Last week, the United Auto Workers union (UAW) called its first strike against General Motors (GM) in thirty-seven years. The strike was over in two days when negotiators approved a new contract between the two parties. The settlement avoids a … Continue reading
Economics & Political Systems
Free Trade: A Threat to America’s Future?
Protectionists claim that free trade is bad for America—that increasing imports of goods means increasing exports of jobs, thereby gutting our economy. This notion could only be valid in a zero-sum world with a fixed number of jobs, where one … Continue reading
Free Trade or Protectionism?
The case for free trade rests on a simple principle: people should be free to buy from whomever they choose, even if the supplier is a foreigner. The opponents of free trade believe that there are legitimate exceptions to this … Continue reading
Are Happy Days Here Again?
Ben Bernanke, chairman of the Federal Reserve, is a better historian of economic thought than monetary theorist. In reference to the current financial turmoil he is quoted as saying that classic central-banking theory instructs us that the Fed should accommodate … Continue reading
V&V PAPER — Paulo Freire: Education as Radical Political Transformation
Editor’s Note: Reflecting the breadth and depth of top-notch scholarship being pursued by the faculty of Grove City College, the Center for Vision & Values is pleased to release the fourth in a series of exclusive monthly white papers being offered … Continue reading
The Economic Crisis in Higher Education
Is a bachelor’s degree in English (or history or philosophy or political science or any other subject in the liberal arts) worth over $30,000 a year? As the sticker price asked by more and more private colleges crosses that threshold, … Continue reading
Hans F. Sennholz, R.I.P.
The Pastor of the Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Grove City, James Seeley, who presided over the memorial service for Hans Sennholz on June 26, 2007 took note of his outstanding qualities. He was indeed a great teacher, having instructed … Continue reading
Exchange-Rate Politics: Playing with Fire
Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama have thrown their support behind proposed legislation that would impose anti-dumping duties—tariffs of around 27 percent—on Chinese imports if the Chinese currency doesn’t get stronger against the dollar. This proposal—advanced by a … Continue reading
Congress Versus the Price Gougers
It’s a dangerous world today. Remorseless men murder their wives and lovers. Terrorists want to bomb humankind back to the seventh century. And now, gas station owners with blood as cold as a reptile are conspiring to charge you outrageous … Continue reading
Corn-Based Ethanol: Your Tax Dollars at Work
In recent years, the price of gasoline has soared as the supply of crude oil has risen in response to unprecedented global demand. But never fear, Uncle Sam is here! Citing the need to decrease our country’s dependence on foreign … Continue reading
Rethinking the Property Tax
Property taxes in Pennsylvania appear locked into a long-term uptrend. In recent years, there have been huge increases in the portion of the property tax that finances county government. County officials have levied these increases to pay for the unfunded … Continue reading
The Unions of Tomorrow
During the second half of the twentieth century, union officials prospered mightily, while millions of rank-and-file union members saw their jobs vanish. Since union policy is set by the bosses, I am not optimistic for significant reforms, but since my … Continue reading
Money is Flooding the World Markets
Central banks live by a simple financial principle: Whenever economic activity stagnates or declines, they quickly lower their interest rates and expand their credits. But when business seems to improve, they hesitate and vacillate in removing the rate cuts. The … Continue reading
French Voters Choose Big Government Over Big Government
Guest Commentary “I kept on going into factories, I kept on talking with workers to tell them that I want to be a president of the republic who will protect them, who will protect against outsourcing, that I will not … Continue reading
Casey Goes After the Oil Companies
It’s time to scrap last year’s carefully crafted campaign image of Robert Casey as a moderate. Barely three months after taking office, the junior U.S. senator from Pennsylvania is launching class warfare in the virulent anti-capitalist tradition. In reaction to … Continue reading
The Never-Ending Energy Conspiracy
Guest Commentary The evil oil companies are at it again. The price of a gallon of gas has jumped by more than 30 cents in the past month. The gasoline gougers are busy reaping windfall profits. It’s time for a … Continue reading
V&V PAPER — Globalization: An Assessment
Editor’s Note: Reflecting the breadth and depth of top-notch scholarship being pursued by the faculty of Grove City College, The Center for Vision & Values is pleased to release the second in a series of exclusive monthly papers being offered through … Continue reading
V&V PAPER — Keys to Designing an Antipoverty Fund
Editor’s Note: Reflecting the breadth and depth of top-notch scholarship being pursued by the faculty of Grove City College, The Center for Vision & Values is pleased to release the first in a series of exclusive monthly papers being offered through … Continue reading
Something for Nothing
Guest Commentary When something is offered to us for free, we become suspicious. Internet scams, all-expense paid vacations and interest-free loans all beg the question, “Where is the catch?” Read the fine print and the true cost becomes apparent. Increasing … Continue reading
What Would Jesus Tax?
Guest Commentary Editor’s Note: This article was first published by the TCS Daily and has been reprinted with the author’s permission. “When Jesus tells us he will regard the way we treat the hungry, the homeless, the stranger, the sick, and the … Continue reading