Rent Free Q&A: Bryan Caplan on Build, Baby, Build
The George Mason University economist talks about his new housing comic book and how America could deregulate its way into an affordable urban utopia.
Economics
Americans Care About Inflation, but Politicians Don't
Plus: A listener asks the editors about cancelling student loan debt.
Not Even Artificial Intelligence Can Make Central Planning Work
Revolutionary AI technologies can't solve the "wicked problems" facing policy makers.
Americans Are Still Really Worried About Inflation
And for good reason: Even at 3.5 percent, inflation is running higher than it did in almost every year for three decades before 2021.
Rent Control Remains the Wrong Solution to Housing Woes
Restricting the price of housing kills incentives to supply places to live.
How California's Ban on Diesel Locomotives Could Have Major National Repercussions
No technology exists today to enable railroads to comply with the state's diktat, which villainizes a mode of transportation that is actually quite energy efficient.
No One Can Make Government Work
If businesses don't serve customers well, they go out of business. Government, on the other hand, is a monopoly.
The Best of Reason: In the AI Economy, There Will Be Zero Percent Unemployment
AI developer Andrew Mayne explains why technology could create more jobs and lead to unprecedented economic growth.
Don't Fall For RFK Jr.'s Home Loan Scheme
Kennedy’s plan for government-backed mortgage bonds will do to housing what federal student loans have done to college tuition.
China Is Doubling Down on Electric Vehicle Subsidies
Electric vehicles are not a bad thing, especially in heavily polluted China. But the market should drive demand, not central planners.
In the AI Economy, There Will Be Zero Percent Unemployment
AI developer Andrew Mayne explains why technology could create more jobs and lead to unprecedented economic growth.
These New York Agencies Benefit From Giving Away Taxpayer Money
A report from Good Jobs First found that 80 percent of state development agency revenue comes from fees: The more tax money they give out, the more they get to keep.
Another Illegal Power Grab From the FTC
Banning noncompete agreements goes well beyond the FTC's legal authority.
Capitalism Makes Society Less Racist
In the Jim Crow South, businesses fought racism—because the rules denied them customers.
Worst 4/20 Ever
Plus: A listener asks the editors to steel man the case for the Jones Act, an antiquated law that regulates maritime commerce in U.S. waters.
Julian Simon Was Right: Ingenuity Leads to Abundance
We live in a world of abundance (when politicians don’t screw it up).
If They Ban TikTok, Is Apple Next?
Banning companies for doing business with China is a bad path to start down.
This Tax Week, Remember That the Federal Income Tax Is Relatively New
There are many pervasive myths about the U.S. tax code. Here are a few.
Biden's Call for More Steel Tariffs Is Economically Ineffective Political Pandering
If higher tariffs were the solution to anything, wouldn't there be evidence of that by now?
COVID Stimulus Money Lined the Pockets of Scammers and Fueled Inflation
Money supposedly spent to help Americans may actually have done a lot of damage.
Study Finds Occupational Licensing Laws Depress Wages in Other Industries
A Cato Institute policy brief found that while licensed occupations see a nice bump in pay, licensing requirements lower wages for other similar occupations.
Government Data Refute the Notion That Overprescribing Caused the 'Opioid Crisis'
The CDC’s numbers show that pain treatment is not responsible for escalating drug-related deaths.
U.S. Defense Spending Continues To Spiral Out of Control
Increased spending does not automatically equate to higher quality—something that is often lost in this debate.
Poll: Americans Don't Think All This Government Is Worth What We Pay for It
The situation is more dire when you consider how much federal spending is financed by debt.
California Politician Proposes Bill Making It Illegal To Contact Employees After Working Hours
State Rep. Matt Haney says he wants to attract workers back to California. But his "right to disconnect" legislation would likely scare businesses away.
Say No to This: America's Fiscal Norms Are in Decline
Despite their informal nature, those norms have historically constrained U.S. fiscal policy. But they're eroding.
J.D. Vance Thinks U.S. Steel's Shareholders Weren't Adequately Warned of J.D. Vance's Efforts To Block Sale
Vance's latest gambit is pretty nonsensical, intellectually embarrassing, and obviously self-serving. But that doesn't mean that it's not dangerous too.
Inflation Is So Back
Consumer prices rose 0.4 percent in March and the annual inflation rate ticked up to 3.5 percent, the highest rate seen since September.
New Federal Rules for Independent Contractors Will Destroy Freelancers' Livelihoods
A similar law in California had disastrous consequences.
Congress Could Overturn a New Rule Limiting Credit Card Late Fees. Good.
Sen. Tim Scott introduced a bill Monday to block the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's action by invoking the Congressional Review Act.
Congress Could Swipe Your Credit Card Reward Points
Sens. Dick Durbin and J.D. Vance want to put the Federal Reserve in charge of credit card reward programs.
Biden Announces Second Attempt at Widespread Student Loan Forgiveness
The new plan is much less ambitious than the president's 2022 blanket forgiveness effort, mostly relying on an expansion of previous smaller-scale debt cancelation schemes.
Progress, Rediscovered
A new movement promoting scientific, technological, and economic solutions to humanity's problems emerges.
Did Capitalism Fail During the Pandemic?
Columnist Joe Nocera debates Soho Forum Director Gene Epstein.
San Francisco Bill Would Let People Sue Grocery Stores for Closing Too Quickly
A proposed ordinance would empower people to sue supermarkets that close without giving the city six months' advance notice.
What the Biden Administration Could Learn From California's Attempt To Ban Independent Contracting
Instead, the White House is pushing for similar job-killing regulations on the national level.
Review: This Young Podcaster Is Channeling Adam Smith
A locked-down high schooler started asking libertarian thinkers what people in her generation should know.
Marco Rubio Is Wrong About Industrial Policy
Breaking down Rubio's factually flawed and logically incoherent call for more government involvement in the economy.
Politicians Are Showering Manufacturing Companies With Crony Subsidies for 'Job Creation.' It Won't Work.
These handouts will flow to businesses—often big and rich—for projects they would likely have taken on anyway.
Taxpayers Refuse To Pay New Stadium Expenses for Billionaire Sports Owners
Jackson County, Missouri, voted not to extend a sales tax that would have benefited the Chiefs and the Royals.
Drug Dealers Did Not Kill Cecilia Gentili. Prohibition Did.
If drug warriors really wanted to punish "those responsible" for the transgender activist's death, they would start by arresting themselves.
Why Palantir Cofounder Joe Lonsdale Left California for Texas
The entrepreneur, who founded the Cicero Institute to fix government and the University of Austin to fix higher education, wanted space to flourish.
With Rising Debt, the U.S. Federal Government Is in Bad Company
Governments around the world have been on a borrowing spree, and prosperity has suffered.
Trump and Biden Both Get Globalization Wrong
Free trade brings us more stuff at lower prices.
No, Biden's New Rail Crew Mandate Doesn't Make 'Common Sense'
Requiring two-person crews on freight trains wouldn't have prevented the East Palestine disaster. It's simply a giveaway to Biden's labor union allies.
Trump's and Biden's Terrible Tariffs
Plus: A listener asks if Trump or Biden have done anything to secure the blessings of liberty.
Turkey's Strongman Had a No Good, Very Bad Weekend
The Turkish opposition ran circles around President Recep Tayyib Erdogan's party in local elections. It could be the beginning of the end of his 20-year reign.
