Shipping Thrived After Trump Waived the Jones Act
Perhaps it's time to scuttle the law once and for all.
Commerce
When Businesspeople Run Government, the Government Doesn't Become a Business
Central planning from Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, President Donald Trump, and others reflects a fundamental misunderstanding of what makes private markets work.
Long Before the Canal, Global Trade Built Panama City
The narrow geography of the 50-mile Central American isthmus made it an obvious choice for trade routes between the Atlantic and Pacific.
Globalization Made Howard Lutnick a Billionaire. Now He's Railing Against It as Trump's Commerce Chief.
Globalization helped make everyone else much richer, too.
Maine Lobsterman Asks the Supreme Court To Strike Down a Rule Allowing the Government To Track His Boat 24/7
The case could give the Court a chance to clarify what a "closely regulated" business is and what constitutional protections it enjoys.
Your Wi-Fi Router Was Probably Made in China. Does That Mean It's a National Security Threat?
The Trump administration is reportedly moving to ban TP-Link routers, but experts say they're no less secure than other devices.
Zohran Mamdani Can't Ruin New York City
Mayors come and go, but New York City remains fundamentally itself.
Man Accused of Soliciting Teen Girl Walks Because of Federal Overreach
The DOJ tried to claim jurisdiction because he drove on a road.
Trump Says Tariffs Make Us Richer. So, Why Are Most Countries With High Tariffs So Poor?
The U.S. is risking its liberty and its prosperity with such high tariffs.
Trump Says America Would Be 'Destroyed' if Americans Don't Pay His Tariffs
The administration says the country faces complete destruction if it's forced to pay back money it hasn't yet received.
How Tariffs Are Breaking the Manufacturing Industries Trump Says He Wants To Protect
Most imports to the U.S. are raw materials, intermediate parts, or equipment—the stuff that manufacturing firms need to make things.
Milton Friedman Disproved Trump's Argument for Tariffs Decades Ago
In a 1978 appearance at Utah State University, the Nobel Prize–winning economist provided the perfect retort to those who blindly argue we should "build in America."
Trump's Syrian Outreach Turns an Enemy Into a Friend
Hawks in Washington often make it sound hard to end conflicts with other countries, but the United States and Syria are fixing relations overnight.
You Will Work in the Factory and You Will Like It
Plus: Amazon vs. Trump, RFK Jr. gets in trouble, and more...
Americans Doubt Trump's Trade War Will Benefit Them
Consumers and businesses are already experiencing higher prices and economic pain.
Trump Is Wrong About McKinley's Tariff Legacy
Did the 25th president really make America "very rich through tariffs"? William McKinley might have told you otherwise.
America Is Losing Trump's Trade War to Itself
If tariffs are so great, why has Trump shown a willingness to back down from his threats if other countries agree to certain conditions?
Alaska Poised To Beg for Relief From Crippling Federal Shipping Restrictions
The Jones Act keeps energy-hungry Alaskans from using their own natural gas.
These Ceramic Tiles in Spain and Portugal Tell the Story of Globalization
Azulejos remind us that globalization has been shaping art, politics, and culture for centuries.
The European Commission Is Assaulting American Tech Companies
Meta, Apple, Microsoft, and others have all faced legal action from the European Union in recent years.
Trump's Pro-Growth, Anti-Trade Positions Are on a Collision Course
The stark disconnect not only runs the risk of choking off much of the global commerce the president claims to welcome but threatens to stick U.S. consumers and businesses with higher costs.
A Shopping List for a Free-Range Family
These products can give kids independence and parents peace of mind.
Commerce Department Bans Chinese Car Components
Commerce Secretary Raimondo insists the rule "is a strictly national security action."
Survey: 63 Percent of Americans Support Free Trade. Why Don't Our Politicians?
Seventy-five percent of respondents are concerned that tariffs will raise the cost of the things they buy, yet neither Trump nor Harris has suggested lowering them.
Court Holds Federal Ban on Home-Distilling Exceeds Congress' Enumerated Powers
A potentially important post-NFIB enumerated powers challenge.
Trump Advisor Admits Trade War Against China Failed
In an interview, former National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien admitted that "the Chinese didn’t honor" the terms of the deal, years after it was clear.
Zoning Regulations Empower Control Freaks—and Bigots
The Institute for Justice has launched a project to reform land use regulation.
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.
Giving Parking Garages New Life
Blame local government parking minimums for the overabundance of parking in the U.S.
Welcome to the Hyperbole Factory
Plus: A listener asks the editors to consider the libertarian argument against shopping local.
Both Parties Agree: It's the Government's Business Whether You Invest in Chinese Companies
Some, like Rep. Patrick McHenry (R–N.C.), advocate a more measured approach.
Starting Next Year, You Can Buy a Car on Amazon
While the partnership between Hyundai and Amazon is a good first step, states should get rid of laws that mandate franchise dealerships.
Taylor Swift, Junk Fees, and the 'Happy Meal Fallacy'
Thank Swifties, not Joe Biden, for Ticketmaster's consumer-friendly pricing policy.
Despite the Doomsday Narrative, Global Inequality Has Significantly Declined
This progress has been widely shared, to the great benefit of the people at the bottom of the distribution.
Season 1, Episode 6 Podcasts
Why We Can't Have Nice Things: Can You Afford Tariffs on Tin Cans?
"There's nobody that says, wait, is this good for America? Is this good for the American consumer?"
Africa's Planned Cities Need Unplanning
Nigeria's shantytowns are more functional than its centrally planned gated communities.
Bipartisan Boom in Trump Mug Shot Merchandise Demonstrates the Healing Power of Commerce
Haters and lovers of the former president can both express their diametrically opposed views with a Trump mug-shot mug.
When Trade War Threatens Real War
Biden is blurring the lines between economic policy and military action.
Butchers, Brewers, and Bakers Still Thrive in Urban Marketplaces
Adam Smith recognized that man has a natural "propensity to truck, barter, and exchange."
Thank Dutch Merchants, Not a Strong State, for Capitalism
Pioneers of Capitalism chronicles centuries of bottom-up economic evolution in the Netherlands.
Feds Allow Single Foreign Ship To Deliver Fuel to Hurricane-Ravaged Puerto Rico
It’s only one vessel, but the U.S. domestic shipping cartel, protected by the awful Jones Act, is screaming about it.
The Government Should Be Pro-Market, Not 'Pro-Business'
Businesses are all in favor of competition, tax cuts, and deregulation only until they aren't—meaning only until subsidies might benefit them.
In the Aftermath of Hurricane Fiona, the Jones Act Is Screwing Over Puerto Rico Again
The island is begging the Biden administration to allow foreign ships to bring fuel to help restore power. But entrenched maritime interests balk at competition.
Goodbye, Globalization?
As American politicians turn against economic openness, history suggests the consequences could be dire.
Grant McCracken: The Rise of Artisanal Everything and 'Cruelty-Free Capitalism'
In Return of the Artisan, anthropologist Grant McCracken explains how we've shifted from an industrial to a handmade economy.
Pete Buttigieg Is Moving to Michigan. He Should Take the Transportation Department With Him.
It would signal that the transportation future involves decentralization and rapid change rather than Washington-style command-and-control.
