Daily Economy
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How To Disguise a Budget Increase as a Cut
The bottom line is that there is nothing historic about this budget, or these cuts. When we look at it in the cold light of reality, it is just the same big spending, unbelievable assumptions, and fiscal irresponsibility that have, dismayingly, become commonplace.
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Retail Spending Remains Close to Trend in January
Retail sales were solid in January suggesting continued economic expansion remains the most likely path.
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Fedophilia: The Intellectual Disease and Cure
When most monetary economists talk about the virtues of this or that central bank, they’re mostly talking through their hats, because they haven’t a clue concerning what other institutions might be present, and what they might be up to if the central bank wasn’t there.
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Break Up Amazon? There’s No Point
Antitrust of the sort dreamed about by left and right today dates from an era of confidence in scientific management of industrial structure through government power. The record is of unrelenting failure.
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Search Engines are Better Than Hogwarts
We live better lives today than the aristocracy and the richest of our forefathers did in the past. But in some ways, we also live better lives than the wizards and witches of J. K. Rowlings’ wonderful world.
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The Fed’s Confusing New Tools (Video)
Preparing for my appearance on Boom Bust this week, I found essays from the Sound Money Project to be invaluable. These economists understand the mechanics of Fed policy extremely well, and write about it in real time at AIER.org. Reading these essays carefully, especially those by James Caton, allowed me to speak intelligently on the…
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How Negativity Wrecks Relationships and Businesses
In relationships, all the good things are drowned by hostile tones, eye rolls, denials of responsibility, along with insults. The same holds true in business.
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Choice in Currency for Valentine’s Day
Valentine’s Day is fast approaching. If you’re looking for the perfect gift for that special someone, who better to ask than an economist? In 1993, Yale economist Joel Waldfogel published a famous paper on the optimal gift-giving strategy. His assessment won’t come as a surprise to anyone familiar with the buzz-killing tendencies of the dismal…
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The Stakes of Politics are Far Too High
Despite the comedy of errors that was the Iowa Democratic Caucus, not to mention the ambiguity of New Hampshire, the national fervor grows. Bernie Sanders’ strong performance makes him the Democratic frontrunner: his odds of winning the nomination stand at 33%, with Michael Bloomberg at a surprising 27%. Sanders’ campaign is notable because he is…
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•
Small-Business Optimism Rose in January but the Outlook Is Less Clear
Small-business confidence rose in January; labor shortages and the economic outlook remain concerns.
-
•
How To Disguise a Budget Increase as a Cut
The bottom line is that there is nothing historic about this budget, or these cuts. When we look at it in the cold light of reality, it is just the same big spending, unbelievable assumptions, and fiscal irresponsibility that have, dismayingly, become commonplace.
-
•
Retail Spending Remains Close to Trend in January
Retail sales were solid in January suggesting continued economic expansion remains the most likely path.
-
•
Fedophilia: The Intellectual Disease and Cure
When most monetary economists talk about the virtues of this or that central bank, they’re mostly talking through their hats, because they haven’t a clue concerning what other institutions might be present, and what they might be up to if the central bank wasn’t there.
-
•
Break Up Amazon? There’s No Point
Antitrust of the sort dreamed about by left and right today dates from an era of confidence in scientific management of industrial structure through government power. The record is of unrelenting failure.
-
•
Search Engines are Better Than Hogwarts
We live better lives today than the aristocracy and the richest of our forefathers did in the past. But in some ways, we also live better lives than the wizards and witches of J. K. Rowlings’ wonderful world.
-
•
The Fed’s Confusing New Tools (Video)
Preparing for my appearance on Boom Bust this week, I found essays from the Sound Money Project to be invaluable. These economists understand the mechanics of Fed policy extremely well, and write about it in real time at AIER.org. Reading these essays carefully, especially those by James Caton, allowed me to speak intelligently on the…
-
•
How Negativity Wrecks Relationships and Businesses
In relationships, all the good things are drowned by hostile tones, eye rolls, denials of responsibility, along with insults. The same holds true in business.
-
•
Choice in Currency for Valentine’s Day
Valentine’s Day is fast approaching. If you’re looking for the perfect gift for that special someone, who better to ask than an economist? In 1993, Yale economist Joel Waldfogel published a famous paper on the optimal gift-giving strategy. His assessment won’t come as a surprise to anyone familiar with the buzz-killing tendencies of the dismal…
-
•
The Stakes of Politics are Far Too High
Despite the comedy of errors that was the Iowa Democratic Caucus, not to mention the ambiguity of New Hampshire, the national fervor grows. Bernie Sanders’ strong performance makes him the Democratic frontrunner: his odds of winning the nomination stand at 33%, with Michael Bloomberg at a surprising 27%. Sanders’ campaign is notable because he is…
-
•
Small-Business Optimism Rose in January but the Outlook Is Less Clear
Small-business confidence rose in January; labor shortages and the economic outlook remain concerns.