Who Is More Noble: Tim Kaine or Pete Hegseth?
I was in Florida last week, the day Tim Kaine attacked Pete Hegseth during his confirmation hearings. Kaine is the type of guy who doesn’t know what a “first down” is.…
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Essays
Writing by John Tamny and Parkview contributors, from the latest commentary to the collected archive.
1298 essays · Newest first
A ‘Monetary Rule’ Doesn’t Suddenly Validate Mkt. Intervention
The Federal Reserve doesn’t need to adopt a “Monetary Policy Rule.” Not only would the central bank shed the pretense of rules-based constraints on its power during times of upheaval and uncertainty…
The Late, Great David Lodge Helped Us to Relax, and Relax Some More
I was first introduced to David Lodge’s endlessly great novels when a college girlfriend gave me her copy of Nice Work. The book was assigned to her in a senior-year English literature class at…
Our National Security Calls for Trump to Impede the TikTok Ban
Writing about antitrust law recently, the excellent Holman Jenkins observed that “At best it’s a criminal waste of talent. At worst, it’s deeply worrisome that any law school graduate aspires to…
Government Spending’s Warping Effect On Its Contractors
Government spending never enhances economic growth precisely because governments only have money to spend insofar as they have taxable access to private economic activity. In other words, government…
An Easy Fix For Social Security Hides In Plain Sight
It turns out back-scratching is a profession. And a well-paid one at that. So is sleeping, videogame playing, and college sorority consulting. As automation and globalization continue to lay waste to…
Rising Dollar Circulation In Syria Is a Sign of Liberty
Central banks don’t “supply” dollars to cities, states and nations, rather dollars are an automatic effect of production in cities, states and nations. Contrary to what most economists believe,…
President Trump, Please Don’t Stop the Music
It’s easy to take for granted the convenience afforded to us now. During the recent snowstorm in Washington D.C., I recall wondering beforehand whether I should ‘stock up’ at a grocery store to…
Actually Mike Gallagher, Congress Has Legislated TikTok’s Theft
“Congress Didn’t Ban TikTok.” That’s the title of Mike Gallagher’s latest column in the Wall Street Journal. The former congressman from Wisconsin is correct that Congress didn’t ban TikTok, it’s…
Maybe It’s Time We ‘Stress Test’ the Federal Reserve?
Consider taking an exam without clear guidelines on what will be assessed. Many students have likely experienced this situation at least once, resonating with the frustration of preparing for an…
Mexico’s Economy Rejects Keynes, Friedman, & Neo-Miseans
One of the most powerful drivers of Mexican economic growth is economic activity that takes place outside of Mexico. Specifically, economic activity within the United States. Stop and think about…
Those Who Would Ban TikTok Are More Dangerous Than TikTok
Adam Smith’s observation that “the sole use of money is to circulate consumable goods” cannot be repeated enough. It explains so much, and in particular it explains why world leaders were so eager to…
Book Review: Ron Manners’ ‘The Impatient Libertarian’
They’re libertarians and they don’t know it. That’s long been the view of Cato Institute co-founder Ed Crane. It’s what he expressed decades ago to recently passed Cato executive vice president David…
The Fed’s Stress Tests Are a Conceited Look Backwards
To this day it’s said that mark-to-market (MTM) accounting rules are what caused existential troubles for banks and investment banks back in 2008. It sounds so compelling at first glance, but only…
Richmond and Los Angeles Have Been Mugged By Reality
Windsor Farms is a beautiful residential neighborhood in Richmond. My great uncle developed it 100 years ago. The streets are laid out in the style of an English village and there are many…
Congestion Pricing Is a Negative Constraint On Our Way of Life
One of the most hated ideas in human history is the toll. This hatred is best exemplified by the 19th Century “Three Billy Goats Gruff” fairy tale, where a troll under the bridge (who tries to…
The Real National Security Risk Is a TikTok Ban
At issue before the Supreme Court this week is whether the national security implications of TikTok outweigh our right to freedom of speech. The belief here is we better cling to our First Amendment.…
Another Argument for So-Called ‘Global Warming’ As a Driver of Growth
It’s been said before by many inside and outside of science that so-called “global warming” is a good thing. Usually it’s pointed out that warming associates with more food production, not to mention…
Unable to Protect Consumers, the CFPB Scapegoats the Banks
Economist Gordon Tullock (1922-2014) once quipped that there was an easy way to create safer conditions on American roads: rather than install seatbelts and air bags, attach a rather sharp,…
FDR Was Right About the Desperately Wrong Withholding Tax
The biggest flaw in Washington policy makers and economists is not understanding predictable human behavior. We are not robots, and robotic economic formulas that fail to account for human…
A 2025 Resolution For Fed: Have The Courage To Do Nothing
“The traditional argument against a rules-based monetary policy is that it requires Fed officials to specify too many contingencies ahead of time.” Those are the words of economist Jason Furman,…
Deportation of Mexicans Will Result In More Mexicans In the U.S.
The view here is that mass deportation of Mexicans from the United States will ultimately result in quite a few more Mexicans searching for a way to get to the United States than before. It’s basic…
Conservatives Must Cease Calling For Tax-Revenue Increases
“The federal government owns a little more than one-fourth of the total land area of the United States. The time is long overdue to consider whether that is the best economic arrangement.” Those are…
Book Review: Tim Matheson’s ‘Damn Glad to Meet You’
If you ever want to learn economics, just purchase books about entertainment and sports. It’s that simple. Considering antitrust alone, the whole profession could be put out of business by the…