Topic: Regulation

Capitalism, Economic Education, Free Markets, Regulation

Maximizers and Monopolies, A Benefit to Society

– August 13, 2023

“Consumers do not care that there is only one primary zipper manufacturer, they only care that their zippers work. Thus, if market needs are being met, competition isn’t a concern.” ~ Kimberlee Josephson

Economic Education, Regulation, Technology

The Economics of Data Privacy

– August 11, 2023

“Striking a balance that protects individuals’ privacy while fostering an environment conducive to innovation is crucial for nurturing a vibrant, competitive marketplace.” ~ Spence Purnell

Economic Education, Property Rights, Regulation

Rent Control Recidivism

– August 8, 2023

“The campaign to tighten rent controls in California, as in every other jurisdiction where the issue is in play, relies on voters’ ongoing ignorance and misunderstanding of the realities of the rental housing market.” ~ Gary Galles

Economic Trends, Free Banking, Regulation

In Defense of Interchange Fees

– August 7, 2023

“Interchange fees, long derided as a cost center for vendors that accept credit cards, may serve as a check on hyper-politicized consumer businesses.” ~ Dave Birnbaum

Books, Classical Liberalism, Philosophy, Regulation

Two Sheep, a Wolf, and Auberon Herbert

– August 5, 2023

“In other words, Herbert wanted the independence of mankind from all overreaching government, not the mere replacement of one pack of wolves for another, even a smaller or less voracious pack.” ~ Robert E. Wright

Government, Policy, Regulation

The (Egg)noble Lie of Regulatory Paternalism

– August 4, 2023

“As long as you don’t have serious comorbidities, you are over 4.5 times more likely to win the million-dollar Powerball prize than die from the consumption of a raw unpasteurized egg.” ~ Alec Stamm

Capitalism, Economic Education, Financial Markets, Regulation

The SEC Limits Most People’s Investment Opportunities

– August 1, 2023

“The bill that the US House passed by a voice vote would require the SEC to develop a test to determine whether someone is knowledgeable enough to forgo the investor protections built into public offerings to the general public.” ~ Gerald P. Dwyer

Art and Culture, Government, Property Rights, Regulation

Historic Designations: Not All Bad

– July 30, 2023

” People can only live in one house at a time, but the enjoyment of living in that house depends in no small part on the other houses in the neighborhood, if they care about the aesthetic vibe.” ~ Janna Lu

Free Markets, Healthcare, Regulation

Opioids, Fentanyl, and the War on Drugs

– July 30, 2023

“As the Iron Law of Prohibition predicts, increased enforcement and regulation of opioids have made them more potent and deadly.” ~ Samuel D. Peterson and Zachary Wood

Authoritarianism, Energy, Government, Regulation

The New (Old) Threat of “Runaway Bureaucracy”

– July 27, 2023

“The notion of ‘independent’ agencies was a holdover conceit of the Progressive era—the FTC was founded in 1914—based on the idea that citizens were faced with large, concentrated forces they had no hope of dealing with, but which could be managed with the seraphic wisdom of benevolent experts.” ~ Michael Munger

Property Rights, Regulation, Socialism

Zoned Out: How Housing Regulation Drives Young Americans Toward Socialism

– July 24, 2023

“Left-of-center states and localities are experimenting with rent control and public housing, would-be solutions to the problem of rising rents that economists know are incredibly costly. Simply reforming zoning would be a better solution.” ~ Jason Sorens

Capitalism, Economic Theory, Regulation, Socialism

The Essential Ethic of Socialism

– July 23, 2023

“In a socialist regime, I must seek the permission of others — whether state officials or one’s fellow workers — before I serve them in a novel way.” ~ Adam Martin