The Republican Convention's Defense of Trump's Trade War Fell Flat
A Wisconsin business owner who spoke about losing business to China ended up inadvertently undermining the administration's argument for protectionism.
Economics
Voters Will Have a Chance To Save Ride-Sharing and Delivery Services From California's Regulators
In November, California voters will decide on Proposition 22, a measure would carve out a contracting exemption for independent drivers.
Trump's Attacks on Free Trade Have Actually Made It More Popular With Voters
Thanks to a paradoxical Trump bump, nearly 90 percent of both Democrats and Republicans now say they support international trade.
Want To Boost Economic Growth? Tell Government To Spend Less
Research suggests reducing spending will boost consumption in the short- and long-run.
In Convention Speech, Mike Pence Said Joe Biden Will Repeal Trump's Tariffs. If Only That Were True.
Unfortunately, Biden has carefully avoided committing to changing much of anything about Trump's trade policies.
Trump's War on Economic Freedom
In the president’s mind, trade is not a right to be respected but a process to be managed by politicians.
The Fed Sees Lingering Economic Pain From the Pandemic and the Lockdowns
The danger of the virus can’t be considered to the exclusion of the need for jobs and prosperity.
Did Joe Biden and the Democratic National Convention Forget About Trump's Tariffs?
The last time an incumbent president was defeated, the fact that he'd raised taxes on Americans played a major role. Trump's done the same thing, but the DNC didn't talk about it.
Lyft, Uber Get Last-Minute Reprieve Before They Would Have Canceled Services in California
Lawmakers and courts are trying to force them to put drivers on their payrolls. They're threatening to take a freeway out of the state entirely.
Wealth Taxes Make Us Poorer
A new study finds that taxes on wealth reduce long-run GDP by 2.7 percent.
Upload
Consumer culture continues into the afterlife in Amazon's sci-fi/mystery/romance/workplace comedy mashup.
Why Stimulus Spending Fails
More spending means more debt and more future taxes.
Trump's Executive Disorder
The next Democratic president will be all too happy to govern by pen and phone too, say the Reason Roundtable podcasters.
Joe Biden Said He Would Scrap Trump's China Tariffs. Or Did He?
Trump's trade war with China has been an outright failure. It shouldn't be too much to expect Biden to be able to say so.
Americans Are Growing Less Willing To Beg for Permission To Make a Living
Officials claim doing business is a revocable “privilege,” but many Americans see it as a right that they’ll exercise with or without licenses and permits.
Trump's New Tariffs on Canadian Aluminum Are Indefensible
One month after signing a signature trade deal with Canada (and Mexico), Trump just launched an unnecessary and counterproductive new trade war against America's northern neighbor.
Don't Expand Coronavirus Unemployment Insurance
The negative impact of the program is well documented.
California's Attorney General Decides How Ballot Initiatives Are Summarized. He's Happy To Abuse This Power.
Xavier Becerra conceals tax increases and reframes a gig economy proposition to hurt its chances.
Coronavirus Cuisine
In the face of the greatest challenge in generations, America's chefs, bartenders, and restaurant owners are reinventing their food, their businesses, and themselves.
Economic Crisis Deepens as Business Closures and Unemployment Claims Rise
Data from Yelp shows that the long-term economic toll of the coronavirus pandemic is only starting to be realized. And federal unemployment data shows layoffs are climbing again.
Rand Paul on Republican Plans for Another Coronavirus Stimulus Bill: 'They Simply Don't Care About the Debt'
Congress is currently debating what should be included in the next trillion-dollar (and counting) stimulus bill, but nothing is likely to pass this week.
Kmele Foster on Why He Opposes Cancel Culture and the Anti-Capitalist Side of Black Lives Matter
The Fifth Column podcaster is done with cancel culture, identity politics, and political orthodoxy.
What It's Like To Be a Business Owner During COVID-19
Cheese shop owner Jill Erber on why she's keeping her store open to take care of her customers and her community
Want To Reform Policing? Bust Police Unions.
As policy makers consider ways to reduce some of these shocking use-of-force incidents, they need to evaluate the role of unions in protecting overly aggressive officers.
What State and Local Governments Can Learn From the Coronavirus Crisis
Why should the responsible states bail out the irresponsible ones?
The Federal Budget Deficit in June Was Bigger Than the Entire Federal Budget Deficit for 2018
Remember when $1 trillion annual deficits were worryingly large? Last month’s budget gap was $864 billion.
Biden Tries To Buy Rust Belt Votes With Protectionist 'Buy American' Plan
Biden says he'll oppose attempts to repeal the Jones Act and will push for tighter "Buy American" policies that hike the price of infrastructure projects.
Trump's Trade War Made the Pandemic Worse, and Nationalism Will Slow the Recovery
Protectionism is now infecting the GOP to a degree that may be difficult to eradicate when the Trump era ends.
The Next Coronavirus Stimulus Package Should Also Repeal Tariffs
Abolishing tariffs would have short- and long-term benefits for the economy.
Has the U.S. Government Finally Spent Too Much?
When COVID-19 arrived in America, Uncle Sam was already deep in debt.
A Legal Challenge to New York's Latest Rent Control Laws
Government growth and abuses are not challenged nearly enough.
Did Trump's Coronavirus Stimulus Save 51 Million Jobs? The Claim Relies on Shaky Math and Questionable Economics.
Even if it's true, taxpayers paid $58,000 for each saved job.
Massachusetts Regulators Knowingly Drive Vapers to the Black Market
Bay State officials expect a new ban on flavored tobacco products to benefit illegal suppliers.
The High Risk of Learning the Wrong China Lessons
The trendy view of U.S.–China economic engagement lends itself to policy “fixes” that could make things worse, not better, for both the United States and the world.
To Get Americans Safely Back to Work and Play, We Need Cheap and Plentiful At-home COVID-19 Testing
Enable people to act responsibly toward their neighbors and co-workers.
Pennsylvania Is the Latest State To Loosen Occupational Licensing Rules for Individuals With Criminal Records
Finding a steady job is the best way to keep a person from going back to prison or jail. These changes make a lot of sense.
The Next Pandemic Will Be Caused by the National Debt. It Will Crater the Economy.
Debt held by the public equals about 100 percent of GDP. That's hurting growth and will fuel a major crisis.
As Bastiat Would Say, Peer Past the Obvious With Pandemic Policies
Don’t forget the unseen costs of government actions.
Florida Just Passed the Most Sweeping Occupational Licensing Reform in History
The Occupational Freedom and Opportunity Act "will save thousands of Floridians both time and money for years to come," says Gov. Ron DeSantis.
3 Things To Know About the 'New NAFTA' That Begins Today
The deal will affect more than $1 trillion in annual trade between the U.S. and its two neighbors.
Stock Market Suspiciously Healthy. The Federal Reserve Does All It Can to Keep Economic Reality From Setting In.
The government is doing what it can to help out Big Money.
Here We Go Again: Trump Wants New Tariffs on Canadian Aluminum
Just days before the new North American trade deal is set to take effect, the Trump administration reminds everyone that it prefers protectionism to free trade.
The Pandemic's Economic Carnage Looks Worse Than Expected
Get ready for more pain caused by COVID-19 as well as by the policies intended to hold it in check.
White House (Sort of) Admits Tariffs Are Paid by Americans
For two years, the president and his defenders have stubbornly claimed, contra both theory and evidence, that the duties are absorbed by China and other exporters.
