Why the Crisis Should Turn Everyone Into a Libertarian
The advances authored by private investment would put even more of us in the position to at least somewhat work around the errors of politicians who, when presented with a virus, chose to destroy the jobs of millions as a response.
John Tamny – April 4, 2020
Life Is Completely Different, Except for the Bureaucrats
In these times of great uncertainty, we should be doing everything we can to make it easier for people to find and sustain work—not turning honest, hardworking people into outlaws.
People Adapt, Thwarting Government Plans
If you derive no other takeaway from the political response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, let it be this: human behavior adapts in real-time to ever-changing expectations of the future.
Recession May Have Begun for the U.S. Economy
U.S. nonfarm payrolls plunged by 701,000 jobs in March, and with record-shattering initial claims suggesting more job losses to come, a U.S. recession is a near certainty.
Intelligence Is Better than Panic
AIER has become a leading voice for understanding during these times, helping to balance out the media-fueled panic that has gripped our country.
Quarantine Violators: “Shoot them dead”
Six months ago, would you have said that government would forcibly be shutting down businesses? Probably not. So how do you know that, if restrictions keep building and building, six months from now there won’t be a green light to “shoot dead” quarantine violators?
We Can’t Have Government Healthcare AND Social Security
If America retains Social Security while simultaneously turning over healthcare for all to the government, the government’s incentives will change somewhat, becoming more Logan’s Run-like.
Use and Abuse of Statistical Models in COVID19 (Video)
In absence of factual tests, the void has been filled by statistical forecasts, many of which suffer from some of the same fallacies as historical models. Compounding the problem is that these models are being created in real time. These models have contributed to social and political panic.
Unemployment Claims Surpass Great Recession
The unprecedented economic impact of the COVID-19 outbreak is crushing the labor market.
Cash Is King in COVID-19
We’re still early in this crisis, so who knows what patterns in cash demand will emerge. But for now, cash is filling its normal role as alleviator of uncertainty. To cope with the turmoil, people are withdrawing a bit more of the stuff. And that’s fine!
Controls Breeding More Controls
The extraordinary government clampdown on economic life that we are enduring — in order to preserve hospital beds and the capacity of doctors and nurses — is the result, not just of the coronavirus, but of the severe restrictions on economic activity that have made our economy brittle and poorly-suited to adapt and respond to this natural emergency.
Everyone Has a Human Right to Work
The Trump base wants to work. And likely needs to. The Trump administration should go out of its way to legalize the right to work so that desperate service employees and workers in general at least have the chance to fix their devastated situations.
We Don’t Yet Live in a Police State. Or Perhaps We Do.
Government advice is just that, good or bad and I grant that it is mostly sensible. But it is not for the police to misinterpret the law as they see fit or to enforce government advice.
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