What The New York Times' 1619 Project Gets Wrong About Capitalism: Phillip Magness
In a new collection, the economic historian documents how classical liberals pushed for abolition and equality in 19th-century America.
Economics
People, Not Politicians, Will Decide When the Coronavirus Shutdown Ends
It's not the politicians who have the power to reopen America, or at least the parts that are now closed. It's individuals, families, businesses, and religious congregations.
Budget Deficit Now Expected To Near $4 Trillion This Year
And more coronavirus stimulus spending could send that number soaring higher.
While Trump Rants, It's Governors Who Have Gone Full Captain Queeg
Don't let states and cities get away with onerous rules that in no way help to contain COVID-19.
The 'False Debate' About Reopening the Economy Is the One That Ignores the Enormous Human Cost of Sweeping COVID-19 Control Measures
A New York Times Magazine forum highlights the moral implications of suppressing economic activity.
Trump's Tariffs Are Still Slowing America's Coronavirus Response
General Motors is being charged import taxes on parts it needs to build ventilators. Its requests for relief have gone unanswered.
Restricting Exports Makes It Harder To Fight Coronavirus
Export restrictions only make sense if you're unable to understand the obvious consequences of that policy.
Good News: Coronavirus Death Estimates Keep Shrinking
From March 26 to April 8, the number of projected deaths from coronavirus dropped from 81,000 to 60,000. What should we do with such information?
Elizabeth Warren and Josh Hawley Will Do Everything Necessary To Combat Coronavirus (Unless It Involves Deregulation)
In two separate op-eds yesterday, the senators pitch central planning as the best response to the coronavirus pandemic.
4 Reasons Small Businesses Are Struggling With the Paycheck Protection Program
Unclear terms, unrealistic loan forgiveness, a site unprepared for launch, and a bottomless demand for cash
Donald Trump's Experiment in Radical Press Transparency Is Ugly and Praiseworthy
The president's daily press briefings are disturbing because of what they reveal, not what they obscure.
Flawed Economic Policies Will Exacerbate the Pandemic
The COVID-19 crisis has resuscitated some seriously bad ideas.
Did the $50 Billion Coronavirus Bailouts Effectively Nationalize America's Commercial Airlines?
The CARES Act gives the federal government the power to take large ownership stakes in the airlines and dictate much of their operations.
Make Pandemic-Related Occupational License Reform Permanent
Pandemic patients get better care when medical professionals are free to work where they're needed. The same will undoubtedly be true of regular patients after COVID-19 has left our lives.
When Businesses Die, Bringing Back Their Services Won't Always Be Possible
Event production is one of the less visible victims of the virus. Recreating their services when such companies die won't be easy.
The CFTC Velociraptor Has Escaped the Fence That Dodd–Frank Built to Contain It
“Can an independent federal agency that is supposed to regulate commodity futures assert power over every single purchase or sale of a commodity?”
How the CDC and the FDA Wrecked the Economy
The failure to conduct early and wide testing left politicians ignorant of basic facts about the COVID-19 epidemic.
Trump Wants $2 Trillion, Pelosi Wants $1 Trillion, for Next Coronavirus Spending Bill
President Donald Trump, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, and Speaker Nancy Pelosi all agree that a fourth spending bill will happen in April but are haggling over the cost.
Remy: Savage (Megan Thee Stallion Coronavirus Bailout Parody)
The last time we sent this much money to the Kennedy Center, it was for a pair of Hamilton tickets.
How Coronavirus Is Kickstarting the 21st Century
A global pandemic has done what 30 years of internet manifestoes never accomplished: a mass migration into our screens.
Why You Shouldn't Trust Anyone Who Claims 80 Percent of America's Drugs Come From China
A misleading statistic has made the rounds. But it’s based on a misreading of a government report that says no such thing.
Is the American Dream Dead?
When Americans feel like the future will be worse than the past, reactionary and socialist ideologies ascend.
The Federal Government Is Spending $60 Billion To Keep Mostly Empty Commercial Planes Flying Over the U.S.
Pending minimum service rules would require airlines to keep operating a certain number of flights, regardless of how little demand there is for air travel.
How 'Price Gouging' Helps Consumers During the Coronavirus Pandemic
Q&A with Duke's Michael C. Munger, who also believes that big cities will see rationing and that higher education will never be the same.
When 'Price Gouging' Is Good: Michael Munger
The Duke economist and political scientist discusses the response to COVID-19, the coming recession, and the end of higher ed as we know it.
Are There Fiscal Conservatives in a Pandemic? The Club for Growth Says It Doesn't Matter.
The Club for Growth prides itself on holding lawmakers accountable "by publicizing their voting record." Except, well…not right now.
Unemployment Claims Hit 6.6 Million. It's Officially Worse Than the Great Recession.
Plus: The feds are still targeting Juul, Call of Duty wins First Amendment lawsuit, and more...
The Trump Administration Presents a False Choice Between Current COVID-19 Control Measures and 'No Intervention'
The real action in the coming months lies between those two extremes.
The Private Sector Heroes Leading the Fight Against COVID-19
The free market adjusts. We don't need "production acts" to tell us what to do.
'Let's Do a Manhattan Project Against This Virus': Thomas Massie
The Kentucky Republican took on Donald Trump and Nancy Pelosi to fight against the $2 trillion coronavirus spending package. He's just getting started.
Spanish Flu Experience Might Indicate That Public Policy Interventions Don't Have Long-Term Economic Effects
Though focused on manufacturing and banking, this study sees economic optimism in quick and thorough interventions to keep people isolated.
How Much Is $2.3 Trillion? More Than Even Obama Could Imagine
The CARES Act plunges the nation into a crash course on experimental economics.—and we're the lab rats.
No, British Epidemiologist Neil Ferguson Has Not 'Drastically Downgraded' His Worst-Case Projection of COVID-19 Deaths
But he has raised his estimate of the virus's reproduction number, which implies a lower fatality rate than his research group initially assumed.
Los Angeles Might Force Broke Businesses To Keep Paying Workers During Coronavirus Outbreak
The mandates would be retroactive, potentially punishing businesses for violating rules they did not even know existed.
Pandemic-Related Unemployment and Shutdowns Are a Recipe for Social Unrest
That's a huge concern as forecasters expect the U.S. unemployment rate in the months to come to surpass that seen during the depths of the Great Depression.
As Tourism Craters, Airbnb and Hotels Offer Shelter to Coronavirus Responders
The short-term rental service seeks 100,000 hosts to set space aside for those working to fight the pandemic.
Nearly 3.3 Million Unemployment Claims Due to Coronavirus Economic Meltdown
Much about the COVID-19 outbreak has been unprecedented and historic, but until now it's been difficult to quantify exactly how serious a blow the virus would deal to the U.S. economy.
The Senate's COVID-19 Relief Bill Is a Crony Capitalist Dream
Plus: COVID-19 in prisons and jails, Trump campaign threatens TV stations, state disparities in new coronavirus cases, and more...
The Private Sector's Heartening Response to COVID-19
Creativity and selflessness are on display everywhere.
Is Preventing COVID-19 Deaths Worth a Severe Recession? The Answer Depends on Controversial Assumptions About the Epidemic's Lethality.
A cost-benefit analysis of COVID-19 lockdowns highlights crucial gaps in the data.
Despite Coronavirus, Sweden Refuses To Shutter Businesses and Limit Gatherings
The Scandinavian country is betting against draconian restrictions and in favor of the free movement of people and goods.
The Feds Are Suspending Some Tariff Payments. They Should Suspend All of Them.
It's almost like Americans are paying for them, and like Trump doesn't actually believe in free trade.
Most Politicians Are Disingenuous Opportunists. The Coronavirus Outbreak Only Makes That More Obvious.
Politicians are merely using COVID-19 to push for policies they already wanted.
Trump Is Right To Worry About the Cost of Aggressive COVID-19 Control Measures
So far politicians have been acting as if only one side of the ledger matters.
The Most Libertarian Congressman Wants To Send People Checks. Here's Why.
"Americans need fast, direct relief," says Justin Amash.
Only Social Darwinians Worry About the Harm Caused by COVID-19 Lockdowns, Andrew Cuomo Says
The point of shutting down the "nonessential" economy, New York's governor explains, is to "save lives, period, whatever it costs."
FDA Relaxes Rules To Allow for More Ventilators, Finally
Restrictions have been loosened to help ramp up production.
