Daily Economy

Daily economy news from the American Institute for Economic Research: data, stories, research, and articles touching on economics, politics, culture, education, policy, opinion, technology, markets, healthcare, regulation, trends, and much more.

AIER’s Editorial Policy.

Take National Security Off Auto-Pilot

Andrew Byers May 1, 2024

“We have squandered our own scarce resources, bred animosity overseas, and frequently made existing conditions worse.” ~Andrew Byers

They Can Afford It!

Donald J. Boudreaux May 1, 2024

“Even companies with unusually high net worth cannot, in fact, afford to pay workers more than those workers contribute to the companies’ bottom lines.” ~Donald J. Boudreaux

Taxpayer Rights Revival in California

Thomas Savidge April 30, 2024

“With inflation shrinking the purchasing power of their dollar and faced with higher tax bills because of ‘bracket creep,’ taxpayers are starting to push back against wasteful government spending again.” ~Thomas Savidge

Economists’ Advocacy for a Carbon Tax Is Misguided

Kenneth Costello April 29, 2024

“The reality is that bureaucrats and politicians would likely choose a metric aligned with their self-interest or with the interests of those who currently hold power.” ~Kenneth W. Costello

Weaving Stable Neighborhoods

Rachel Ferguson April 29, 2024

“It’s simply unconscionable that so many of us continue to invest our charitable time and treasure into projects that undermine social cohesion rather than building it.” ~Rachel Ferguson

Sanders’s 4-Day Week Will Kill Flexible Jobs

Vance Ginn April 29, 2024

“Many Americans juggle multiple or part-time jobs to make ends meet. This policy would add another layer of complexity and constraint in a market that requires more flexibility, not less.” ~Vance Ginn

The Wasteful Cruelty of “Stakeholder Capital”

Jeremy Kidd April 26, 2024

“When institutional investors vote to destroy the wealth of Chevron, they vote to destroy the dreams of single mothers in Wisconsin, pensioners in California, and small business owners in Nebraska.” ~Jeremy Kidd

Is Argentine Disinflation Sustainable?

Nicolas Cachanosky April 26, 2024

“Milei’s lack of political support in Congress adds to the uncertainty surrounding his ability to successfully pass deregulatory reforms… it is premature to declare victory on the fiscal and inflationary fronts in Argentina.” ~Nicolás Cachanosky

Take the Government Out of GDP 

Thomas Savidge April 25, 2024

“Tax revenues are harvested from private citizens by means of coercion and extractive measures… Paying taxes to remain free of incarceration or not face withering financial penalties is hardly indicative of cooperative exchange. ” ~Tom Savidge and Peter C. Earle

Bitcoin Mining and Icelandic Bananas

Joakim Book April 25, 2024

“Stranded energy and unused electricity are magnets for bitcoin miners, as they take electricity that can’t readily be used for other purposes and turn it into one of the world’s most liquid and globally transferable assets.” ~Joakim Book

The New Zimbabwean ZiG: Sixth Time a Charm?

Peter C. Earle April 25, 2024

“Even the most faithfully implemented commodity-backed money standard is fundamentally predicated on the integrity and competence of its overseers.” ~Peter C. Earle

Parity in Labor Transparency

Michael Watson April 24, 2024

“If workers are going to grant a labor union the extensive powers over them that federal law has authorized, workers should be able to know whether the ‘coworkers’ advocating the union are paid representatives of Big Labor. ” ~Michael Watson

Will Caitlin Clark Be Grossly Underpaid?

Art Carden April 23, 2024

“There simply isn’t enough demand for seats at, merchandise related to, and streaming of women’s sports to support WNBA players at NBA salaries.” ~Art Carden

A Better Model Won’t Fix The Fed

Alexander W. Salter April 23, 2024

“The whole point of expectations-responsive monetary policy is to remove the discretionary and technocratic elements from central banking. Disappointingly but unsurprisingly, the Fed is doing the opposite: doubling down on discretion and technocracy.” ~Alexander W. Salter

Why Even Insiders Underestimate Markets’ Power

Gary Galles April 23, 2024

“There tend to be more and better substitution possibilities known to both buyers and sellers than we recognize from the outside of those exchange relationships.” ~Gary M. Galles

Take National Security Off Auto-Pilot

Andrew Byers May 1, 2024

“We have squandered our own scarce resources, bred animosity overseas, and frequently made existing conditions worse.” ~Andrew Byers

They Can Afford It!

Donald J. Boudreaux May 1, 2024

“Even companies with unusually high net worth cannot, in fact, afford to pay workers more than those workers contribute to the companies’ bottom lines.” ~Donald J. Boudreaux

Taxpayer Rights Revival in California

Thomas Savidge April 30, 2024

“With inflation shrinking the purchasing power of their dollar and faced with higher tax bills because of ‘bracket creep,’ taxpayers are starting to push back against wasteful government spending again.” ~Thomas Savidge

Economists’ Advocacy for a Carbon Tax Is Misguided

Kenneth Costello April 29, 2024

“The reality is that bureaucrats and politicians would likely choose a metric aligned with their self-interest or with the interests of those who currently hold power.” ~Kenneth W. Costello

Weaving Stable Neighborhoods

Rachel Ferguson April 29, 2024

“It’s simply unconscionable that so many of us continue to invest our charitable time and treasure into projects that undermine social cohesion rather than building it.” ~Rachel Ferguson

Sanders’s 4-Day Week Will Kill Flexible Jobs

Vance Ginn April 29, 2024

“Many Americans juggle multiple or part-time jobs to make ends meet. This policy would add another layer of complexity and constraint in a market that requires more flexibility, not less.” ~Vance Ginn

The Wasteful Cruelty of “Stakeholder Capital”

Jeremy Kidd April 26, 2024

“When institutional investors vote to destroy the wealth of Chevron, they vote to destroy the dreams of single mothers in Wisconsin, pensioners in California, and small business owners in Nebraska.” ~Jeremy Kidd

Is Argentine Disinflation Sustainable?

Nicolas Cachanosky April 26, 2024

“Milei’s lack of political support in Congress adds to the uncertainty surrounding his ability to successfully pass deregulatory reforms… it is premature to declare victory on the fiscal and inflationary fronts in Argentina.” ~Nicolás Cachanosky

Take the Government Out of GDP 

Thomas Savidge April 25, 2024

“Tax revenues are harvested from private citizens by means of coercion and extractive measures… Paying taxes to remain free of incarceration or not face withering financial penalties is hardly indicative of cooperative exchange. ” ~Tom Savidge and Peter C. Earle

Bitcoin Mining and Icelandic Bananas

Joakim Book April 25, 2024

“Stranded energy and unused electricity are magnets for bitcoin miners, as they take electricity that can’t readily be used for other purposes and turn it into one of the world’s most liquid and globally transferable assets.” ~Joakim Book

The New Zimbabwean ZiG: Sixth Time a Charm?

Peter C. Earle April 25, 2024

“Even the most faithfully implemented commodity-backed money standard is fundamentally predicated on the integrity and competence of its overseers.” ~Peter C. Earle

Parity in Labor Transparency

Michael Watson April 24, 2024

“If workers are going to grant a labor union the extensive powers over them that federal law has authorized, workers should be able to know whether the ‘coworkers’ advocating the union are paid representatives of Big Labor. ” ~Michael Watson

Will Caitlin Clark Be Grossly Underpaid?

Art Carden April 23, 2024

“There simply isn’t enough demand for seats at, merchandise related to, and streaming of women’s sports to support WNBA players at NBA salaries.” ~Art Carden

A Better Model Won’t Fix The Fed

Alexander W. Salter April 23, 2024

“The whole point of expectations-responsive monetary policy is to remove the discretionary and technocratic elements from central banking. Disappointingly but unsurprisingly, the Fed is doing the opposite: doubling down on discretion and technocracy.” ~Alexander W. Salter

Why Even Insiders Underestimate Markets’ Power

Gary Galles April 23, 2024

“There tend to be more and better substitution possibilities known to both buyers and sellers than we recognize from the outside of those exchange relationships.” ~Gary M. Galles