Governments are promising to end fossil fuel use by 2050 or sooner. Fossil Future by Alex Epstein, founder of the Center for Industrial Progress, argues that this would be tragic. Contrary to conventional wisdom, he believes that expanding the use of fossil fuels is humanity’s only moral course. I will detail the steps of Mr. […]

Operation Warp Speed demonstrated that vaccine development need not occur on a decadal time scale. Americans got vaccines in less than 12 months because the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was pushed out of the way. The FDA has returned to business as usual, privileging bureaucratic rules over the well-being of Americans. Consider some recent […]

Major League Baseball’s moving the 2021 All-Star Game from Atlanta over Georgia’s new voting law symbolizes businesses’ new willingness to take sides on political issues, typically the progressive side. Businesses previously avoided offending potential customers or employees. Selling to both Republicans and Democrats maximizes profit! Vivek Ramaswamy explores the causes and consequences of “woke” business […]

In one of the final decisions of a momentous term, the Supreme Court halted the replacement of coal-fired power plants in West Virginia v. EPA. The decision constitutes a major victory for representative government. Several states and power companies challenged the EPA’s 2015 Clean Power Plan (CPP), which was forcing the early retirement of coal-fired […]

We celebrate America on the Fourth of July. But do Americans today still respect each other enough to constitute a functioning country? Responses to the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade illustrate this animosity and the challenge we face maintaining liberal democracy. The Supreme Court did not outlaw abortion in Dobbs v. Jackson, […]

The reborn United States Football League has completed its first regular season. USFL players made $4,500 per game, or $45,000 for the season.

The February shutdown of an Abbott Laboratories plant in Michigan due to contamination precipitated the nationwide baby formula shortage. The plant finally resumed production this month. Whether these events reflect corporate greed or bureaucratic bungling illustrates why we so often disagree about policy. Let’s start with some facts. Abbott is one of the four largest […]

The malfeasance of law enforcement during the Uvalde, Texas, tragedy is highly disturbing and demands reforms.

Elon Musk’s Twitter takeover has stirred many emotions. The deal also illustrates the unprofitability of media bias, which claims of media bias must consider.

As 4,000 years of experience shows, governments have little ability to lower market prices through command.

Anyone interested in the ills of the West Coast should read Michael Shellenberger’s book "San Fransicko: Why Progressives Ruin Cities."

We have been told repeatedly to “follow the science,” which usually means submit to expert rule. But experts, no matter how smart, cannot run society efficiently.

Rapidly rising house prices are contributing to inflation but may also signal a housing market bubble. Overpriced real estate contributed to the financial crisis of 2008 and the Great Recession. Do we need to fear another housing crash in addition to inflation? How much have prices gone up? The Case-Shiller index has jumped 35% since […]

In 2020, the federal government started sending checks to many Americans in response to COVID-19. The presumption was that Uncle Sam’s checks would make us better off. But government transfers cannot make a nation wealthier and have contributed to inflation. To understand this, we must distinguish money and currency. Money is a medium of exchange, […]

Cities across America own golf courses, but is subsidizing golf a proper function of government?

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine sent already rising oil prices even higher. Record gas prices are fueling the highest inflation rate in 40 years. President Biden blames high gas prices on Mr. Putin, but administration policies are hampering U.S. oil production. Markets are forward-looking and incorporate new information almost instantaneously. Anticipated events will affect commodity and […]

I support free markets and economic freedom. But do all markets make society better off? The college cheating industry offers a challenge. An internet search quickly reveals the abundant assistance available.

French economist and journalist Frederic Bastiat wrote, “When goods don’t cross borders, soldiers will.” That international trade contributes to peace is a tenet of classical liberal and contemporary libertarian thought. How might trade accomplish this, and what does the evidence show? Trade reduces conflict in two ways. First, war disrupts trade; goods are unlikely to […]

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted life in many ways. Governments across America assumed new powers without explicit authorization. But laws restricting businesses were also suspended. As the pandemic ebbs, we should evaluate this deregulation experiment and consider permanent changes. Americans for Tax Reform counted 846 suspended federal and state rules. Some were narrow matters, like allowing […]

The United States and Europe imposed economic sanctions on Russia for its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. I will let others debate the sufficiency of this response and consider the economics and effectiveness of sanctions.

Higher education faces a crossroads if not a crisis. Only college has experienced steeper price increases than healthcare.

The New York Times’ 1619 Project examines the impact of slavery on America. One essay contends that our economic system was built on slavery. Was America’s ascension as an economic powerhouse due to slavery? Slavery was a repugnant and evil institution. Its abolition is a sign of humanity’s moral progress. Slavery taints America’s founding and […]

The Biden administration has tried blaming rising prices on corporate greed with antitrust enforcement as a remedy. Does this make economic sense?

Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens were recently not elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in their final year of eligibility, reportedly over their use of performance enhancing drugs. The case illustrates some of the economics of rules and the nature of “positional goods.”