Modern Mercantilism: A Case for Free Trade

– May 16, 2023

“Global free trade helps both consumers, via lower quality-adjusted prices, and taxpayers. Walking into a Walmart to buy goods I want for dollars I earn at work does not leave me, or the nation, worse off, even if those goods originated in another country. ” ~ Stefan Bartl

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Adam Smith v. Wesley Jones

– May 7, 2023

“It is long past time Americans saw through the multiple misrepresentations that have defended the Jones Act’s nothing-for-something restrictions for over a century, including twisting Adam Smith’s logic into a false endorsement of its enormously costly restrictions.” ~ Gary M. Galles

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The Global Market Miracle of the 99-cent Pineapple

– April 27, 2023

“When past centuries’ most-iconic luxuries become commonplace and affordable, we always have specialization and market innovations to thank.” ~ Laura Williams

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Protectionism Benefits Some at the Expense of Others

– April 20, 2023

“We shouldn’t want our lawmakers to play favorites between domestic interests, and people should be more skeptical when policymakers dip into protectionist rhetoric.” ~ James M. Hohman

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Is It An Economic Crime To Import a Soccer Jersey?

– April 14, 2023

“One of the hardiest and most enduring fallacies in economics is the mercantilist fallacy: buying from foreigners is bad for us because we should ‘keep the money here;’ selling to foreigners is good for us because we can pile up more money.” ~ Art Carden

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An Open Letter to British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak

– April 11, 2023

“We can hope that, should Parliament today agree to a unilateral lowering of Britain’s trade barriers, other governments would today, as other governments did in the mid-19th century, respond by unilaterally lowering theirs.” ~ Donald J. Boudreaux

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Do Not Tarry In Eliminating Tariffs and Other Protectionist Measures

– March 25, 2023

“Like Adam Smith, I’d prefer that trade be liberalized gradually as opposed to not at all. But perhaps unlike him, if I were put in front of a button to eliminate immediately all species of economic protectionism, I’d press it with gusto.” ~ Donald J. Boudreaux

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The Amazing Cargo Ship

– March 14, 2023

“Like the trade that’s carried out using cargo ships, all trade – from the simplest to the most complex – works wonders. Trade allows each of us to turn our unique talents into the fruits of the talents of everyone with whom we trade.” ~ Donald J. Boudreaux

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NatCons, the American System, and the Founders

– February 22, 2023

“Madison and Jefferson were both still alive when Henry Clay outlined his American System platform in 1824. Contrary to the NatCon claims, neither founding father approved of Clay’s proposals. In fact, both condemned it as a constitutional overreach by the federal government.” ~ Phillip W. Magness

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Two Ways Trade Creates Wealth

– February 20, 2023

“You’ve heard the aphorism ‘one person’s trash is another person’s treasure.’ Trade turns trash into treasure by getting it out of one set of hands and into another.” ~ Art Carden

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Biden’s “Buy American” Scheme a Bad Deal for America

– February 17, 2023

“Paying more to produce goods domestically that could be acquired cheaper from elsewhere, wastes resources, kills jobs in other industries, and makes us poorer as a result.” ~ Brian Balfour

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Choosing to Remain in the Global Market Economy

– January 29, 2023

“People who have actually experienced the ‘security’ that comes from insulation from market forces understand that the price they pay for this ‘security’ is far too high.” ~ Donald J. Boudreaux

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