Topic: Government

$30 Trillion With Neither a Whimper or Bang

– February 4, 2022

“On February 1st 2022 the US national debt surpassed $30 Trillion for the first time – just as the Fed is preparing a hiking campaign. Political decisions to trade the future for the present tempt further assaults upon the ever-declining soundness of the US dollar.” ~ Peter C. Earle

Central Banking, Crisis, Government, Monetary Policy

Biden’s Fed Nominees a Tit-for-Tat Response to Trump’s

– February 3, 2022

“Fortunately, especially for the regular people who would stand to suffer the most under a politicized Fed, there were enough conservatives to band together to block Trump. Will there be enough principled liberals to sanction Biden?” ~ Daniel J. Smith

Books, Government, Philosophy, Science

Reality Decides, in Economics and Evolutionary Biology Alike

– February 3, 2022

“An evolutionary lens isn’t just a corrective for how to live in the 21st century and how to understand our modern predicaments. It also teaches you how markets work, what constraints reality puts on us, and how to consider outcomes you don’t like.” ~ Joakim Book

Central Banking, Crisis, Government, Monetary Policy

Political Partisanship Has No Place at the Federal Reserve

– February 3, 2022

“The Fed already lost credibility by missing its stated inflation target, and the nomination of partisan actors such as Cook would further throttle its credibility.” ~ Phillip W. Magness & David Waugh

Central Banking, Crisis, Government, Monetary Policy

What Did the Fed Know in the Great Recession?

– February 2, 2022

“The Fed’s poor forecasting record should make us skeptical of its ability to effectively manage the money supply in times of economic turmoil. It would be prudent to consider structural reforms that might improve FOMC’s decision-making process.” ~ Thomas L. Hogan

Authoritarianism, Crisis, Government

When “Mass Formation Psychosis” Meets Irish Democracy

– February 1, 2022

“We must underthrow these authorities. And that starts with our dogged resistance, withdrawal, and truculence. But maybe Irish Democracy need not be ‘silent,’ as Scott describes it. Maybe it’s time to get loud.” ~ Max Borders

Crisis, Government, Inflation

Price Controls?!

– February 1, 2022

“Price controls are a bad idea. But support for them appears to be growing. They are a terrible tool for dealing with inflation. They make no effort to reduce nominal spending. And they exacerbate supply constraints.” ~ William J. Luther

Crisis, Economic Education, Government

Covid Paycheck Protection Program: Promises Not Kept

– January 31, 2022

“The fact that PPP was poorly thought through, recklessly implemented and administered, and ended up benefiting those who are least likely to need it is, for politicians and bureaucrats, a feature, not a bug.” ~ Veronique de Rugy

Central Banking, Government, Inflation

Inflation is High, Will Remain Elevated for Years

– January 31, 2022

“At this stage, two things seem pretty clear: Inflation is high and will likely remain above target for a few years. My own view is that the FOMC is painting a rather rosy picture, and that market expectations provide a better guide for estimating inflation.” ~ William J. Luther

Economic Education, Free Markets, Government

Complexity in the Service of Simplicity

– January 31, 2022

“Competition both contributes to, and relies upon, the modern economy’s enormous and largely unseen complexity. The modern economy can well be described as ever-increasing complexity in the service of ever-more simplicity.” ~ Donald J. Boudreaux

Authoritarianism, Crisis, Government, Healthcare, Science

How Threat-Free Are Americans from Covid-19? Late January 2022 Update

– January 30, 2022

“Failures of government to defeat this virus were predictable and by now are self-evident. The tools they used, however, must be taken away before they use them against us for other emergencies, real or fabricated.” ~ Jon Sanders

Authoritarianism, Crisis, Free Markets, Government

Today, You Will Have an Opportunity to Make More Meaning in Your Life

– January 30, 2022

“When government makes it harder for businesses to flourish, our entrepreneurial insights show the way. No one can ever force us to renounce our inner freedom. Today, like every day, we will have opportunities to make more meaning in our lives.” ~ Barry Brownstein