Should the Government Have the Power to “Turn Off Jobs”?
David J. Bier Last month, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Secure the Border Act of 2023. Among other things, the bill would mandate that all employers use the E‑Verify program to prove that their new hires have federal authorization
Yet Another Month of Questionable Federal Jobs Data as 310,000 Fewer People Report Having Jobs
In 2023, self-employment has collapsed again with year-over-year self-employment growth dropping by 6.5 percent. That's the largest drop since December 2007, when the Great Recession officially began. Original Article: "Yet Another Month of Questionable Federal Jobs Data as 310,000 Fewer People Report Having Jobs"
Book Review: The Menace of Fiscal QE
Romina Boccia The Menace of Fiscal QEBy George SelginThe Cato Institute, 2020, $14.95, 126 pages George Selgin’s book The Menace of Fiscal QE, published by the Cato Institute in 2020, is particularly relevant today following debt limit negotiations that demonstrated how reluctant
Just your friendly periodic reminder that mileage taxes create disincentives for fuel efficiency.
If there's been one consistent thread since the beginning of Env-Econ.net, it's our endearing commitment to helping you understand the incentives of gas taxes vs. mileage taxes. Well, the debate is back in the news again as the governments debate ways
Myth #4: Every Time the Fed Tightens the Money Supply, Interest Rates Rise (Or Fall)
Recorded by the Mises Institute in the mid-1980s, The Mises Report provided radio commentary from leading non-interventionists, economists, and political scientists. In this program, we present another part of "Ten Great Economic Myths". This material was prepared by Murray N.
Is Social Justice the Progressive Equivalent of Rent-Seeking Behavior?
The term “rent seeking” is a derogatory term that implies companies and people seek to take more than they earn. It hearkens to some Marxist ideology as well. However, especially when combined with regulatory capture and bureaucratic corruption, rent seeking
My Long Journey to Rothbardian Sobriety
Everything possible is done to prevent the fraud of the monetary system from being exposed to the masses who suffer from it. —Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX), before the US House of Representatives, February 15, 2006 In the mid-sixties, having read about gold
The Carbon Capture Pipeline: The Latest Bridge to Nowhere
The carbon capture pipeline is the result of the latest gift to rent-seeking “titans of industry” and interestingly, may be used on some existing projects that came to be, years ago, due to rent seeking. More on this below. As we’ve
The Eurozone Falls into Recession as “Stimulus” Fails
Investor sentiment is clearly bullish. The CNN Fear and Greed Index for June 18th, 2023, stood at 82, which signals “extreme greed”. This is a drastic optimistic move after closing at “greed” (56 over 100) a month before and “extreme fear” (17
The Money Supply Keeps Falling After Its Biggest Drop Since the Great Depression
Money supply growth fell again in April, plummeting further into negative territory after turning negative in November 2022 for the first time in twenty-eight years. April's drop continues a steep downward trend from the unprecedented highs experienced during much of