Uncategorized | True North

O’Keefe, Northwood, and DBusiness Present: ‘The State of the Economy and Role of Government in Emerging Markets’

O’Keefe, Northwood University, and DBusiness are partnering to host “The State of the Economy and Role of Government in Emerging Markets,” a special presentation on Oct. 29 in Troy, Michigan. The morning presentation will feature insights from leading economic experts on government policy, emerging industries, and the current state of the U.S. economy. Speakers will...

By Kate Hessling

Freedom Seminar Featuring Lecture by Leading U.S. Tax Policy Expert

Northwood University is thrilled to host a presentation about taxation by a leading figure in U.S. tax policy who is renowned for his ability to demystify complex tax issues. “As Washington lawmakers will face a fiscal cliff at the end of next year when most of the 2017 tax cuts expire, 2025 may well be...

By Kate Hessling

Nuclear Sites Ripe for Development

A new study commissioned by the Department of Energy shows the potential for siting new nuclear reactors at existing and recently retired nuclear power plant sites across the country. This potential is notable because the permitting of new sites for reactors is a costly and time-consuming process that adds to the timeline and expense of...

By Paige Lambermont

Supermarket Merger Muddle

Nearly two years ago, Kroger and Albertsons, America’s two largest traditional brick and mortar supermarket companies, agreed to a $24.6 billion merger. Ever since, the Federal Trade Commission has argued against allowing the merger, claiming that it would “lead to higher prices for groceries and other essential items” and “lead to lower quality products and...

By Gary M. Galles

How Institutional Quality Shapes Our World

What is institutional quality, and why is it important for economic progress? Institutions are the rules of the game that shape human behavior. They include laws, codes of conduct, and both formal and informal customs that structure interactions between people. Our expectations of how others will act in different situations depend on institutions. Stable institutions...

By Sergio Martínez

Will an Increase in the Minimum Wage Give America a Raise? No.

According to Princeton University economics professor Alan S. Blinder, writing in the Wall Street Journal, Kamala Harris is entirely correct in her intention to raise the federal minimum wage from its present “paltry” level of $7.25 per hour. In his view, an hourly $12 would be far more like it. His main argument is the...

By Walter Edward Block

Revisiting Reagan: He Won the Cold War, But Lost the War Against Big Government

Sean McNamara’s biopic about former President Ronald Reagan, now in movie theaters across the country, provides a timely occasion to reflect on some essential principles lost in today’s world, marked by the confrontation between left-wing wokeism and right-wing nationalism, two forms of collectivist interventionism. It would benefit the Republican Party to rediscover these principles, and...

By Alvaro Vargas Llosa

‘Am I a Racist?’ Packs a Potent Political Punch: Ridicule

In his popular 1971 book Rules for Radicals, Saul D. Alinsky identified ridicule as the most potent of all political weapons. “There is no defense. It is almost impossible to counterattack ridicule,” said Alinsky, a Chicago-based community organizer and activist. Ridicule is the recipe for Matt Walsh’s new documentary Am I a Racist?, a film...

By Jonathan Miltimore

The Case Against Foreign Aid

The main argument in favor of foreign aid is that rich countries can and should help poor countries become more prosperous. And plenty of politicians are following that approach. According to the latest data from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, donor governments gave away more than $220 billion last year. But advocates of...

By Daniel J. Mitchell

Is the Fed Trying to Rig the Election?

Less than seven weeks before the elections, the Federal Reserve decided to cut the interest rates aggressively – by 50 basis points. But inflation is still above its target. And the Fed has yet to receive distress signals from the labor, housing, or stock markets. So, what does that mean for you? The candidates? The...

By Kristin Tokarev

America’s Debt Crisis: Northwood University Posts New lesson in Free Enterprise Online Course

In celebration of Constitution Day this week, Northwood University has posted a fresh lesson in the Philosophy of Free Enterprise, a free online course for anyone interested learning about the importance of freedom and free-market economics. “It is fitting that this latest lesson — which explores America’s debt crisis — comes as we celebrated Constitution...

By Kate Hessling

Are Bad Climate Policies Causing More Deaths Than Climate Change?

During Vivek Ramaswamy’s recent event at the Cato Institute, protestors derailed his presentation by getting on stage and chanting “climate con-man,” among other similar allegations. But it’s not just rabbles of unknown activists accusing Ramaswamy of climate falsehoods. Last year, Ramaswamy said, “The reality is, more people are dying of bad climate change policies than...

By Saul Zimet

Protectionism’s Bad Economic History

Protectionism is currently in vogue, gaining support from both the left and the right. This isn’t the first time. As protectionism’s popularity ebbs and flows, it remains a constant presence. Each resurgence is driven by variations of the same argument, particularly the infant industry argument. The argument is straightforward: protectionism, through tariffs or subsidies, helps...

By Vincent Geloso

College Football’s Lesson About Political Economy

Auburn University’s football team lost every game in 1950. As Bill Cromartie put it in his book Braggin’ Rights, a game-by-game account of the Alabama-Auburn football rivalry, “Alabama fans laughed, poked fun at and cracked jokes about Auburn.” The Auburn Tigers got their revenge in 1955 when they beat the Alabama Crimson Tide 26-0 to...

By Art Carden