Policy
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There Really Is a Solid Reason for Optimism
“We can make the rebuilt political economy better than the bloated, creaky rent-selling machine that we had at the start of 2020.” ~ Michael Munger
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The Worst Public Policy in a Century
America has implemented a lot of really bad policies since the New Deal and fought needless wars and endured long, senseless occupations of places like the Philippines and Afghanistan. But at least all those policies were vaguely constitutional. The economic lockdowns, by contrast, have turned the Constitution into a frail and worthless fabric.
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Can Medical Supply Autarky Save Us from Pandemics?
When proposing expansions of government power we must recognize the powers in question will not be wielded by philosopher-kings. They will be wielded by actually existing politicians and bureaucrats, with all their biases and imperfections.
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If the Government Doesn’t Do It, Who Will?
Governments have been providing fire protection, police services, roads, and other public services for pretty much our entire lives. Private, volunteer companies were getting the job done — until political entrepreneurs noticed a way to obtain power and resources for themselves by taking over previously-private volunteer fire departments to create patronage jobs for political allies.
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Is this America’s Turning Point?
The real problem is the loss of what Bill White called America’s Fiscal Constitution, a set of borrowing and budget rules first developed by Alexander Hamilton, America’s first Treasury Secretary. The idea was that the federal government should keep a lot of “dry powder” so that it could borrow to fight wars, purchase territory, and…
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People Adapt, Thwarting Government Plans
If you derive no other takeaway from the political response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, let it be this: human behavior adapts in real-time to ever-changing expectations of the future.
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Beware of Panic Policymaking
Precisely because we are now more willing to let our guard down we must keep a vigilant eye on all these politicians who are now hyperactively working to “protect” us.
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Maybe It Will Be the Battle of the Billionaires
After many decades of trying to get payola out of politics, there is still no stopping the reality that a big state creates big stakes for which people are willing to pay.
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A Path Toward Getting Rid of Social Security
No, UBA for liberty isn’t another fun holiday idea, it is a call to consider a Universal Basic Asset (UBA) program designed to protect Americans’ liberty and transition away from Social Security. It is nice to see classical liberal thinkers like Mike Munger chiming in on Universal Basic Income (UBI). Libertarians excel at shooting down…
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Five Things No One Asked About the Impeachment — but Should Have
The impeachment proceedings against President Trump have fueled all manner of conjecture regarding the proper discharge of foreign policy, hidden motives behind both Trump’s phone call and the ensuing investigation, and everything from the dead-cat bounce of the Mueller Report to the Kurdish policy shift. But there are a number of questions that, while they…
-
•
There Really Is a Solid Reason for Optimism
“We can make the rebuilt political economy better than the bloated, creaky rent-selling machine that we had at the start of 2020.” ~ Michael Munger
-
•
The Worst Public Policy in a Century
America has implemented a lot of really bad policies since the New Deal and fought needless wars and endured long, senseless occupations of places like the Philippines and Afghanistan. But at least all those policies were vaguely constitutional. The economic lockdowns, by contrast, have turned the Constitution into a frail and worthless fabric.
-
•
Can Medical Supply Autarky Save Us from Pandemics?
When proposing expansions of government power we must recognize the powers in question will not be wielded by philosopher-kings. They will be wielded by actually existing politicians and bureaucrats, with all their biases and imperfections.
-
•
If the Government Doesn’t Do It, Who Will?
Governments have been providing fire protection, police services, roads, and other public services for pretty much our entire lives. Private, volunteer companies were getting the job done — until political entrepreneurs noticed a way to obtain power and resources for themselves by taking over previously-private volunteer fire departments to create patronage jobs for political allies.
-
•
Is this America’s Turning Point?
The real problem is the loss of what Bill White called America’s Fiscal Constitution, a set of borrowing and budget rules first developed by Alexander Hamilton, America’s first Treasury Secretary. The idea was that the federal government should keep a lot of “dry powder” so that it could borrow to fight wars, purchase territory, and…
-
•
People Adapt, Thwarting Government Plans
If you derive no other takeaway from the political response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, let it be this: human behavior adapts in real-time to ever-changing expectations of the future.
-
•
Beware of Panic Policymaking
Precisely because we are now more willing to let our guard down we must keep a vigilant eye on all these politicians who are now hyperactively working to “protect” us.
-
•
Maybe It Will Be the Battle of the Billionaires
After many decades of trying to get payola out of politics, there is still no stopping the reality that a big state creates big stakes for which people are willing to pay.
-
•
A Path Toward Getting Rid of Social Security
No, UBA for liberty isn’t another fun holiday idea, it is a call to consider a Universal Basic Asset (UBA) program designed to protect Americans’ liberty and transition away from Social Security. It is nice to see classical liberal thinkers like Mike Munger chiming in on Universal Basic Income (UBI). Libertarians excel at shooting down…
-
•
Five Things No One Asked About the Impeachment — but Should Have
The impeachment proceedings against President Trump have fueled all manner of conjecture regarding the proper discharge of foreign policy, hidden motives behind both Trump’s phone call and the ensuing investigation, and everything from the dead-cat bounce of the Mueller Report to the Kurdish policy shift. But there are a number of questions that, while they…