The Poverty Line Isn't a Vibe
A more robust welfare state won't change the fact that tradeoffs exist, even for relatively wealthy Americans who choose to have kids.
Inflation
Thankfully, We Don't Have To Spend As Much of Our Incomes on Food As Our Ancestors Did
The portion that Americans spend on food has fallen steeply over the last century.
The Sindex: Price of Audio Equipment Rises 12 Percent Under Trump Tariffs
The Reason Sindex tracks the price of vice: smoking, drinking, snacking, traveling, and more.
America Is in a Golden Age. Are We Headed Toward a Roman Ending?
"Once you have an ever-expanding system of entitlements that you can't afford, that's often the beginning of the decline and fall," says historian Johan Norberg.
A 50-Year Mortgage Won't Make Homes Affordable
Ultra-long mortgages create the illusion of affordability but lock borrowers into decades of extra interest because leaders won’t fix the supply crunch.
You Can Still Trust the BLS—for Now
The accuracy and reliability of BLS data on inflation and jobs will depend on what the Trump administration does with it.
The Trump Administration Finally Admits That Tariffs Raise Prices
If lowering tariffs makes things cheaper, why stop at coffee?
Democrats Are Beating Trump on Affordability. Will He Keep Pretending Otherwise?
Neither side, however, has a good plan to bring down prices.
Trump Seems Very Confused About 'Affordability'
The president says the affordability crisis is over, but he's also promising huge government checks. And he doesn't know how much gas costs.
Socialism Didn't Work In Argentina. It Won't Work For America Either.
To understand this week's election, look to economic and political lessons from Argentina.
Study Finds Tariffs Cost Consumers More Than the Government Takes In
The new report examined prices of French wine after Trump imposed tariffs in 2019.
Milei's Moment of Truth
Plus: An update on the boat strikes, East Wing gets torn down, Cuomo tries to convince Republicans, and more...
Trump Is Filling the Fed with Loyalists
By installing Stephen Miran and eyeing more allies, Trump is positioning the central bank for aggressive rate cuts and a sharp break from its tradition of independence.
Trump's Tariffs Have Already Hurt the Economy—and the Pain Is Only Beginning
The OECD just published its projections for American growth, and they're grim.
The Federal Reserve Cuts Rates With Inflation Still Hot. Is Political Pressure Winning?
When the Federal Reserve is concerned about inflation, it increases the federal funds rate. Despite expressing such concerns, the Fed lowered it.
Americans Want Lower Costs, but Inflation Just Hit Its Highest Mark Since January
Inflation hit its highest level since January, with prices rising 0.4 percent in August.
GAO Report Finds 'Shrinkflation' Was Fake News
The Government Accountability Office says shrinkflation accounted for just 0.06 percentage points of inflation from 2019 to 2024.
Trump's Tariff Spin Is Putting Republicans in an Awkward Spot
Should they brag about raising taxes, like the White House is doing, or try to distance themselves from those same tax increases?
Soaring Wholesale Prices Mean Higher Inflation Is Coming. Are Tariffs To Blame?
New producer price index data suggests domestic companies are not eating the cost of Trump's tariffs.
Tariff Rebate Checks Are a Bad, Inflationary Idea
If Sen. Josh Hawley and the Trump administration want to spare Americans the pain from tariffs, there is a far simpler solution.
Trump's Tariffs May Soon Make Car Insurance More Expensive
Tariffs on auto parts, meant to "protect America’s automobile industry," make repairs more expensive and drive up the cost of insurance.
Here's What Happens to the Economy if Trump Fires Jerome Powell and Installs a Loyalist at the Fed
The Fed should be replaced by free markets, not unbridled presidential power.
The Federal Reserve Rightly Rejects Trump's Calls for Lower Interest Rates
Maintaining the elevated federal funds rate makes borrowing more expensive, but the alternative is artificially cheap money, malinvestment, and inflation.
Trump Doesn't Need To Fire Jerome Powell. He Needs To End America's Spending Addiction.
The executive branch wants to use the Federal Reserve as a tool to accommodate the government's frenzy of reckless borrowing.
Americans No Longer Trust Trump To Handle Inflation
The president has spent six months promising to make everything more expensive, and polls show that Americans have noticed.
Inflation Rises, Tariffs to Blame
Plus: Zohran Mamdani's brilliant plan, Google monopoly claims fall flat, and more...
Reason Earns 15 Southern California Journalism Awards
First-place finishes include a piece on the Dutch "dropping" rite of passage, a documentary exploring citizen journalism and free speech, and a long-form interview with exoneree Amanda Knox.
Tariffs Are Keeping Interest Rates High
The Federal Reserve is unwilling to lower interest rates because "there will be some inflation from tariffs coming," Jerome Powell told a Senate committee.
Obama Adviser Jason Furman on Biden, Neoliberalism, and Keynesian Economics
"I would love an intellectual ecosystem in economics that was more ideologically balanced than what we have now," the Harvard professor tells Reason.
How Trump's Tariffs and Immigration Policies Could Make Housing Even More Expensive
Out-of-control housing costs helped Trump win the 2024 election. Is he about to make the problem worse?
Reason Nominated for 17 Southern California Journalism Awards
Nominees include stories on inflation breaking brains, America's first drug war, Afghans the U.S. left behind, Javier Milei, and much more.
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.
IMF Report: Trump Trade War Will Hurt Both U.S. and Global Economies
Predictions for U.S. and global economic growth are down since January.
Trump Rages at the Fed Over Interest Rates
According to the president, the U.S. economy will begin to slow down unless the Fed “lowers interest rates, NOW.”
Tariffs Failed in the Middle East—America Shouldn't Make the Same Mistake
Protectionism in Egypt and Iraq fueled corruption, stagnation, and smuggling—not prosperity.
Argentina Strikes $20 Billion Deal With IMF To Fuel Milei's Reforms
The IMF says the deal builds on "impressive early progress in stabilizing the economy."
The Eggdex: Price of Eggs Up More Than 100 Percent in the Past 5 Years
Tracking the price of eggs, beef, chicken, and more
Javier Milei's Free Market Reforms Are Starting To Pay Off
As poverty and inflation plunge, Milei's reforms begin to reshape Argentina's economy.
Phil Magness: The Problem With Trumponomics
Economic historian Phil Magness on the real history of tariffs and why Trump is so wrong about them.
Betting Makes March Madness Better
Plus: Why the selection committee did a good job, sports ticket prices are spiking, and more.
Are Cage-Free Laws To Blame for High Egg Prices?
State laws banning caged eggs are cutting off millions from cheaper options.
Trump Promised To Lower Prices. Will Congress Help Him Deliver?
At the current rate of inflation, the dollar will lose 33 cents of purchasing power within a decade.
The New Republican Budget Plan Is Unserious
It tries to offset as much as $4.8 trillion—mostly for tax cut extensions—with only $1.5 trillion in supposed spending reductions.
Trump May Have To Grapple with Returning Inflation
Cutting government spending and calling off the trade war would be steps in the right direction.
Javier Milei Promised To Take a 'Chainsaw' to Argentina's Government. It's Working.
Inflation and rent prices are down, and the country has a budget surplus.
Like Biden, Trump Does Not Control the Price of Eggs
Though he promised to lower costs on Day 1, Trump remains just as beholden to the laws of supply and demand as his predecessor.
Trump's Davos Speech: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
President Donald Trump doubled down on both domestic deregulation and protectionism in his speech to the World Economic Forum.
