I wrote a story about poor Clarence who retired in 1979, and even poorer Larry who retired last year. I created these characters to challenge the notion of calculating a real interest rate by subtracting inflation. The idea is that the decline of a currency can be measured by the rate of price increases. This price-centric view leads to the concept of purchasing power—the amount of stuff that a dollar can buy. It’s the flip side of prices. When prices rise, purchasing power falls.
MARKETS
Intellectual freedom cannot exist without political freedom; political freedom cannot exist without economic freedom; a free mind and a free market are corollaries. – AYN RAND
Currencies Depend on Faith, Gold Doesn’t
In his July 17th Blog, Let's Get Real About Gold, author and Wall Street Journal columnist Jason Zweig likened investor interest in gold with the "Pet Rock" craze of the 1970's, when consumers became convinced that a rock in a box would provide continuous...
Why Government Deficits and Debt Do Matter
Why it would desirable to incorporate a balanced budget amendment into the U.S. Constitution.
The War on Uber
Hillary Clinton gave a speech warning that the new "sharing economy" of businesses such as the ride-hailing company Uber is "raising hard questions about workplace protections." Democrats hate what labor unions hate, and a taxi drivers' union hates Uber, too. Its NYC...
Mayor de Blasio Bully Villain; Uber American Hero
Uber is hugely successful, posing a threat (via competition) to New York city’s cab companies. The mayor and other members of the New York City government seek to protect those cab companies by throttling, impeding or otherwise undercutting Uber.
Pragmatism is Impractical in the Long Run
Why does it rule in business?
The Great FreedomFest Debate Was Like Watching Tom and Jerry
With apologies to his fans, Jerry is an evil little mouse who constantly pesters Tom the Cat. Tom tries and tries, but cannot seem to overpower someone who is a fraction of his size and strength.
Watching Stephen Moore attempt to debate Paul Krugman was like that.
Wealth Gap
Nearly 10,000 people turned out to hear Bernie Sanders in Wisconsin. Why? Apparently, many Democrats want socialism.
On A Woman on The $10 Bill
A woman will be on the new $10 bill, bumping Alexander Hamilton aside.
Interest – Inflation = #REF
The notion of nominal interest paints a misleading picture of losing purchasing power..
Altruism and Economics
How do people’s ideas on morality affect their economics?
Geopolitics Trumps Economics in Greece
Despite Greece’s almost complete lack of financial integrity, neither NATO nor the EU can afford the political cost of a Greek exit from the EU.
They’re Coming to Take Away Your Cash
The stories are all over the Internet. Governments are forcing us into a cashless society. Supposedly the pretext is terrorism, and the real reason is to take more control.
How Could the Fed Protect Us from Economic Waves?
Fed apologists argue that the economy would be even more unstable, if we had no monetary central planner. However, the fact is that it became a lot less stable after the Fed was created.
Kudos to Exxon CEO for Not Appeasing Climate Doomsdayers
The Exxon CEO is a rare exception, with the courage to defend his company’s moral right to pursue its own interest: profitable production of fossil fuels.
The Federal Reserve: Promises vs Track Record
The biggest deflation in the history of the country came after the Fed was founded, and that deflation contributed to the Great Depression of the 1930s. As for bank failures, they reached levels unheard of before there was a Federal Reserve System.
Are Hedge Funds Worth More Than Kindergartens?
"The top 25 hedge fund managers made more than all the kindergarten teachers in the country," declared President Obama in a discussion of poverty at Georgetown University. Calling them “society’s lottery winners,” he proposed to hike their taxes. Predictably, battle...
Pragmatism Is An Impractical Philosophy for Business
Pragmatism is widely considered a virtue in business, but it is in fact a perilous approach, antithetical to long-term profitability.
The Sad Model of a Modern Monetary Economist
It isn’t clear that the Fed has brought any substantial improvement in macroeconomic stability.
The Difference Between Winning a Lottery vs. Building a Successful Business
Obama’s stereotype of all rich people as being “born” into it (hence the lottery analogy) betrays not only willful ignorance, but an irrational hatred of production and success.
Top 25 Hedge Fund Managers Earn More Than All Kindergarten Teachers
Why do most people criminalize wealth creation while others cheer and appreciate it?
Falling Yield, Rising Asset
Our monetary system is failing, but explaining that isn’t easy.
Integrity in Business and Politics
Integrity is being trumped by pragmatism, both in business and in politics.
Imagine a Highway
If roads were private the owners would have an incentive to provide capacity, safety, and invent a pricing mechanism that would enable traffic to flow freely.
Securities Regulation Harms Businesses
The problems startups have in raising capital caused by securities regulation.
Free Trade Benefits vs. Fears of Foreign Goods
All who participate gain from international trade, and all are made poorer to the extent that governments interfere or prohibit the freedom of trade among the peoples of the world.
Defending Google Against Antitrust
Google is not limiting competition but creating it, through its own innovations that others are free to try to surpass.
Price “Gouge” Me, Please!
Artifically low prices resulting from government decree causes an artificial shortage which results in long lines, empty stations, and lack of incentives for more supplies.
Defending Google: Big Data and “Unfair Competition”
New rivals who want to enter the Internet services market and are not putting together big data sets cannot claim that they have a right to the established companies’ data—they have done nothing to deserve access to it.
What Creates Real Jobs And What Destroys Them
Jobs come from government getting out of the way and letting employers produce goods and services.
Europe’s Antitrust Assault on Google
Since people can search through other sources besides Google, it is not at all clear why Google cannot run its own operation for its own benefit, while others run their operations for their own benefit.
California’s Government Created Water Problem
Water is distributed in California and other Western states not by market prices but by the political process.
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