BOHANON & CUROTT: Lebanon’s economic disaster is example of crony capitalism
A hallmark of the nation’s economic policy has been to fix the exchange rate between its currency, the Lebanese pound, and the U.S. dollar, at 1,500L=$1.
A hallmark of the nation’s economic policy has been to fix the exchange rate between its currency, the Lebanese pound, and the U.S. dollar, at 1,500L=$1.
Bitcoin’s value is far too volatile. Imagine getting paid in something and having no idea how much it will buy when payday comes.
Residential covenants ensure restrictions on property use originate from homeowners in the neighborhood.
Horwitz reckoned the greatest misconception about economics is that it deals only with material living standards.
We suspect firms relying on $8-an-hour labor will soon find their business models unworkable. They will either die or adopt technological innovations that economize on scarce labor.
Designing good voting procedures is crucial to well-functioning democracy. Rank voting is an interesting option.
Now would be a particularly good time to get rid of Trump’s tariffs, as the economy is experiencing widespread shortages and rising inflation.
It is hard, if not impossible, for the U.S. government to impose criminal sanctions on hackers burrowed in countries openly hostile to the United States, such as North Korea, Russia or Iran.
To the extent Hamas spends some of its resources on providing humanitarian aid, an expansion of the United States’ humanitarian aid enables Hamas to divert some of its resources to expand militarization.
The Treasury and the Federal Reserve are spinning the story that the CPI spike was more a by-product of unique COVID related realities than an underlying indication of a rising rate of inflation.
The problem is not so much a lack of available jobs.
Taxing dividends and capital gains encourages too much consumption and too little savings, which is to the long-term detriment of households and the larger economy.
Inflation is certain to rise unless the Fed removes some of the newly created money from circulation as velocity rises.
Since World War II, the Japanese have made corporate employment a mutual life-long commitment—shareholder interests be damned.
But as we understand, vaccine complications, sometimes leading to deaths, are a risk for all vaccinations.
We are all much more likely to believe we are not getting what we should be getting and that the other guy is getting more than what he rightfully deserves.
Currently, the U.S. national debt is over $28 trillion—that’s $85,000 per person and $224,000 per taxpayer.
We all do things that risk death. Over 300 people die each year from falling off ladders. Yet any homeowner will attest to the benefit of having a ladder.
While there are numerous explanations, here is one we find most important and convincing: Most of the new money is simply sitting in accounts commercial banks have at the Federal Reserve drawing interest.
Freeing up and encouraging trade is crucial for spurring the economy, which is still recovering from the worldwide pandemic.