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.

The (Big Labor) Empire Strikes Back in Michigan

“Labor unions prefer to obtain all their dues through the easy method of coercion. They hate RTW statutes because they give disaffected workers an escape hatch.” ~ George Leef

The Myth of American Inequality and Stagnation

“The familiar trope of the rich getting richer, the poor getting poorer, and the middle classes treading water is disproved by devastatingly large amounts of empirical evidence.” ~ Donald J. Boudreaux

How Arrogance Threatens Freedom

“Those who demand special treatment from impersonal, anonymous, and uncontrollable processes lack humility. They want credit for their achievements, and they blame others when their goals fall short. With such arrogance, freedom is indeed impossible.” ~ Barry Brownstein

A Sick (Pay) Policy that Redefines Work

“To the extent that these app-based companies are about matching unused resources, no matter how small, to those who want to employ those resources, this policy undermines the most beneficial aspect of the sharing economy.” ~ Anthony Gill

Why Intellectuals Hate Al Czervik

“Power, by which I mean political power, is always zero-sum: if the intellectual elite has it, you and I don’t have it.” ~ Michael Munger

What’s Next for the Fed?

“A wide range of outcomes are still possible for 2023, ranging from stagflation to a ‘soft landing.'” ~ Thomas L. Hogan

Economic Growth Makes Graceland Less Impressive

“The real ‘capitalist achievement,’ however, isn’t Graceland. It’s the fact that compared to the stuff of the average person’s day-to-day life in 2023, Graceland just isn’t that impressive.” ~ Art Carden

The Greedflation Myth

“Politicians on the left would like us to believe inflation is caused by greedy corporations. And some academics are all too happy to provide them with theoretical cover.” ~ William J. Luther

Three Proposals for Price Stability

“As a ‘dark horse’ candidate, Ramaswamy has a greater burden of proof before the electorate. He needs to prove his policy proposals are a cut above his rivals’.” ~ Alexander W. Salter

America’s Long Depression

“The US economy may continue to grow or shrink a few percent from year to year, but it will remain mired in a deep depression compared to what it could have achieved.” ~ Robert E. Wright

Without Economic Freedom, None of the Others Matter

“Forbidding entrepreneurial ventures that have not been granted prior approval and design review by unelected officials is, practically speaking, state ownership of the means of production.” ~ Paul Schwennesen

How Congress Should Reform the Fed

“Congress should narrow the Fed’s regulatory concerns to maintaining adequate bank capital. It should also consider abolishing the discount window entirely.” ~ Alexander William Salter

Taylor Swift, Turn Your Wrath to Government!

“The entity that Taylor Swift and her legion of fans are turning to save themselves from a predatory monopoly that engages in shifty pricing is itself a predatory monopoly that engages in shifty pricing.” ~ Anthony Gill

The (Big Labor) Empire Strikes Back in Michigan

“Labor unions prefer to obtain all their dues through the easy method of coercion. They hate RTW statutes because they give disaffected workers an escape hatch.” ~ George Leef

The Myth of American Inequality and Stagnation

“The familiar trope of the rich getting richer, the poor getting poorer, and the middle classes treading water is disproved by devastatingly large amounts of empirical evidence.” ~ Donald J. Boudreaux

How Arrogance Threatens Freedom

“Those who demand special treatment from impersonal, anonymous, and uncontrollable processes lack humility. They want credit for their achievements, and they blame others when their goals fall short. With such arrogance, freedom is indeed impossible.” ~ Barry Brownstein

A Sick (Pay) Policy that Redefines Work

“To the extent that these app-based companies are about matching unused resources, no matter how small, to those who want to employ those resources, this policy undermines the most beneficial aspect of the sharing economy.” ~ Anthony Gill

Why Intellectuals Hate Al Czervik

“Power, by which I mean political power, is always zero-sum: if the intellectual elite has it, you and I don’t have it.” ~ Michael Munger

What’s Next for the Fed?

“A wide range of outcomes are still possible for 2023, ranging from stagflation to a ‘soft landing.'” ~ Thomas L. Hogan

Economic Growth Makes Graceland Less Impressive

“The real ‘capitalist achievement,’ however, isn’t Graceland. It’s the fact that compared to the stuff of the average person’s day-to-day life in 2023, Graceland just isn’t that impressive.” ~ Art Carden

The Greedflation Myth

“Politicians on the left would like us to believe inflation is caused by greedy corporations. And some academics are all too happy to provide them with theoretical cover.” ~ William J. Luther

Three Proposals for Price Stability

“As a ‘dark horse’ candidate, Ramaswamy has a greater burden of proof before the electorate. He needs to prove his policy proposals are a cut above his rivals’.” ~ Alexander W. Salter

America’s Long Depression

“The US economy may continue to grow or shrink a few percent from year to year, but it will remain mired in a deep depression compared to what it could have achieved.” ~ Robert E. Wright

Without Economic Freedom, None of the Others Matter

“Forbidding entrepreneurial ventures that have not been granted prior approval and design review by unelected officials is, practically speaking, state ownership of the means of production.” ~ Paul Schwennesen

How Congress Should Reform the Fed

“Congress should narrow the Fed’s regulatory concerns to maintaining adequate bank capital. It should also consider abolishing the discount window entirely.” ~ Alexander William Salter

Taylor Swift, Turn Your Wrath to Government!

“The entity that Taylor Swift and her legion of fans are turning to save themselves from a predatory monopoly that engages in shifty pricing is itself a predatory monopoly that engages in shifty pricing.” ~ Anthony Gill