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.
Why Are Mortgage Rates So High?
“Interest rates on mortgages were 2.66 percent just two and a half years ago. Why the sudden increase in rates? The Federal Reserve increased the money supply and generated the worst inflation in many years.” ~ Gerald P. Dwyer
Hayek Helps Us Understand Why People Are Losing Their Minds
“Today, the extended order is breaking down. As order breaks down, so do our powers of reason. Many are willing to be taught to have disgust for those outside their tribe.” ~ Barry Brownstein
Against a 3 Percent Inflation Target
“If the Fed can really make such an elementary error and get away with it, a major prudential reason for keeping it around would no longer hold.” ~ Alexander W. Salter
Beware Especially of Claims Made By Politicians
“The public’s inability to ‘see’ with the naked eye any but the most obvious consequences of government interventions ensures that politicians confront only very weak incentives to be truthful and concrete about the likely full consequences of their interventions.” ~ Donald J. Boudreaux
Inflation is Back on Target
“People have renegotiated their wages and purchase orders with those new expectations in mind. To course correct at this late stage would amount to a very painful contraction.” ~ William J. Luther
Blame, Trade-Offs, and the Maui Wildfires
“Making big and simple promises is the easy part of politics. Telling constituencies that there may be difficult and painful trade-offs is difficult.” ~ Anthony Gill
Locked Down: What Do We Really Need Collective Action For?
“Locke’s view, reflected in our Founding documents, is that preserving our freedoms requires one type of collective action: the preservation of our rights. No more. Actions beyond that benefit some at the expense of others.” ~ Gary M. Galles
In Defense of Cash Grabs
“It doesn’t have to make sense to the outside observer, because ‘the system’ is not something a single mind designed but the unintended consequence of innumerable individual choices in response to (sometimes badly distorted) incentives.” ~ Art Carden
The Costly Late Arrival of FedNow
“Policy makers should ensure that the US payment landscape is efficient, accessible, and beneficial for all stakeholders involved with as little government involvement as possible.” ~ Nicolas Cachanosky
What Is the New Deal with the New Deal?
“The tide of historiographical battle may finally turn and with it many old canards about the culpability of the gold standard, stock shorting, greed, and so forth in the downturn.” ~ Robert E. Wright
The Country Music Singer Who Took Aim at Welfare 50 Years Before Oliver Anthony—and Also Hit #1 on the Music Charts
“In 1970, when Guy Drake wrote ‘Welfare Cadillac,’ one could argue that we hadn’t yet given welfare a chance. Today, there is no such excuse.” ~ Jon Miltimore
The Rise of BRICS-11
“The explicit BRICS goals, which include expanding the reach of the New Development Bank, closer trade cooperation, and a dollar-alternative currency are undoubtedly viewed as a means to alleviate the perennial woes of economic mismanagement. And, of course, to slip Western spheres of influence.” ~ Peter C. Earle
Remembering President Harding
“Notwithstanding the scandals, Harding’s legacy for electoral success, economic achievements, and national wealth remain unsurpassed.” ~ Will Sellers
A Review of M. Nolan Gray’s “Arbitrary Lines: How Zoning Broke the American City and How to Fix it”
“While most cities in the United States continue to constrain themselves with zoning as we have come to know it, Gray points out that there are some notable exceptions where zoning has been reformed or removed and the early results are promising.” ~ H. Sheldon Weeks
Whipped Inflation Now
“The battle for 2 percent inflation has already been won. Fed officials should acknowledge and celebrate the victory.” ~ William J. Luther
My Big Cryptocurrency Pyramid Scheme
“I like to explore innovations that promise not violent overthrow but rather ways to undermine or circumvent unjust authorities or corrupt incumbents.” ~ Max Borders
A Macroeconomic Agenda for Freedom Conservatives
“It’s time to hit the brakes on modern monetary theory, functional finance, and anything else that justifies using the federal budget as an instrument of social control.” ~ Alexander W. Salter
Should We Abolish Zoning?
“Many people consider zoning part of the ‘property right’ they bought in their home. They really should set up covenants if they want that security.” ~ Jason Sorens
Why Are Mortgage Rates So High?
“Interest rates on mortgages were 2.66 percent just two and a half years ago. Why the sudden increase in rates? The Federal Reserve increased the money supply and generated the worst inflation in many years.” ~ Gerald P. Dwyer
Hayek Helps Us Understand Why People Are Losing Their Minds
“Today, the extended order is breaking down. As order breaks down, so do our powers of reason. Many are willing to be taught to have disgust for those outside their tribe.” ~ Barry Brownstein
Against a 3 Percent Inflation Target
“If the Fed can really make such an elementary error and get away with it, a major prudential reason for keeping it around would no longer hold.” ~ Alexander W. Salter
Beware Especially of Claims Made By Politicians
“The public’s inability to ‘see’ with the naked eye any but the most obvious consequences of government interventions ensures that politicians confront only very weak incentives to be truthful and concrete about the likely full consequences of their interventions.” ~ Donald J. Boudreaux
Inflation is Back on Target
“People have renegotiated their wages and purchase orders with those new expectations in mind. To course correct at this late stage would amount to a very painful contraction.” ~ William J. Luther
Blame, Trade-Offs, and the Maui Wildfires
“Making big and simple promises is the easy part of politics. Telling constituencies that there may be difficult and painful trade-offs is difficult.” ~ Anthony Gill
Locked Down: What Do We Really Need Collective Action For?
“Locke’s view, reflected in our Founding documents, is that preserving our freedoms requires one type of collective action: the preservation of our rights. No more. Actions beyond that benefit some at the expense of others.” ~ Gary M. Galles
In Defense of Cash Grabs
“It doesn’t have to make sense to the outside observer, because ‘the system’ is not something a single mind designed but the unintended consequence of innumerable individual choices in response to (sometimes badly distorted) incentives.” ~ Art Carden
The Costly Late Arrival of FedNow
“Policy makers should ensure that the US payment landscape is efficient, accessible, and beneficial for all stakeholders involved with as little government involvement as possible.” ~ Nicolas Cachanosky
What Is the New Deal with the New Deal?
“The tide of historiographical battle may finally turn and with it many old canards about the culpability of the gold standard, stock shorting, greed, and so forth in the downturn.” ~ Robert E. Wright
The Country Music Singer Who Took Aim at Welfare 50 Years Before Oliver Anthony—and Also Hit #1 on the Music Charts
“In 1970, when Guy Drake wrote ‘Welfare Cadillac,’ one could argue that we hadn’t yet given welfare a chance. Today, there is no such excuse.” ~ Jon Miltimore
The Rise of BRICS-11
“The explicit BRICS goals, which include expanding the reach of the New Development Bank, closer trade cooperation, and a dollar-alternative currency are undoubtedly viewed as a means to alleviate the perennial woes of economic mismanagement. And, of course, to slip Western spheres of influence.” ~ Peter C. Earle
Remembering President Harding
“Notwithstanding the scandals, Harding’s legacy for electoral success, economic achievements, and national wealth remain unsurpassed.” ~ Will Sellers
A Review of M. Nolan Gray’s “Arbitrary Lines: How Zoning Broke the American City and How to Fix it”
“While most cities in the United States continue to constrain themselves with zoning as we have come to know it, Gray points out that there are some notable exceptions where zoning has been reformed or removed and the early results are promising.” ~ H. Sheldon Weeks
Whipped Inflation Now
“The battle for 2 percent inflation has already been won. Fed officials should acknowledge and celebrate the victory.” ~ William J. Luther
My Big Cryptocurrency Pyramid Scheme
“I like to explore innovations that promise not violent overthrow but rather ways to undermine or circumvent unjust authorities or corrupt incumbents.” ~ Max Borders
A Macroeconomic Agenda for Freedom Conservatives
“It’s time to hit the brakes on modern monetary theory, functional finance, and anything else that justifies using the federal budget as an instrument of social control.” ~ Alexander W. Salter
Should We Abolish Zoning?
“Many people consider zoning part of the ‘property right’ they bought in their home. They really should set up covenants if they want that security.” ~ Jason Sorens