New Bipartisan Spending Deal Includes Billions More for Border Barriers, TSA, and Everything In Between
With the federal government $22 trillion in debt, Congress has decided to spend more money.
Economics
Was Philadelphia's Soda Tax the Result of a Union-Versus-Union Political Fight?
Indicted union boss John "Johnny Doc" Dougherty ordered the soda tax passed to hurt the city's Teamsters union, federal prosecutors say.
Lobbyists Are Making Bank on Trump's Steel Tariffs
Steel manufacturers spent $12.2 million lobbying the federal government in 2018, an increase of nearly 20 percent over the previous year.
National Debt Hits a New Record High: $22 Trillion
A new record, but one that won't stand for long.
Tyler Cowen's Gospel of Prosperity
The George Mason University economist and Marginal Revolution founder explains why a richer world is a better world.
Bill DeBlasio Says Amazon's Anti-Union Stance Is From 'Another Time'
But history suggests he's the anachronism.
After State of the Union, Republicans Face a Crucial Choice on Trade
There are dueling bills in front of Congress, both backed by Republicans. One would expand Trump's tariff authority, while the other would check it.
When it Comes To Debt, Politicians and Academics Are All Like, 'What, Me Worry?'
From OMB head Mick Mulvaney to former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers, nobody cares about spending money we don't have on things we don't need. Big mistake.
What Was Missing From Trump's State of the Union? America's $1 Trillion Deficit
Or the $22 trillion (and counting) national debt. Or the entitlement programs that will continue adding to them.
The Government Can't—and Won't—Give Meaning to Your Life
A conservative technocrat tries to engineer a better world.
Global Poverty Decline Denialism
An anti-market ideologue tortures the data at The Guardian.
'Price Gouging' Is Supply and Demand at Work, Even in a Polar Vortex
Price signals ultimately mean more supplies for disaster-struck areas.
Trump's Tariffs Keep Harming America
Nonsensical protectionist policies won't make the country great again.
Is Congress Finally Getting Serious About Stopping Trump's Tariffs?
A bipartisan, bicameral proposal would stop Trump from using the tired "national security" excuse to justify his protectionist trade policies.
Why Do So Many Modern Jobs Seem Pointless?
An investigation into why people are working more without accomplishing more
CBO: Budget Deficit Numbers Are Better Than Expected, but We're Still Screwed
Unless we make some big changes, things won't get much better.
New Chinese App Lets Users ID Debtors Lurking Nearby
How would you like it if nearby strangers could instantly access your credit score on their phones?
Trump Stands Up for Blue Collar Workers by Reducing Their Profit-Sharing Checks
Because of tariffs, Ford hourly employees will lose out on $750 they would have otherwise received.
At the Most Expensive Affordable Housing Project in America, Every Apartment Cost $739,000 To Build
How a heavily subsidized Culver City development became the nation's most expensive affordable housing project.
Be Careful What You Wish for on the Minimum Wage
The laws of economics can't be repealed.
Don't Let Tucker Carlson Make You a Victim
Virtually everyone is better off because of market capitalism.
'Drop Gangs' the Latest Evolution in Darknet's Avoidance of Law Enforcement
Online black markets shift faster than police can respond
What the Press Missed About Vanguard Founder's Fortune
John Bogle's life is a reminder that in capitalism you can make a fortune by saving your customers money.
Mitch McConnell Predicted the GOP Tax Cut Would Raise Revenue and Reduce the Deficit. Nope.
A year after the tax law, growth is up but tax revenue is down.
Is the White House Considering Easing Chinese Tariffs? The Stock Market Hopes So
Dow Jones skyrockets on news that Steve Mnuchin is leading behind-the-scenes effort to reduce tariffs on China.
Trump Paving the Road to Overtime Pay With Good Intentions
Raising the cost of employing workers is never a recipe for increasing employment.
America's Trade Deficit With China Just Hit a New Record
And it's not a record low. That's fine, but it's not what the president said would happen.
Developer Sues Labor Groups Over Use of California Environmental Laws To Stop Construction
Two unions called out for threats to sue if they don't get hired to build.
Does Tucker Carlson Get Anything Right About Libertarians?: Podcast
What conservatives against "market fundamentalism" can tell you about libertarians without power
Increasing Top Tax Brackets Is Easier Than Increasing Revenue Over Time
Proponents of jacking top marginal income tax rates such as AOC ignore how hard it is to actually boost revenue over the long haul.
Most Americans Want Congress to Fix Budget Crisis, Increase Spending. Huh?
You can't have it both ways.
The National Debt Hit $22 Trillion at the End of 2018
Growth alone won't get us out of this mess.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Wants Democrats to Drop the Pretense of Fiscal Responsibility
The fight over PAYGO is about whether Democrats will pretend to care about the deficit.
These Booze-Making Capitalist Monks Will Make Your Day
When Europe's beer-brewing, liquor-distilling monks combine Catholicism and capitalism, the results are delicious.
2018 Proved That Trade Wars Aren't 'Good and Easy to Win'
Regardless of the president's Twitter bravado, this year has provided a painful lesson in how tariffs grow government and hurt the economy.
Manhattan Institute's Brian Riedl Is Very Worried About Deficits
Our fiscal problems aren't going away. In fact, they're getting worse.
Mark Sanford's Farewell: Spending and Debt 'Could Lead to a Future Hitler-like Character'
Departing congressman warns against populism, "cult of personality," "post-truth" politics, and a government spending addiction that threatens to drive the American civilization "extinct."
Why Is N.Y. Mayor De Blasio Yelling at Corporations About Harms Caused by the City's War on Weed?
The government is the villain of this story, not wealthy industrialists.
U.S. Baby Bust Fears Inspire a Radical Policy Proposal
Is the solution a "fertility dividend" that makes a portion of a person's Social Security benefit dependent on each of their offspring's earnings?
Judge: Trump Administration's Steel Tariff Rationale 'Makes Me Scratch My Head'
The Trump administration's response to a lawsuit challenging steel tariffs is a deeply un-conservative argument for greater executive power.
A Deficit-Happy Government May Lead to a Debt-Driven Financial Crisis
Get ready for permanent low growth, a stifled entrepreneurial spirit, and high unemployment.
This Lawsuit Could Sink Trump's Steel Tariffs
Today, the U.S. Court for International Trade will hear a challenge to the "national security" rationale Trump used to impose those tariffs in June.
House Committee Cancels Testimony of Gay Economist Who Once Joked About Taxing Gay Sex
His 16-year-old blog posts are completely irrelevant to his testimony on the minimum wage.
Why Are Conservatives Suddenly Supporting Mandatory Paid Leave?
The additional cost of adding paid leave to Social Security would be $114 billion over 10 years.
Libertarian History/Philosophy
John Stossel's Holiday Gift Guide
Struggling to find gifts to get for loved ones? How about a book?
Aluminum Tariff Tradeoff: 300 Jobs for $690 Million in New Taxes
New study argues the tariffs have boosted employment, but doesn't examine the costs of President Donald Trump's protectionism.
