Politicians — elected officials — are street smart rather than book smart. If you care about influencing government policy it helps to know how they think. Forbes contributor Nathan Lewis argues that: “Too much is done today on the oral tradition. That is, literally, what it is. In this post-Gutenberg age, we have some better […]
Laissez-Faire Today
Ahead of the Curve — Nicaragua’s Enormous Potential
In December of last year, I left my career to travel the world for one year. My plan was to visit as many countries as possible on my Star Alliance Around-the-World ticket in the first nine months, then, for the remaining three months, return back to the country that most caught my eye and my […]
The Death of Obama’s “Noble Lie”
Back in 2009, to accuse President Barack Obama of lying about the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was to crawl onto a pretty lonely branch. In December of that year, when I leveled the charge in response to the president’s knowing mischaracterization of the Congressional Budget Office’s scoring of his signature piece of legislation, […]
Sacrificing Your Privacy to Keep You Safe
Six months ago, I stepped out from the shadows of the United States Government’s National Security Agency to stand in front of a journalist’s camera. I shared with the world evidence proving some governments are building a worldwide surveillance system to secretly track how we live, who we talk to, and what we say. I […]
The Zero Interest Option Could Wreck the Economy
Economic history is primed to repeat in the nastiest of ways unless the government stops distorting the price of something we use every day. Every product, good, or service has a price, which is essential to rational decision-making. We use prices every day as vital data that guide us. Without true prices, prices not distorted […]
Is Bitcoin a Viable Currency?
Bitcoin has been making headlines for months now. Extreme price fluctuations have sparked a vigorous debate: Is it a currency or a scam? Is Bitcoin viable in the long-term, or are we witnessing a bubble waiting to burst? The answers to these questions are simple: Yes, Bitcoin is a currency, but we cannot know if […]
Harvard Study Finds “Striking” Rejection of Obamacare by Young Americans
A new survey from Harvard University found a large majority of young Americans do not believe the law will save them money, do not believe it will improve their health, and do not intend to sign up for insurance through the new exchanges.
Turn Your Desk Into a Pharmaceuticals Factory
Both research and production look poised for a revolution as 3-D printing applies its high-tech charms to the business of creating chemical compounds and turns the production of medicine into a DIY project.
Papal Infallibility
Uh-oh! The new pope, Francis from the Pampas, has just warned us to beware the “tyranny” of capitalism. Each man worships his own gods. Some worship at the altar of Jesus of Nazareth. Some at the altar of the Almighty Dollar. The capitalists don’t bad-mouth Francis’ god. You’d think he would cut them the same […]
New Bubbles, Short Memories
No other price pops during a boom like that of condominiums. The common view among savvy real estate types is condos are the last to jump and the first to crash. A decade ago, Bernanke’s post-Sept. 11 easy money fueled condo prices and in turn high-rise residential construction from coast to coast. In downtown Miami, […]