A recent column I wrote on communism in Hollywood in the 1940s elicited strong reaction toward the person of Joe McCarthy. This was somewhat perplexing, given that McCarthy was not the front-and-center figure investigating Hollywood communism. Yet, it wasn’t surprising, … Continue reading
Editor’s note: This article first appeared at RealClearMarkets.com. If you’re hoping for an unremitting anti-supply-side diatribe, you will be disappointed. There is, indeed, a major flaw in the supply-side approach and I’ll get to that presently, but first, let’s give … Continue reading
Recently, many economists and politicians have expressed concern about stagnant wages and rising income and wealth inequality. Such concerns prompted 20 states and the District of Columbia to raise the minimum wage this year. Some economists, such as former treasury … Continue reading
Editor’s note: This article first appeared at Forbes.com. I have to admit that initially I was uninterested, even close-minded, about the negative yield being offered on a growing share of European sovereign debt. “It must be a short-term aberration,” I … Continue reading
In September 1993, President Bill Clinton reassured his radio audience that “if you work hard and play by the rules, you’ll be rewarded with a good life for yourself and a better chance for your children.” Picking up that theme over 18 … Continue reading
Earlier this month, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler announced that its five commissioners will conduct a vote on February 26 to decide whether to grant itself the authority to regulate the Internet under Title II of the Communications Act of … Continue reading
After losing New Hampshire, Florida, and Illinois, the presidential candidate limped along with declining support and amid calls for his withdrawal from the race. He was short of funds with a thin organization. He was a beleaguered candidate. Then came … Continue reading
Only a week after proposing to hit the middle class with a tax on college savings plans, President Obama dropped the assault on so-called “529 plans.” These plans have been used by parents for two decades to save for their … Continue reading
Unemployment has been falling but the number of Americans not working—or working fewer hours—has remained stubbornly high since 2008. The Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as “Obamacare,” is part of the reason for this. By requiring businesses with more … Continue reading
The cargo ship recklessly headed towards the coast of Italy. The crew had abandoned ship and the Italian coast guard scrambled to intervene. After regaining control of the ship the coast guard discovered a troubling reality: 800 illegal immigrants were … Continue reading
Editor’s note: A longer version of this article first appeared at Forbes.com. With the stock market at an all-time high, a bonanza of cheap gasoline, and unemployment at 5.8 percent, there is increased optimism about the U.S. economy. Yet challenges … Continue reading
Editor’s note: This article first appeared at Forbes.com. French economist Thomas Piketty’s Capital in the Twenty-First Century was the most talked about treatise on political economy in 2014, if not the 21st century. To those of us who understand and … Continue reading
They rushed to the third floor gripping their Kalashnikov automatic rifles and entered the room where the editorial board had gathered to meet. The rifles fired, innocent lives were destroyed and lost, and then they left. Outside, they entered a … Continue reading
Many Americans are upset by the decision of President Obama to issue an executive order to reform immigration policy. The executive order effectively grants undocumented immigrants the legal right to remain in the United States if they have been here … Continue reading
Bernie Sanders speaking at Liberty University on CSPAN.
Editor’s note: This article first appeared at Forbes.com. We all celebrate when an innocent person is released from prison. The freedom of Alan Gross is welcome news. But the release of three convicted Cuban spies and operatives (who were directly … Continue reading
The 2014 midterm elections came to an end with the crushing defeat of Sen. Mary Landrieu in Louisiana. Her loss, however, was part of a series of defeats for political families over the last two midterm elections. In Louisiana, Landrieu … Continue reading
Wow, I had barely recommended repealing the laws that restrict U.S. oil exports as part of an overall ramping up of competition in global oil markets when news hit that the Saudis were cutting the price of oil shipped to the U.S. … Continue reading
Editor’s note: This article first appeared at Forbes.com. For those of you old enough to remember the 1970s, you may recall how dismal economic conditions were as a result of unenlightened policies coming out of Washington. Among the more counterproductive … Continue reading
Editor’s note: This article first appeared at The Washington Post When we think of Martin Luther King Jr.’s great speeches, we don’t think of Berlin. And when we think of great American speeches in Berlin, we think of John F. … Continue reading
