Something was missing from the recent Republican campaign efforts. Though they did retake the Senate and several governor’s mansions, most were strangely silent on what might have been some winning issues. These included Obamacare, school reform and reforming bureaucracy and regulation. Obamacare did receive some attention, which is good, and all the new senators vowed […]
Archives
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What are Republicans Saying? Nothing Much Yet.
11 Nov 2014
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Another Great One Dies
05 Nov 2014
Gordon Tullock died the other day. He was about 92. For those who didn’t know, Tullock was a founder of the Public Choice School of economic thought, famous for its use of microeconomic principles applied to problems of government, in particular government failure. Tullock was known as the “inventor” of the concept of rent-seeking, known […]
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One of the calumnies of those espousing an ever-expanding view of the state in determining social outcomes against those who would prescribe any limitations on what the government could do is that it is pure “selfishness.” Indeed, it is alleged that opponents of a larger state believe in a “rugged individualism” where, as President Obama […]
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Tiny Houses and Tiny Government
29 Oct 2014
Have you heard about the “Tiny House” movement? Many probably haven’t, though some may have lived in tiny houses growing up (that was “accidental” unlike this movement). This movement however is a conscious attempt to provide affordable housing in cities where housing is all but unaffordable except for the well-off. As you might expect, some […]
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I listened yesterday to an EconTalk episode on my computer in which the host Russ Roberts interviewed Martha Nussbaum on the program. But if you haven’t listened to EconTalk interviews, you are missing a treat. And if you haven’t heard of Martha Nussbaum, you are forgiven. Her name is not a household word, thought her […]
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Our Fragile Economy
01 Oct 2014
There is a very interesting article in today’s Wall Street Journal in the Real Time Economics section. “It’s Not Ebola Sapping Nigerian Economy, but Boko Haram” reminds us of the difficulties developing nations face and the fragility of our own economic condition. While economic barometers do not indicate imminent economic failure and the United States […]
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I was sitting (lying is more like it) on my couch asking myself why I can’t seem to think of something to write about the last week or two. Yes, I am busy, no doubt. But as I pondered I realized that I was simply overwhelmed with issues and don’t really where to start. With […]
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On September 2 and 3, Cedarville University hosted theologian Wayne Grudem and economist Barry Asmus, who presented talks aimed at students and faculty on economics and human flourishing. Much of what they said related to their relatively new book, The Poverty of Nations: A Sustainable Solution. To summarize the book’s argument, the authors assert that […]
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Let’s Get Ethical
28 Jul 2014
This blog is a supplement to my colleague Jeff Haymond’s very informative blog of July 26 entitled “Turning to the Left….” I wanted to add a further ethical dimension to the discussion of income inequality which Jeff was addressing with regard to recent comments by Thomas Ricks at Politico. Jeff’s comments are worth reproducing in […]
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Libertarianism: Is It Viable?
27 Jun 2014
I just finished reading the classic book by Jan Narveson, The Libertarian Idea, published in 1986. Now this book was no walk in the park. Narveson is a philosopher (and a pretty good one at that) and he writes in that very logical style–which I think we need more of at times. But whether you […]
Bert Wheeler
Jeff Haymond
Marc Clauson
Mark Caleb Smith
Tom Mach