Economics
Seattle Law Mandating Higher Delivery Driver Pay Is a Disaster
Just two weeks after the law went into effect, Seattleites had to contend with $26 coffees and $32 sandwiches.
The U.S. Steel/Nippon Deal Should Be None of Joe Biden's Business
Both companies consented to the deal. Why should they have to get permission from the president to do business?
Biden's Proposed Corporate Tax Hike Will Punish the Average American
The president wants to raise the rate from 21 percent to 28 percent, despite it being well-established that this is the most economically-destructive method to raise government funds.
New Inflation Numbers Keep Economic Concerns Front and Center
The eroding value of the dollar inflicts pain, and Americans resent politicians who cause it.
The Best of Reason: The Future of Immigration Is Privatization
New immigration pathways are letting private citizens welcome refugees and other migrants—and getting the government out of the way.
Expanding the Drug War To Include Tobacco Would Be a Big Mistake
The judicially approved Brookline ban reflects a broader trend among progressives who should know better.
The White House Claims Borrowing $16 Trillion Over the Next Decade Is Fiscally Responsible
If you can't even get close to balancing the budget when unemployment is low, tax revenues are near record highs, and the economy is booming, when can you do it?
Inflation Isn't Imaginary
Plus: Chinese border-crossers, gender transitions for kids, the politics of raw milk, and more...
Biden's Independent Contractor Rule Threatens the Evolution of Work
Much-desired flexibility for gig workers is in jeopardy.
Feds Enforcing Unconstitutional Reporting Law Against Most Businesses
Are you in compliance with the Corporate Transparency Act? Have you even heard of it?
Mass Deportations of Immigrants Destroy More Native-Born American Jobs than they Create
Leading immigration economist Michael Clemens explains why.
Magatte Wade on Africa, Foreign Aid, and Free Markets
"We are poor because we don't let our entrepreneurs work," says the director of the Center for African Prosperity at the Atlas Network.
The Future of Immigration Is Privatization
New immigration pathways are letting private citizens welcome refugees and other migrants—and getting the government out of the way.
The SEC Conscripts Corporate America in Its New Climate Change Fight
The new reporting rules will force companies to disclose whether they are prioritizing climate change concerns.
A Bipartisan Tax Hike Won't Fix This Deficit
The government needs to cut back on spending—and on the promises to special interests that fuel the spending.
Republicans Use Fuzzy Math To Claim Large FBI, ATF Cuts in Budget Bill
The total appropriations package would cut $200 billion over 10 years, as the national debt expands by $20 trillion.
Patri Friedman and Mark Lutter: Does a City Need a State?
Patri Friedman and Mark Lutter discuss free cities and "markets in governance" on the latest episode of Just Asking Questions.
Not Again With the 'Shrinkflation,' Please
Shrinkflation is just inflation by another name, and two other facts to keep in mind during tonight's State of the Union address.
Arizona Is Weighing Nonsensical New E-Verify Measures
The proposal would harm business owners, consumers, and workers without much benefit in return.
Everything Is Getting Bigger in Texas
Plus: An interview with Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte, Minnesota lawmakers try to save Minneapolis zoning reform from excess environmental review, and the White House's new housing supply action plan.
Oregon Legislators Overwhelmingly Vote To Recriminalize Low-Level Drug Possession
The reversal of a landmark reform was driven by unrealistic expectations and unproven assertions.
Rudy Carey Was Pardoned, but the Unjust Law That Kept Him From Working Is Still on the Books
Virginia’s barrier crime law limits employment prospects for ex-offenders, who often find their way back into the penal system when they can’t find work.
Milei Is Defying Argentina's Powerful Labor Unions
President Javier Milei's adversaries are wealthy Argentines who have benefited from government largesse.
Of Course Special Interests Shaped California's New Minimum Wage Law
Gov. Gavin Newsom's response to allegations of favoritism only serve to underline how the entire fast food minimum wage law was a giveaway to his buddies.
Town Says Burger Joint's Mural Can't Show Any Burgers
Salina, Kansas, restaurant owner Steve Howard argues in a new lawsuit that the city's sign regulations violate the First Amendment.
American Steel Production Has Fallen to Pre-Tariff Levels
The debate is over. Trump's steel tariffs failed.
The Economy Is Doing Way Better Than Many Believe
Despite the popular narrative, Millennials have dramatically more wealth than Gen Xers had at the same age, and incomes continue to grow with each new generation.
Apple Abandons Plans for Driverless Electric Car, Shifts Team to AI
While a disappointment to green-tech supporters, Apple's decision reflects the growing uncertainty in the E.V. market.
Why Is Panera Exempted From California's New Minimum Wage Law?
Probably because Greg Flynn, who operates 24 of the bakery cafes in California, is a longtime friend of Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Brian Riedl: Who Bankrupted Us More—Trump or Biden?
"I'm concerned about a Trump-Biden rematch," argues Riedl. "You have two presidents with two of the worst fiscal records of the past 100 years."
Congress Continues To Make the Tax Code Ridiculously Hard To Understand
I shouldn't have to spend so much money on an accountant every year. But I don't really have a choice.
The 'Vibescession' Will Continue Until Interest Rates Fall
A new economic paper explains why interest rates are the missing piece to understanding why people are unhappy about a seemingly strong economy.
Land of the Negative
Plus: Migrant resettlement, Tom Cotton op-ed scandal, oppressors-in-training, and more...
Not All Policy Is Industrial Policy
Just say no to empowering government actors to put their thumbs on the scale on behalf of certain sectors.
A History of Taxpayer Revolts
Linda Upham-Bornstein's "Mr. Taxpayer versus Mr. Tax Spender" delivers an evenhanded view of American tax resistance movements.
Feds Make a Pharma Patent Grab
A Biden administration ploy could give the federal government control over drug prices.
If Semiconductor Chip Demand Is High, Why Do We Need More Subsidies?
Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo says more chip subsidies are needed, even before the Biden administration has distributed $52 billion or measured how effective that spending was.
On Taxes and Economic Freedom, Canadians Have It Worse Than Americans
Liberty to engage in voluntary transactions and keep our wealth varies across North America.
Is Another Government Shutdown Coming?
Next week, Congress will have to choose between a rushed omnibus bill or a long-term continuing resolution that comes with a possible 1 percent spending cut.
Expanding the Child Tax Credit Would Perpetuate Systemic Poverty
The policy is a true budget buster and is ineffective in the long term.
Liquor Regulators Are Seeking Revenge on Bars That Broke Pandemic Rules
"The people who violated the governor's mandates and orders should face some consequences," a Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board member said in 2022.
The Best of Reason: The Real Student Loan Crisis Isn't From Undergraduate Degrees
Misled by a bad law, graduate students are drowning in debt.
Government Is Snooping on Your Phone
Many apps collect data that is then accessed by outside entities. Should you care?
Two New York Cases Lend Credibility to Trump's Complaint of Partisan Persecution
Neither Manhattan D.A. Alvin Bragg nor New York Attorney General Letitia James can explain exactly who was victimized by the dishonesty they cite.