said the United States was now taking the position that Angola's application should be judged on its economic merits.

Iran has denied this and has justified both projects based on their sole economic merits.

Whatever the economic merits, the vote on Wednesday night made it clear that the political appeal of the trade agreement was low.

Everything will be judged and every deal will be decided on its own economic merits.