Economics and Social Problems

October 01, 2021

Free trade with China is still good for us all

Doug Irwin in his seminal book Free Trade Under Fire points out that Democrats and Republicans have historically vacillated on free trade. The Democratic Party of the late 19th century up until World War II was the party of trade liberalization when Republicans consistently voted for high tariffs. Continue Reading...

September 14, 2021

‘Win-win denial’: The roots of zero-sum thinking

One of the basic insights of economics is that trade is mutually beneficial, making both parties better off than they were before. It’s a proposition about human exchange that stretches back to Adam Smith’s foundational treatise, “The Wealth of Nations.” Continue Reading...

September 10, 2021

Freedom and free stuff: How prudence preserves liberty

What is the relationship between freedom and government redistribution? Can the two coexist? Some believe there is a negative correlation between the two because free economies are often associated with less government intervention. Continue Reading...

September 09, 2021

Banning evictions poses harm for low-income renters

The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to strike down President Joe Biden’s recent renewal of the eviction mortarium as issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention should come as no surprise. Continue Reading...

August 26, 2021

How America’s ‘creative class’ learned to love conformity

In 2000, columnist David Brooks wrote Bobos in Paradise, hailing the dawn of a new phase in America’s longstanding story of meritocracy. The “bobos” were a peculiar breed — part bohemian, part bourgeoisie — blurring class divides in a way that would introduce a new form of enlightened, activist citizenship in a country with an otherwise ambivalent middle class. Continue Reading...

August 23, 2021

Strong families are good for the economy – and vice versa

Families and free market economies: On the surface, they seem unrelated. We associate family with game nights, holiday traditions, and cute baby photos, while the economy is associated with the stock market, cold-hearted businessmen, and bloated corporations. Continue Reading...

August 21, 2021

Afghanistan I fought for lacks foundation for freedom

I deployed to Afghanistan in 2010. Eleven years later, I watched the Taliban devastate all the progress we fought for. Afghanistan’s chaos and the Taliban’s return to power is heartbreaking and maddening. Continue Reading...

August 12, 2021

Ford Foundation’s aim to ‘change philanthropy’ warps the true meaning of ‘justice’ and ‘generosity’

The Ford Foundation gives over $500 million dollars annually, mostly in grants, to nonprofit organizations around the world. Foundation President Darren Walker came from humble beginnings in rural Texas and now oversees the Foundation’s $15 billion endowment. Continue Reading...

August 12, 2021

A disconnected society: Americans have replaced relationships, civic involvement with ‘games and spectacles’

The decline of civil society has become a running theme of social and political commentary, marked by disruptions in marriage and family, diminishing church attendance, and the dilution of social capital. Continue Reading...

July 19, 2021

Cuba Libre: Protestors call for an end to communism and oppression

Cubans are taking to the streets over food shortages and outrageously high prices, calling for an end to the country’s communist regime with mass protests. “Cuban citizens have taken to the streets across the country for the first time in more than six decades to protest against deteriorating living conditions and the lack of basic goods and services, including medical attention amid increasing numbers of coronavirus infections,” The Wall Street Journal reported. Continue Reading...

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