Economics
Trump's Tariffs Are Already Raising Car Prices and Hurting Automakers
The results were completely foreseeable, after the president imposed 25 percent tariffs on all imported automobiles and parts.
Trump's New Budget Is Another Blueprint for Big Spending
We don't need more of the same. We need evidence of a serious turnaround.
The Trouble With Donald Trump's 'Department Store' Analogy
America is not a department store. And no successful department store would be following Trump's antitrade strategy.
Skype's Shutdown Proves Bigger Isn't Always Better
The death of a onetime powerhouse carries a lesson for antitrust enforcers—if they’ll listen.
Trump's 'They Can Have 5' Moment is an Attack on Capitalism
Trump’s tariffs aren’t just bad economics—they’re a rejection of abundance, prosperity, and capitalism itself.
Trump's Foreign Film Tariffs Could Stick Us With Nothing but Disney Movies
Tariffs on creative media are barriers not just to goods, but also to ideas.
NPR Interview on Legal Challenges to Trump's IEEPA Tariffs
Steve Inskeep of NPR interviewed me about the case against Trump's "Liberation Day" tariffs.
Elon Musk Discovers That Serious Spending Cuts Are 'Really Difficult'
As he shifts his focus away from DOGE, he acknowledges the need for hard choices and congressional action.
Rep. Suzan DelBene on Tariffs, Trade Policy, and Congressional Authority
"I've been very vocal about congressional authority under a Democratic president or now under a Republican president," the Washington state congresswoman tells Reason.
Trump Wants To Increase Military Spending by $113 Billion
The president wants to develop the F-47 fighter jet 60 years before the F-35 is scheduled to retire.
When Tariff Shortages Arrive, Here's What Might Be Missing
Sex toys, blenders, baby strollers, microwaves, hair dryers, and other affordable goods that Americans take for granted could soon be in short supply.
Trump's War on Foreign Films
Plus: Alcatraz reopening, Bukele corruption scandal, assisted suicide, and more...
ESG Is Coming for Your Candy Bars
As climate and equity proposals lose steam, activist investors are targeting junk food, soda, and alcohol in the name of corporate responsibility.
Can the President Refuse To Spend Money Authorized by Congress?
Impoundment, line-item vetoes, and the tricky problem of cutting spending through the executive branch
Why the Major Questions Doctrine Applies to the President, Not Just Executive Agencies
This is a key issue in cases seeking to limit executive branch power grabs, including Trump's tariffs. Judge Ryan Nelson (a conservative Trump appointee) explains why the president is not exempt from the doctrine.
How Trump's Tariffs Threaten the Rule of Law
By giving one man the power to impose massive tariffs anytime he wants, Trump's policy undermines the predictability and impartiality that the rule of law requires.
Pam Bondi's Absurd Claim About Fentanyl Overdoses Epitomizes the Illogic of the War on Drugs
Even when they are less patently ridiculous, the metrics of success favored by government officials make little sense.
5 Times the Trump Team Told Americans To Accept Being Poorer
Trump's comment about how "dolls" will "cost a couple of bucks more" is the latest in a long trend of nationalist conservatives disparaging affordable stuff.
Alien Enemies No More
Plus: Depriving the children of toys, a curbside rat feast, China wants to talk, and more...
Trump's Tattoo Fantasy Raises the Question: If He Were Senile, How Would We Know?
The president's bizarre insistence that Kilmar Abrego Garcia "had MS-13 tattooed" on "his knuckles" makes him seem like a confused old man.
Tariffs Won't Fix What's Ailing American Men in the Work Force
If anything, they sabotage the very forces—dynamism, adaptability, innovation—that create the economic opportunities struggling workers need.
White House Accuses Amazon of 'Hostile and Political Action' Over Rumored Tariff Disclaimer
There's nothing "hostile and political" about informing the public of the negative consequences of poor economic policy.
Senate Republicans Voted Overwhelmingly To Continue Trump's Trade War
Sen. Rand Paul's attempt to end the non-existent economic emergency failed to pass the Senate on Wednesday night.
Fewer Than 3 Friends
Plus: Growth forecasts slashed, Pravda time, fentanyl seizures, and more...
Washington Outsider Report Podcast Interview on the Trump Tariff Litigation
I was interviewed by attorney/podcaster Irina Tsukerman.
Trump Admits Tariffs Could Create Shortages, Hike Prices
"Maybe the children will have two dolls instead of 30 dolls," Trump said Wednesday. "And maybe the two dolls will cost a couple bucks more than they would normally.”
The Tariffs Imposed by President Trump Are Unconstitutional
Presidential power must stem from the Constitution or a statute, and the tariffs imposed by President Trump are unauthorized by statute, making them both unlawful and unconstitutional.
Trump Doesn't Need the Fed To Fix Housing
Former Rep. Ron Paul argues that slashing red tape will do more to bring down home prices than pressuring the central bank to cut interest rates.
You Will Work in the Factory and You Will Like It
Plus: Amazon vs. Trump, RFK Jr. gets in trouble, and more...
Americans Doubt Trump's Trade War Will Benefit Them
Consumers and businesses are already experiencing higher prices and economic pain.
Trump's Tariffs Usurp the Legislature's Tax Power
The president’s sweeping import levies have no basis in the statute he cites.
Trump Wants Lower Interest Rates. The Market Disagrees.
Even if the Fed tried to cut rates, inflation, investor reluctance, and a $25 trillion borrowing spree could keep them elevated for years.
Trump's 100-Day Energy Policy Scorecard: Disrupted Markets and Slowed Investment
So much for unleashing American energy.
Back to Basics
Plus: California zoning bill survives powerful lawmaker's economic illiteracy, Montana legislators pass simple, sweeping, supply-side housing reforms, and Washington passes rent control.
The Worst Parts of Trump's First 100 Days Involved Ignoring Libertarian Principles
Trade and immigration are areas where Trump operates most like a criminal autocrat.
100 Days of Trump
Plus: "Calm corners" in the subway system, mysterious 18-hour power outage, and more...
New York Times Symposium on "A Road Map of Trump's Lawless Presidency"
I was one of 35 legal scholars who took part.
Trump's Independent Voter Problem
Plus: A listener asks about possible book club books that are "subtly libertarian."
A Federal Judge Greenlights a Lawsuit That Claims Florida's Ban on Lab-Grown Meat Is Unconstitutional
U.S. District Judge Mark Walker says Upside Foods has plausibly alleged that the law's protectionism violates the "dormant" Commerce Clause.
European Commission Fines Apple and Meta $800 Million
The penalty amounts to a "multibillion-dollar tariff," a Meta spokesperson says.
How Tariffs Could Cause Shortages in American Stores
A sharp decline in ocean freight from China during April is a sign of the supply chain issues that will begin hitting in May.
In Boston's Scooter 'Wild West,' Lawmakers Take Aim at the Wrong Target
The city passed a law cracking down on food delivery companies rather than the reckless drivers creating chaos on sidewalks and streets.
KQED Interview on Legal Challenges to Trump's Immigration and Tariff Policies
We also covered the issue of the administration's failure to properly obey court orders and the looming threat of a "constitutional crisis."
Pacific Legal Foundation Files Case Challenging Trump's IEEPA Tariffs
PLF is a leading libertarian-leaning public interest organization. Their case is similar to that filed by Liberty Justice Center and myself.
