In 1788 Thomas Jefferson wrote that "The natural progress of things is for liberty to yield, and government to gain ground." It's a dilemma that has plagued governments long before ... Keep Reading
Economics
Price Controls = Shortages
News reports on back-to-back days this week: In North Carolina, charging high prices for goods and services during disasters can be illegal, in violation of the state’s ... Keep Reading
7 Things I’d Do if I Wanted to Keep Poor People Poor
If I wanted to keep poor people poor, there are several government policies I would favor. Let's count them down. 1: An Expanding Welfare State For starters, I would advocate for ... Keep Reading
Why a New Podcast Called ‘Civitalk?’
As some are already aware, Brooke Medina and I have launched a new podcast here at Civitas called "Civitalk." Obviously, podcasting is a booming market, but to be successful, they ... Keep Reading
More Media Economic Ignorance on Minimum Wage
A recent Winston-Salem Journal editorial praised legislators for raising the lowest rung of the pay scale for state government employees to $15 an hour, but more thoroughly ... Keep Reading
It’s Always Time for a Film on Eminent Domain Abuse
Little Pink House is a new film starring Catherine Keener as Susette Kelo. It chronicles the story of Kelo v. City of New London, a famous eminent domain court case. Most of us ... Keep Reading
Thinking Seriously about North Carolina and the Gender Pay Gap
According to the National Committee on Pay Equity, today is for raising awareness of the "gender pay gap" through Equal Pay Day. WUNC published a piece stating that "North Carolina ... Keep Reading
Milton Friedman’s Best Argument for Free Trade
In this short clip from the late economist Milton Friedman, he challenges protectionist thinking with the best anecdote he's heard supporting free trade: It takes muddled ... Keep Reading
A Reading List on Trump’s Tariffs and North Carolina
Brian Balfour accurately called President Donald Trump's proposed tariffs on steel and aluminum "crony protectionism." It's a good tag. In my mind, Henry Hazlitt's "Economics in ... Keep Reading
Amazon, Cronyism, and the Peril of Endless Government Meddling
One of the advantages of observing the many incentives being thrown at Amazon is that it highlights the absurdities of cronyism and government meddling in the market. This ... Keep Reading
