In the aftermath of the pandemic, the United States experienced the highest rates of inflation of the last four decades. More recently, inflation rates have been trending lower. Nonetheless, a number of economists have been surprised to observe that consumers aren’t very happy despite signs that the inflation rate is on a trajectory towards the...
The Biden administration recently announced $8.5 billion in subsidies to build Intel’s new semiconductor plants. It sounds like a terrific deal, as subsidies often do if you only listen to what politicians say when they are writing big checks to big companies. It secures good-paying jobs for workers. It protects the future of the country....
When most people think of character, there is a list of attributes or “traits” that comes readily to mind. Some of the more common ones might be honesty, responsibility, patience, perseverance, loyalty, and courage. These are lofty attributes indeed, and it’s a shame that they seem to get little more than lip service from many...
In an explosive new op-ed, Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) claimed that at least 15 separate federal agencies knew that attempts to create a COVID-19-like coronavirus were being undertaken at the Wuhan Institute of Virology as early as January 2018. Yet, heads of these agencies did not reveal this information to the public; for years, they...
You probably saw the recent headlines. Senator Bernie Sanders proposed a new bill that he claims will reduce weekly working hours from 40 to 32. This would move workers from needing to work five 8-hour days to only four. But you haven’t heard the best part. You’d get paid exactly the same amount as before!...
In a Pew Foundation opinion survey report in September of 2022, it was found that only 46% of Democrats had a “positive” view of capitalism, down from 55% in 2019. On the other hand, 74% of Republicans said they were positive on capitalism, which was a decrease from 78% in 2019. At the same time,...
One piece of advice given to young people who want to get involved in politics is to volunteer for political campaigns. There is a constant demand for extra help from campaigns, and this is how many people get their foot in the door in politics. On the Overton Window podcast, Luke Derheim, perennial volunteer turned...
If you read enough news stories about public health issues, they all start to sound the same. The headline warns us about a threat to our health. Public health officials attest that the threat is very real and advise us to be very careful, because it could happen to you or someone you love. They...
Enjoying massive popularity since the Covid-19 pandemic, food delivery apps will likely remain a customer favorite and part of the restaurant market for the foreseeable future. But like many other gig-economy apps, these food delivery services have recently come under scrutiny. This has led cities to propose new regulations such as delivery service fee caps...
A common objection to unfettered capitalism is that, left to their own devices, greedy industrialists would cut corners with product safety, resulting in tremendous harm to consumers. Dangerous products would flood the market, leading to a dystopia of preventable death and destruction. Extreme hypotheticals are brought up the moment someone suggests a hands-off approach. Drugs...
Nippon Steel — Japan’s largest steelmaker — has offered to buy U.S. Steel for $14.1 billion, and all the people who count are frothing at the mouth. For example, President Biden has stated: “U.S. Steel has been an iconic American steel company for more than a century, and it is vital for it to remain...
The Free Market Road Show is heading to Northwood University April 2 as part of the 2024 Freedom Seminar. “The Austrian Economics Center facilitates the Free Market Road Show to provide high-quality analyses and engaging events that highlight the importance of individual liberty, free markets and constitutionally limited government — all values shared by Northwood...
Natural gas and nuclear power lead the rest of the class in generating clean and affordable energy, according to a new national energy report card created by Northwood University in partnership with the Mackinac Center for Public Policy. “We ranked eight key energy industry sectors based on their ability to meet growing demand for affordable,...
Young people sometimes seem to wake up in the morning in search of something to be outraged about. We are among the wealthiest and most educated humans in history. But we’re increasingly convinced that we’re worse off than our parents were, that the planet is in crisis, and that it’s probably not worth having kids....